What is Critical Theory? | Definition, History, and Examples from Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Summary

The script delves into critical theory, exploring its origins in the Frankfurt School and its broader application in social philosophy. It critiques power structures through ideologies embedded in institutions, influencing behavior and beliefs. Key tenets include the political non-neutrality of social science and the role of critical theory in identifying and overcoming societal oppression. The script highlights Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' as an example, advocating for an educational model that fosters questioning and collaboration to counter authoritarianism. The video concludes with an encouragement to continue learning and supporting the channel.

Takeaways

• 📚 Critical theory has two main interpretations: a narrow sense referring to the Frankfurt School and its Marxist tradition, and a broader sense that encompasses various forms of social philosophy using Marxist theory to critique power structures.
• 🌟 The Frankfurt School, starting with Max Horkheimer in the 1930s, is a key example of the application of critical theory within a Marxist tradition.
• 🔍 Critical theories, including critical historiography and critical race theory, analyze how ideology becomes embedded in social and political institutions, influencing behavior and beliefs.
• 🛠 Critical theorists use deconstruction of ideologies' historical development to promote positive social change through academic scholarship.
• 🏛 Horkheimer argued that social science is never politically neutral, as it is influenced by the researchers' biases and ideological assumptions.
• 🚫 The traditional social science claimed objectivity, which Horkheimer saw as a facade that supported the ruling elite's interests and reinforced the status quo.
• 🔑 Critical theory aims to identify and overcome oppression in society, challenging the uncritical reproduction of ideological narratives.
• 👨‍🏫 Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' is highlighted as an application of critical theory in education, critiquing traditional models that foster authoritarian politics.
• 🤔 Freire proposed the 'problem-posing model' of education, where students engage in collaborative discussions and question information, fostering democratic values.
• 🌐 The script encourages viewers to continue learning and to explore the series on top social science theories.
• 🎥 The creator is on parental leave but promises new content periodically, with a full return in July, supported by Patreon supporters.

Q & A

What does the term 'critical theory' refer to in a narrow sense?

In a narrow sense, 'critical theory' refers to several generations of social theorists in a Marxist tradition, known as the Frankfurt School, which began in the 1930s with German author Max Horkheimer.

How is 'critical theory' used in a broader sense?

In a broader sense, 'critical theory' is used to describe forms of social philosophy that utilize aspects of Marxist theory to critique and challenge power structures.

What are some examples of different forms of critical theory?

Examples of different forms of critical theory include critical historiography, critical cartography, and critical race theory, which is probably the most famous.

How do critical theories explore the influence of ideology on society?

Critical theories explore how ideology becomes embedded in social and political institutions and influences and dictates our behavior and beliefs in society.

What is the goal of critical theorists in studying and deconstructing ideologies?

The goal of critical theorists is to use academic scholarship to affect what they see as positive social change by identifying and overcoming forms of oppression inherent to the societies in which we live.

What is one of the main tenets of critical theory as articulated by Max Horkheimer?

One of the main tenets of critical theory, as articulated by Max Horkheimer, is that social science is never politically neutral and that social scientists bring their own unacknowledged biases to their interpretations of culture.

Why did Horkheimer argue against the claims of objectivity in social science?

Horkheimer argued against the claims of objectivity in social science because they gave unarticulated biases a sense of scientific truth, which supported the interests of the ruling elite and reinforced the status quo.

What is the traditional theory in academia according to Horkheimer's framework?

According to Horkheimer's framework, the traditional theory in academia serves to reinforce the status quo by uncritically reproducing ideological narratives that support forms of exploitation.

Can you provide an example of applying critical theory to a specific field?

An example of applying critical theory to a specific field is Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed,' which applies critical theory to the study of education.

What is the problem-posing model proposed by Paulo Freire?

The problem-posing model proposed by Paulo Freire is an educational model where students learn through collaborative discussions, moderated by teachers, and are encouraged to constantly question the sources of information given in the classroom.

How does the problem-posing model aim to counter authoritarian politics?

The problem-posing model aims to counter authoritarian politics by internalizing the value of collaborative learning and questioning authority, which helps build stronger democratic institutions and push back against anti-democratic ideologies.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Critical Theory: Definition and Scope

This paragraph introduces critical theory, which has two interpretations. In a narrow sense, it refers to the Frankfurt School of social theorists in the Marxist tradition, beginning with Max Horkheimer in the 1930s. In a broader sense, it encompasses various forms of social philosophy that use Marxist theory to critique power structures. The paragraph mentions different types of critical theories, such as critical historiography and critical race theory, which examine how ideology influences behavior and beliefs in society. Critical theorists aim to use academic scholarship to effect positive social change by studying and deconstructing ideologies.

