GRST 254 - Frankfurt School Critical Theory

Institution:

Wesleyan University

Subject:

German Studies

Description:

In the humanities and social sciences, the term "critical theory" remains closely associated with its origins in the Institute of Social Research, better known as the Frankfurt School. Beginning in 1930, scholars affiliated with the Frankfurt School (e.g., Adorno, Benjamin, Horkheimer, Marcuse) sought to replace "traditional" with what they called "critical" theory. By this they meant a theory that would uncover the hidden cultural and psychological mechanisms of capitalist society, a theory that would negate society in its existent form, thus opening up possibilities for imagining a different social order. This course provides a survey of critical theory, beginning with its roots in the 19th century (e.g., Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche), and will then focus on some of the Frankfurt School's major works that address a diverse array of intellectual and political concerns, from the critique of state capitalism, industrial society, and instrumental reason to commentaries on mass culture, high art, fascism, and psychoanalysis. A truly interdisciplinary institution, the Frankfurt School studied economics, sociology, philosophy, literature, art, psychology, politics, and history. This introduction to the programmatic statements and eclectic reflections of various scholars will highlight the diverse historical influences, collaborative efforts, and internecine debates that shaped the intellectual tradition across continents and generations.

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wesleyan.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 685-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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