In this special double issue

we are pleased to present a dossier on Empire, the widely acclaimed book by

Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri. As many rm readers will no doubt be aware, Hardt
and Negris most recent collaborative writing project has elicited a great deal of interest around the world, having been reviewed in a wide variety of media (from
left-wing journals to mainstream publications and television programs) and translated into an ever-growing number of languages. Here, for the first time, guest editor
Abdul-Karim Mustapha has carefully assembled the reactions of a large and diverse
group of international scholars, who engage and confront the comprehensive historical
narrative and specific argumentscultural, economic, philosophical, and political
encompassed by Empire, together with a response by Hardt and Negri.
Our hope is that this collection of novel and provocative essays will contribute to
a wider discussion, among Marxists and other left-wing thinkers, of the meanings of
globalization and the emergent theoretical and political momentsboth challenges
and opportunitiesthat we face. This is especially true in the aftermath of what has
become known as 9-11. Due to the lead time associated with publishing a journal
like rm, this issue (including the guest editors introduction and the authors response)
was compiled and edited during the months prior to 9-11 but will only appear later
in the year. In the meantime, the world has witnessed the terrorist attacks in New
York and Washington, D.C., as well as the U.S.led war in Afghanistan, the sharp
rightward shift of the terms of political debate in the United States, antiwar mobilizations around the globe, and much, much else. We do not consider it appropriate,
as an editorial board, to settle on or present a specific position on these events.
However, we do want to provide a forum in which manifold reactions to and interpretations of the conditions and consequences of 9-11 can be shown to emerge from
or be brought into dialogue with the Marxian tradition.
Richard Wolff, the new Remarx editor, is compiling a series of essays on the events
of 9-11, which (along with full-length articles, artwork, and reviews) will appear in
future issues of rm. We want to take this opportunity to thank Rick for assuming this
new role, and to publicly acknowledge and extend our gratitude to Rob Garnett and
Antonio Callari who, after long service, have decided to step down from the board.
Rob has worn many hats over the years, including those of Reviews and Remarx
editors. Antonio, for his part, coedited the special issue on Althusser (volume 10,
number 3, fall 1998), contributed reviews and translations of articles too numerous
to mention, and was one of the principle organizers of the international gala conferences sponsored by rm. Both Rob and Antonio will be sorely missed.