Critical Theory: Difference between revisions
An Avatar.Global Resource
Created page with "<blockquote class="definition">Critical theory is a philosophical and social movement that critiques and seeks to transform society by uncovering and challenging systems of domination, power, and ideology. Rooted in Marxist thought, it emerged from the Frankfurt School in the early 20th century, with thinkers like Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas expanding its scope. Critical theorists argue that traditional social sciences ofte..." |
No edit summary |
||
| (One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{navmenu}} | |||
<h1 class="customtitle">{{FULLPAGENAME}}</h1> | |||
<blockquote class="definition">Critical theory is a philosophical and social movement that critiques and seeks to transform society by uncovering and challenging systems of domination, power, and ideology. Rooted in Marxist thought, it emerged from the Frankfurt School in the early 20th century, with thinkers like Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas expanding its scope. Critical theorists argue that traditional social sciences often reinforce existing power structures rather than question them, advocating for an approach that blends philosophy, sociology, and political economy to expose hidden forms of oppression. Adorno and Horkheimer’s Dialectic of Enlightenment (1944) critiqued how modern rationality, instead of liberating humanity, had become a tool of domination under capitalism. Marcuse’s One-Dimensional Man (1964) explored how consumer culture pacifies resistance, creating a conformist society. Habermas later refined critical theory by introducing communicative action, arguing that distorted communication sustains systems of power, while rational discourse can enable democratic emancipation. Critical theory continues to influence fields like feminism, postcolonial studies, media analysis, and critical race theory, providing tools to examine and resist social injustices in contemporary societies. | <blockquote class="definition">Critical theory is a philosophical and social movement that critiques and seeks to transform society by uncovering and challenging systems of domination, power, and ideology. Rooted in Marxist thought, it emerged from the Frankfurt School in the early 20th century, with thinkers like Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas expanding its scope. Critical theorists argue that traditional social sciences often reinforce existing power structures rather than question them, advocating for an approach that blends philosophy, sociology, and political economy to expose hidden forms of oppression. Adorno and Horkheimer’s Dialectic of Enlightenment (1944) critiqued how modern rationality, instead of liberating humanity, had become a tool of domination under capitalism. Marcuse’s One-Dimensional Man (1964) explored how consumer culture pacifies resistance, creating a conformist society. Habermas later refined critical theory by introducing communicative action, arguing that distorted communication sustains systems of power, while rational discourse can enable democratic emancipation. Critical theory continues to influence fields like feminism, postcolonial studies, media analysis, and critical race theory, providing tools to examine and resist social injustices in contemporary societies. | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
==Syncretic Terms== | ==Concept Map== | ||
===Syncretic Terms=== | |||
[[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related LP term::Critical Theory]]}} | [[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related LP term::Critical Theory]]}} | ||
==Related LP Terms== | ===Key Figures=== | ||
[[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a key figure::Critical Theory]]}} | |||
===Related LP Terms=== | |||
[[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related LP term::Critical Theory]]}} | [[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related LP term::Critical Theory]]}} | ||
==Non-LP Related Terms== | ===Non-LP Related Terms=== | ||
[[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related term::Critical Theory]]}} | [[Critical Theory]] > {{#ask:[[Is a related term::Critical Theory]]}} | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| Line 23: | Line 29: | ||
{{endstuff}} | {{endstuff}} | ||
[[category:terms]] | [[category:terms]] | ||
[[Is a | [[Is a::Top Level Category| ]] | ||
[[Is a related term::Cognitive Interests| ]] | [[Is a related term::Cognitive Interests| ]] | ||
Latest revision as of 03:02, 2 April 2025
Critical Theory
Critical theory is a philosophical and social movement that critiques and seeks to transform society by uncovering and challenging systems of domination, power, and ideology. Rooted in Marxist thought, it emerged from the Frankfurt School in the early 20th century, with thinkers like Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas expanding its scope. Critical theorists argue that traditional social sciences often reinforce existing power structures rather than question them, advocating for an approach that blends philosophy, sociology, and political economy to expose hidden forms of oppression. Adorno and Horkheimer’s Dialectic of Enlightenment (1944) critiqued how modern rationality, instead of liberating humanity, had become a tool of domination under capitalism. Marcuse’s One-Dimensional Man (1964) explored how consumer culture pacifies resistance, creating a conformist society. Habermas later refined critical theory by introducing communicative action, arguing that distorted communication sustains systems of power, while rational discourse can enable democratic emancipation. Critical theory continues to influence fields like feminism, postcolonial studies, media analysis, and critical race theory, providing tools to examine and resist social injustices in contemporary societies.
Concept Map
Notes
Citation and Legal
Treat the SpiritWiki as an open-access online monograph or structured textbook. You may freely use information in the SpiritWiki; however, attribution, citation, and/or direct linking are ethically required.