Robert Rapp Albritton, professor emeritus in York University’s Department of Political Science, passed away Oct. 5.
Albritton began his career as a teacher with the U.S. Peace Corps in Ethiopia while completing a bachelor of arts in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. After earning a master of arts in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, he joined York in 1969 as a lecturer in political science. He was promoted to associate professor in 1972 and to professor in 2001.
At York, Albritton became known for his teaching in political theory and political economy, including courses on Karl Marx’s Capital. His deep engagement with Marx’s work shaped his reputation as a leading Marxist scholar. He published widely on capitalism, globalization and social transformation, using Marx’s framework to examine how economic systems evolve and affect society.
In the 1980s, Albritton extended his intellectual community beyond the classroom by forming a study group of colleagues and students that met regularly at his home for two decades. Together they explored the Marxist economic theory of Japanese economist Kōzō Uno and its broader applications.
Even after retiring in 2005, Albritton remained devoted to scholarship. He authored Economics Transformed: Discovering the Brilliance of Marx (2007), which examined Marx’s economic theories – including the commodity form and surplus value – and connected them to modern capitalist structures. His later work, Let Them Eat Junk: How Capitalism Creates Hunger and Obesity (2009), built on that foundation, combining his theoretical insights with a growing concern for the social and ecological issues surrounding food and agriculture. The book analyzed how global capitalist food systems create both hunger and obesity, linking these outcomes to wider economic, social and environmental crises.
Albritton continued to serve as a mentor after his retirement, providing feedback on student work and dissertations. Those who benefited from his guidance recalled his humanity, kindness, patience and generosity with his time.
He also recognized how much he gained from his students. In the acknowledgements of Economics Transformed, he wrote, “I have … been blessed by teaching at a university where many graduate students have been keen to study such a demanding work as Capital. Over the years my thought has been continually challenged and, as a result, sharpened by my students.”
Albritton’s legacy lives on through his contributions to Marxist scholarship, his influence on generations of students and his lasting impact on the study of political economy at York.
Albritton is survived by his partner, Jennifer Welsh.