Critical Theory Why “critical theory”? Critical of what?  Current social conditions  Standard social science

Institute for Social Research (“Frankfurt School”) Established in 1921 Foci: Marxist studies and problem of anti- Semitism Exile; Institute at Columbia U.

Interests of Critical Theorists Critical Marxism Alienation and domination False consciousness of proletariat

Major Ideas of Critical Theorists Subjective vs. objective reason Rejection of positivism Social analysis for social emancipation Role of consumption in modern society Concept of reification

Major Ideas of Critical Theorists Influence of Freud  “social unconscious”  concept of repression  role of family in reproduction of class structure Stages of capitalism Interest in culture

Major Ideas of Critical Theorists Herbert Marcuse  surplus repression and the “great refusal”  sexual liberation as path to social emancipation

Critique of Critical Theory Orthodox Marxist view: attention to culture is distraction; should stay focused on economic issues Critical theorists: base/superstructure model is flawed; economy and culture are deeply interconnected

Jürgen Habermas (1929- ) Grew up under Nazism Graduate work in philosophy Main focus: transform critical theory into positive approach Interest in language and communication  Distorted communication  Undistorted communication

Habermas Weberian concern with penetration of instrumental rationality into all areas of social life Solution: “ideal speech situation” Characteristics:  Open to all  Equal rights of expression  Rationality will prevail

Habermas Public sphere: realm of deliberation, situated between economy and state (civil society) Decline of public sphere in late capitalism Example: rise of media conglomerates

Critiques of Habermas Assumptions about human nature and motivations Ideal speech situation is utopian Postmodern critique: misplaced faith in rationality

Habermas’s Vision of Future Optimism (cf. Marx) Contrast to Weber, other critical theorists

“What Does a Crisis Mean Today? Legitimation Problems in Late Capitalism” Question: Is capitalism still threatened by crisis? Features of late capitalism:  Economic competition replaced by oligarchies  State intervention in economy  Legitimation system (formal democracy w/o real participation)  Traditional classes less important

“What Does a Crisis Mean Today? Legitimation Problems in Late Capitalism” 3 global crises of late capitalism:  Environmental crisis  Alienation  Nuclear annihilation Role of state and possible crisis  Output crisis (efficiency crisis)  Input crisis (legitimation crisis)

“What Does a Crisis Mean Today? Legitimation Problems in Late Capitalism” Role of culture Cultural traditions made relative and political “Colonization of the lifeworld”  alienation Declining sense of meaning

“What Does a Crisis Mean Today? Legitimation Problems in Late Capitalism” Motivation crisis  Declining belief in performance ideology  Vague individual preferences  Declining importance of exchange value orientation Main point: crisis still inherent in capitalism, takes a new form under late capitalism

In-Class Writing According to Dandaneau, why didn’t the deindustrialization of Flint in the 1970s and 1980s result in a worker uprising? (Think about Habermas’s ideas about late capitalism and how it differs from the kind of capitalism Marx wrote about.)

Discussion of Roger & Me Reification and false consciousness Ideological framing of deindustrialization by those aligned with power Economic problems displaced into the political/governmental sphere Motivation crisis Colonization of the lifeworld (see Dandaneau pp )