🔍 Critical Theory as Analytical Method and Political Action

The paragraph delves into critical theory as both an analytical method derived from Marxist historical materialism and a form of political action. It discusses the main tenets of critical theory as articulated by Horkheimer, emphasizing that social science is never politically neutral. Social scientists bring their biases to their interpretations of culture, and the false claims of objectivity in social science can support the interests of the ruling elite and reinforce exploitation. Horkheimer proposes critical theory as an alternative to identify and overcome societal oppression.

🏫 Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed

This section highlights Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed,' which applies critical theory to education. Freire critiques the traditional educational model where teachers are unquestionable authority figures and students passively receive knowledge. He argues this model supports anti-democratic, authoritarian politics by instilling passivity and unquestioning obedience in students from an early age. As an alternative, Freire proposes the 'problem-posing model,' where students engage in collaborative discussions and are encouraged to question information sources, fostering democratic values and countering authoritarian ideologies.

Keywords

💡Critical Theory

Critical Theory refers to a body of social and political thought that seeks to critique and challenge power structures using Marxist theory. In the video, it is discussed as both a narrow academic tradition associated with the Frankfurt School and a broader social philosophy that aims to identify and overcome oppression. The script mentions various forms of critical theory, such as critical race theory, which explore the embedding of ideology in social institutions.

💡Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt School is a group of scholars known for their critical theories, originating in the 1930s with Max Horkheimer. They are associated with a Marxist tradition and are noted for their interdisciplinary approach to understanding society and culture. In the script, the Frankfurt School is identified as the starting point of critical theory in a narrow sense.

💡Max Horkheimer

Max Horkheimer was a German philosopher and the first director of the Institute for Social Research, associated with the Frankfurt School. He is mentioned in the script as the initiator of critical theory, emphasizing that social science is never politically neutral and often reinforces the status quo by reproducing ideological narratives.

💡Ideology

In the context of the video, ideology refers to a set of beliefs or ideas that shape the way individuals perceive the world and act within it. The script discusses how ideology becomes embedded in social and political institutions, influencing behavior and beliefs, and how critical theorists work to deconstruct these ideologies to effect positive social change.

💡Social Science

Social Science is the study of society, patterns of social relationships, and institutions. The script highlights Horkheimer's argument that social science is never politically neutral and often claims objectivity, which can mask biases and support the interests of the ruling elite.

💡Political Action

Political action in the script is related to the application of critical theory as a means to identify and challenge oppressive power structures. It is presented as an academic pursuit that can lead to social change, such as Paulo Freire's pedagogy of the oppressed, which is an example of applying critical theory to education.

💡Paulo Freire

Paulo Freire was a Brazilian educator and the author of 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed.' The script discusses his work as an application of critical theory to education, where he critiqued traditional educational models and proposed alternative pedagogical approaches that encourage questioning and collaborative learning.

💡Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a book by Paulo Freire that critiques traditional education models and proposes a new approach to teaching and learning. In the script, it is presented as an example of critical theory in practice, aiming to challenge authoritarian ideologies by promoting active learning and questioning authority in the classroom.

💡Problem-posing Model

The problem-posing model is an educational approach introduced by Paulo Freire, which contrasts with the traditional banking model of education. As described in the script, this model encourages students to engage in collaborative discussions and question the information they receive, fostering critical thinking and democratic values.

💡Authoritarian Politics

Authoritarian politics refers to a form of governance characterized by strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom. The script links traditional education models that encourage passivity and unquestioning acceptance to the development of authoritarian ideologies and suggests that critical pedagogy can counteract this.

💡Counter Ideology

Counter ideology in the script refers to the set of beliefs or principles that challenge or oppose the dominant or oppressive ideologies. It is exemplified by the problem-posing model in education, which serves as an alternative to traditional models and promotes democratic values as a response to authoritarian politics.

Highlights

Critical theory is often associated with social theorists in the Marxist tradition, specifically the Frankfurt School, which began with Max Horkheimer in the 1930s.

The term 'critical theory' also encompasses a broader sense, referring to social philosophies that use Marxist theory to critique and challenge power structures.

Forms of critical theory include critical historiography, critical cartography, and critical race theory, which examines how ideology influences societal behavior and beliefs.

Critical theorists aim to use academic scholarship to affect positive social change by studying and deconstructing ideologies embedded in social and political institutions.

Horkheimer argued that social science is never politically neutral, as it is influenced by the researcher's biases and ideological assumptions.

The traditional claim of objectivity in social science can give unarticulated biases a sense of scientific truth, supporting the interests of the ruling elite.

