Definition of Terms: Critical Theory (Research Paper Pt. 4)
Excerpt from, “From social justice warrior to Gospel-centered servant of God: An educator’s reflection on critical theory and Christianity” (Linkletter, 2021).
Critical theory is a theoretical tradition which is critical to the extent that it:
Seeks human “emancipation from slavery,”
Acts as a “liberating…influence,”
And works “to create a world which satisfies the needs and powers of ‘human beings.” (Horkheimer, 1972, [1992, 246])
James Lindsay (2020) shares the following commentary on critical theory:
The term “Critical Theory” commonly causes confusion because it can refer to the Frankfurt School of Marxist critics, including György Lukács, Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, and Herbert Marcuse, or it can refer to the use of other similar—but distinct critical social theories, such as those that have their roots in postmodernism, such as postcolonial theory, queer theory, critical race theory, intersectional feminism, disability studies, and fat studies. Sometimes this confusion is expressed disingenuously by academics who dislike criticism of critical theories, and sometimes it is expressed sincerely by those whose fields of philosophy have not kept up with the fast development of Social Justice scholarship.
In this research paper, critical theory will be used as the umbrella term which encompasses all critical social theories such as critical race theory, critical queer theory, and critical disability theory.
Future blog posts with excerpts from my paper will explain critical theory in detail and include additional references.
Rebecca
References
Horkheimer, M. (1972b [1992]). Critical theory: Selected essays, translated by Matthew J. O’Connell, et al., New York: Seabury Press; reprinted Continuum: New York, 1992. p. 246.
Lindsay, J. (2020, July 8). Critical theory. New Discourses.