Paul Burkett

Paul Burkett
Born	(1956-05-26)May 26, 1956 Wyandotte, Michigan, United States
Died	January 7, 2024(2024-01-07) (aged 67) Terre Haute, Indiana, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Economist, educator
Website	papapatty.org

Dr. Paul Burkett (1956 – 2024) was an American economist, educator, and musician known for his writings on ecological Marxism. He published numerous works on Socialism and ecology, including collaborations with scholars including John Bellamy Foster and Martin Hart-Landsberg. As an educator, Burkett taught at Syracuse University, Auburn Correctional Facility, the University of Miami, and Indiana State University. Burkett also performed jazz saxophone under the moniker PapaPatty in honor of his late son Patrick.

Burkett and his twin brother Patrick were born in Wyandotte, Michigan to parents William Loyd Burkett and Dorothy Whalen Burkett. After attending Wyandotte Roosevelt High School and Kalamazoo College, Burkett went on to earn his Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from Syracuse University in 1984.

Burkett died at home in Terre Haute, Indiana on January 7, 2024, from complications of acute myeloid leukemia.

Career

Burkett spent many years teaching at the university level, retiring from Indiana State University in 2020. His articles appeared in publications including Monthly Review, Climate & Capitalism, and International Socialism.

Works

• Marx and Nature: A Red and Green Perspective (1999)
• Development, Crisis and Class Struggle: Learning from Japan and East Asia (2000) with Martin Hart-Landsberg
• China and Socialism: Market Reforms and Class Struggle (2005) with Martin Hart-Landsberg
• Marxism and Ecological Economics: Toward a Red and Green Political Economy (2006)
• Marx and the Earth: An Anti-Critique (2016) with John Bellamy Foster