Joshua Clover Obituary; Revolutionary Scholar and Poet, Passes Away at 62

Joshua Clover, a distinguished poet, scholar, and revolutionary thinker, passed away on April 26, 2025, at the age of 62. His death has left the academic and literary communities in mourning.​

Born in Berkeley, California, Clover was a professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Davis. He was also the director of the Marxist Institute for Research, where he influenced countless students and scholars with his interdisciplinary approach to critical theory, political economy, and poetry. His work spanned various fields, including Marxist theory, cultural studies, and poetry, and was recognized with numerous accolades, such as the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets.

Clover’s scholarship was marked by its incisive analysis and commitment to social justice. His book Riot. Strike. Riot: The New Era of Uprisings (2016) examined the evolving nature of class struggle through the lens of riots and strikes, offering a critical perspective on contemporary social movements. He also authored several poetry collections, including Red Epic and Madonna Anno Domini, which have been translated into over a dozen languages. ​

In his final months, Clover was preparing to teach a course titled “Marx in the Present Tense,” reflecting his ongoing commitment to exploring critical ideas and challenging conventional thinking. His death has left a void in the academic community, but his intellectual legacy continues to inspire those who seek to understand and transform the world.​

As we mourn his loss, we also celebrate his contributions to literature, scholarship, and social thought. Joshua Clover’s work remains a testament to the power of ideas to challenge, inspire, and enact change.