1. Introduction to critical theory: Organizations, power, and rhetoric, pt. 1
Why Critical Theory?
Eventually, we are going to examine and analyze communication events.
Rhetorical Criticism/Communication Analysis.
But these focus on “fitting response.”
Critical Theory goes deeper (earlier, behind) examining the very nature of communication transactions.

2. Introduction to critical theory: Organizations, power, and rhetoric, pt. 1
Critical theory is the subjective tool the individual uses to liberate himself from unnecessary domination.

3. Critical Theory works against
“It is what it is.”
“What it is” isn’t just a natural occurrence. It’s a social construction bound up in power relationships
It is hidden by ideology.
It subjects people unto its structures while giving the appearance of being benign or helpful (or right).

4. Critical Theory works against
The Will to Truth
From Nietzsche (and later, most 20th century philosophy)
Massive structures of Truth, and our striving to discover it/them, are ideological tools of oppression supported by those empowered by the particular truth sets.

5. Critical Theory works toward
Critical theory is interested in the abolition of social injustice.
All humans must deal with domination and power in social groups.
The point is to show how repressive interests are hidden by supposedly neutral formulations the various ideologies that maintain injustice.

6. Critical Theory works toward
Rationality
Self-consciousness
Interpretive understanding (especially of symbol systems and meaning).

7. Organizations are Fertile Ground for Observations based on Critical Theory
They often act as though “it is what it is.”
They often claim a main line to Truth.
They often participate in structures of domination and social injustice.

8. Michel Foucault on Rhetoric
Against the “will to truth.”
Discourse as a reality, not mere window dressing or vehicle.
Discourse is epistemological (how we know what we know).

9. The Base for Foucault’s Critical System: Discursive Formations
The everyday structures that govern knowledge in a culture.
Established by particular discourse practices.

10. Rules Governing Discursive Formations
Similar to zeitgeists and paradigms. How do discursive formations get established?
Foucault produces methods for analyzing the production of discourse in terms of the possibilities that allow it to appear and that govern its knowledge and order.
How to look inside for rules and relations.

11. Rules that control the appearance of discourse: What can be said?
Prohibitions for speaking of certain things.
Rules which establish institutional bodies as proper authorities and spokespeople for the creation of an object of discourse.

12. Rules concerning who is allowed to speak/write
Each culture listens to some and discredits others.
Credibility is given based on the accomplishment of certain conditions.
Certain ways of producing discourse enable credible listening.
Rules for ritual production.
Rules for particularly acceptable sites.

13. Rules for proper forms concepts and theories must assume to be accepted as knowledge
The proper arrangement of sayings.
Stylistic rules
Only certain people may participate in generating certain types of rules.

14. How does one investigate Discursive Formations?
Uncover regularities in discursive practices, particularly the everyday.
Investigate contradictions and see how the current formation makes them fit.
Make comparative descriptions of similar discursive practices in different formations.
See change as a succession made possible by events, not merely as chronology.
How do networks of power relations effect all this?

15. Foucault’s First Critical System for finding Discursive Formations: Archeology
One discursive formation present at time; little overlap--not much transition between them.

16. Foucault’s Second Critical System for finding Discursive Formations: Genealogy
Admitted that discursive formations sometimes overlap & bleed into each other such that “genealogy” trees work better than layers.

17. How does one do this critical work?
Remove the subject: who said the thing becomes less important--especially don’t account for their motives.
Describe the discourse.
Study the common elements to listen to the voices submerged within.
Study the power relations reflected.

18. Habermas and Understanding the Life-World
Attempts to creates a theory of communication that leads to the self-emancipation of the people.

19. Habermas and Understanding the Life-World
What are the taken-for-granted aspects of everyday life that are passed on through knowledge, traditions, and customs?
Language works to construct and display meanings by inter-subjectively passing along structures as though they are real and fixed.

20. Habermas and Understanding the Life-World
Hermeneutics, a term derived from biblical exegesis, is applied to the taken for granted communication processes and products.
Uncovering the processes of Interpretive understanding that participants use to reach mutual understandings about what appears to be “objective, social, subjective.”

21. Hermeneutics uncover(s)
Distortions of meanings that profit those in power.
Unconscious ideologies and their effects.
Forces of power and control.
Grounds for what appear to be background consensus.

22. Classical Hermeneutics Asks
Who (is the author)
What (is the subject matter of the text)
Why (was the text written)
How (was the text composed)
When (was the text written or published)
Where (was the text written or published)?
By which means (was the text written or published)

23. Modern Hermeneutics Based on Phenomenology
Focuses on people’s perceptions of the life-world
Focuses on people’s lived experiences.
Bracketing of apriori-meanings in favor of subjective descriptions of experience.
Looking for hidden meanings and essences of experiences.
Unveil the world through peoples’ life world stories.

24. Modern Hermeneutics Based on Phenomenology
Interpretations are all we have.
There’s no social reality behind the back of language.
Therefore, understanding how processes for transacting interpretive meanings is the only true science.
Understanding is the goal.
Detached objectivity gets one nowhere.