Louis Althusser
Louis Althusser was a prominent French Marxist philosopher whose work significantly influenced 20th-century critical theory, particularly through his structuralist interpretation of Marxism. In his seminal essay "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses" (1970), Althusser introduced the concept of Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) to explain how ideology functions within society to reproduce the conditions necessary for the continuation of the Regime of Accumulation. He argued that institutions like schools, churches, and media disseminate ideologies that shape individuals' beliefs and behaviors, effectively ensuring the reproduction of labor power and the perpetuation of existing social relations. By focusing on the subtle and pervasive means by which ideology reinforces the status quo, Althusser's work illuminates the mechanisms through which societies maintain and reproduce their underlying economic and class structures.
Terms Louis Althusser
Key Figure
A. L. Kitselman, Abraham Maslow, Albert Hofmann, Aldous Huxley, Humphry Osmond, Johan Galtung
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