Horkheimer proposed critical theory as an alternative to traditional theory, which he saw as reinforcing the status quo by uncritically reproducing ideological narratives.

The goal of critical theory is to identify and overcome oppression inherent in societies, using it as both an analytical method and a form of political action.

Paulo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' applies critical theory to education, critiquing the traditional model where the teacher is an unquestionable authority.

Freire argued that the traditional education model supports anti-democratic authoritarian politics by teaching students to be passive and unquestioning.

As an alternative, Freire proposed the 'problem-posing model' of education, encouraging students to question information and learn collaboratively.

Critical pedagogy aims to build stronger democratic institutions and counter authoritarian politics by fostering the value of questioning authority.

Critical theory follows a structure of problematizing traditional social institutions, exploring their potential contribution to oppression, and proposing progressive alternatives.

The video is part of a two-part series on the top 10 theories in the social sciences, encouraging viewers to check out the series for more insights.

The host is currently on parental leave but promises new content periodically over the next few months, with a full return in July.

The host thanks Patreon supporters and invites viewers to become patrons for social scientific education.

Transcripts

number four on our list is critical

theory which can mean two different

things on the one hand the term critical

theory is often used in a narrow sense

to refer to several generations of

social theorists in a marxist tradition

called the frankfurt school which began

in the 1930s with the german author max

horkheimer but the term is also used in

a much broader sense to refer to forms

of social philosophy

that use aspects of marxist theory in

order to critique and challenge power

structures and in that

second broader sense of the term there

are many different critical theories

from critical historiography and

critical cartography to critical race

theory which is probably the most famous

and all of these

explore the ways in which ideology

becomes embedded in social and political

institutions and comes to influence and

dictate our behavior and beliefs in

society

and by studying and or deconstructing

the historical development and origins

of those ideologies critical theorists

attempt to use academic scholarship to

affect what they see as positive social

change so critical theory is both an

analytical method adapted from marxist

historical materialism and depending on

how you look at it also a form of

political action now one of the main

tenets of critical theory as articulated

by horkheimer writing in the 1930s

is that social science unlike natural

science is never politically neutral um

in the same way that we bring aspects of

our identities and ideological

assumptions to a text when we read it

social scientists bring their own

unacknowledged biases to their

interpretations of culture which you

know isn't great but the real problem

was that social science often claimed to

be objective which

gave those unarticulated biases a sense

of scientific truth and horkheimer

argued that those false claims of

objectivity supported the interests of

the ruling elite of

colonial powers of both totalitarian

communist and capitalist states and the

national education systems in which

academics worked so

in horkheimer's framework traditional

theory in academia served to reinforce

the status quo by

uncritically reproducing ideological

narratives that supported forms of

exploitation and he proposed critical

theory as an alternative um the goal of

which was identifying and overcoming the

forms of oppression inherent to the

societies in which we live and i'll give

you in

an example of what that looks like one

of the most famous i think is paulo

freire's pedagogy of the oppressed which

applies critical theory to the study of

education and writing in the 1960s ferry

critiqued the traditional educational

model in which the teacher is an

unquestionable authority figure who

transmits knowledge to the student and

the student's role is to passively

receive and memorize everything that the

teacher says in the classroom friary

argued that that traditional model of

education supports the development of

anti-democratic authoritarian politics

because

at a very early age students learn that

they should be passive that they should

avoid asking questions and that they

should always accept and do what they're

told

and those ideals which he links to the

governing philosophy of totalitarian

states become part of the ideology

that's imprinted on people through the

education system and as an alternative

to that more traditional understanding

of education fairy proposes a completely

different educational model called the

problem posing model in which students

learn through collaborative discussions

moderated by teachers and are encouraged

to constantly question the sources of

information that they are given in the

classroom and the

idea is that by internalizing the value

of collaborative learning and

questioning authority

education as critical pedagogy can help

build stronger democratic institutions

and push back against authoritarian

anti-democratic politics as a form

of counter ideology

and that's the structure that a lot of

critical theory follows problematizing

traditional social institutions

exploring how they can potentially

contribute to oppression or exploitation

and then proposing alternatives that

build on progressive understandings of

democracy

you just watched an excerpt from our

two-part series on the top 10 theories

in the social sciences if you're still

watching um thank you very much and you

should check the series out and of

course like and subscribe at the moment

i'm actually on parental leave and you

can find some information about that on

the channel as well but

we'll be uploading some new content

periodically over the next few months

and then we'll be back with a bunch of

new material at the beginning of july

until then i'm wishing each and every

one of you the best of luck and of

course never stop learning

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