KARSTEN H. PIEP 2019 7A (JAN-MAY 2019) 3-CREDIT-HOURS [email protected] (513) 421-0551 HMS 809 Critical Theory Ernest Meissonier, The Barricade (1848) “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it.” —Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach” (1848) SEMINAR DESCRIPTION Although Critical Theory (capitalized) has come to be closely associated with the Frankfurt School, as a practice of sustained critical inquiry that seeks to bring about social change, its reach and application extends far beyond the work of the members of the Institute for Social Research. Karl Marx’s famous assertion that “philosophers have only interpreted the world” but “the point is to change it” has been taken up by a wide variety of social, political, and cultural theorists who, akin to Patricia Hill Collins’s account of “one distinguishing feature of Black feminist thought,” insist “that both the changed consciousness of individuals and the social transformation of political and economic institutions constitute essential ingredients for social change.” A central supposition underlying all critical theories, then, is that oppression, whether it is based on (frequently intersecting) constructs of class, gender, race, sexual orientation, or ability, cannot be overcome “under existing ideological and institutional structures” (Rhode). Thus, according to Max Horkheimer, critical theory distinguishes itself from traditional theory in that it actively critiques and challenges existing ideological and institutional structures. Whereas traditional theory, marked by positivism and foundationalism, uncritically reproduces existing society, Horkheimer claims, critical theory strives to transform the very structure of society. “The aim of this activity,” he explains, “is not simply to eliminate one or another abuse, for it regards such abuses as necessarily connected with the way in which the social structure is organized. Although it itself emerges HMS 809 - Critical Theory 2 from the social structure, its purpose is not, either in its conscious intention, or in its objective significance, the better functioning of any element in the structure. On the contrary, it is suspicious of the very categories of better, useful, appropriate, productive, and valuable, as these are understood in the present order.” In part due to its characteristic suspiciousness of all things that are considered given (a critical move that Paul Ricoeur attributes to Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche and has described as “an art of interpreting” that exposes false assumptions to institute “a new relation…between the patent and the latent”), critical theory is “rooted in ‘critical activity’ which is oppositional and which is involved in a struggle for social change and the unification of theory and practice,” as Douglas Kellner notes. Generally speaking, critical theory may thus be understood as an ongoing effort to critique the social organization of economics, politics, and culture so as to discern and foster the emergence of alternative social practices and formations. For “unlike philosophy,” Herbert Marcuse avers, critical theory “always derives its goals from present tendencies of the social process. Therefore it has no fear of the utopia that the new order is denounced as being.” In the spirit of what Frankfurt School theorists call “immanent critique,” this advanced HMS seminar invites participants to turn a critical eye on five, decidedly interdisciplinary schools of critical theory that have gained prominence before the historical backdrops of nationalism, imperialism, and Fascism as well as the attendant resurgence of antiauthoritarianism, feminism, civil rights struggles, and various decolonization efforts. Following a brief consideration of Karl Marx’s approach to ideology critique, we will scrutinize how thinkers such as Ernst Bloch, Antonio Gramsci, and Frantz Fanon theorize resistance by expanding upon basic Marxist concepts. Next, we are going to take a close look at Max Horkheimer and Herbert Marcuse’s respective attempts to define critical theory and examine its applications and permutations in the historico-materialist art criticisms of Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno as well as Hannah Arendt and Jürgen Habermas’s writings on the political functions of public places and spheres. Turning to select foundational texts by Stuart Hall and Raymond Williams, we will consider central critical approaches that continue to inform (British) cultural studies and then investigate how these have been brought to bear on the study of popular culture as well as empire. Nancy Fraser’s “What’s Critical About Critical Theory?” sets the stage for our subsequent exploration of feminist appropriations of critical theory that entails close considerations of Chandra Mohanty’s indictment of feminist scholarship in colonial discourses and Barbara Smith’s account of the emergence of black feminist thought. Finally, we will examine some basic tenets of critical race theory such as intersectionality via pioneering texts by Kimberle Crenshaw, Paulette Caldwell, and Patricia Hill Collins, and consider the ways in which critical feminist theory and critical race theory contest “androcentric, Eurocentric, and colonial ‘ways to truth’ that universalize the experiences of a fraction of the human population...and develop alternative research practices that further feminist and antiracist goals of social transformation” (Hawkesworth). Interspersed throughout the seminar, one cinematic and three literary interludes--centered on Charlie Chaplin’s silent movie, Modern Times (1936); Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (1853); James Joyce’s short story, “Eveline” (1914); and Sherley Anne Williams’s novel, Dessa Rose (1986)--challenge participants to apply aspects of critical theory to the interpretation of cultural artifacts. INTEGRATION OF PROGRAM THEMES Since, as defined by Max Horkheimer, critical theory “strives for a state of affairs in which there will be no exploitation or oppression,” this seminar perforce requires participants to critically engage changing notions of social justice as well as intersecting constructs of otherness and difference. Based on the guiding assumption embraced by many critical theorists that critique must begin by sketching out the limits of our current ways of knowing, the readings, discussions, and assignments have been assembled to facilitate a self-reflective approach to scholarship that entails a critical assessment of one’s investments in existing structures of organizing knowledge, obtaining power, and making judgments. HMS 809 - Critical Theory 3 INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING In the context of HMS 809, thinking and writing about ideas and issues is conceived as a reflective dialogue between one’s own intuitions and beliefs, and a series of complex and provocative theoretical arguments and texts. Thus, the critical responses, annotated bibliography, critical review essay, and final seminar project allow participants to advance their individual intellectual projects through an informed dialogue with influential thinkers, concepts, and theories. UNIVERSITY AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES HMS 809 pays particular attention to UI&U Doctoral Learning Outcome IV: Social and Global Perspectives (“Articulate a perspective on power in the world and one’s own place in the global community”) as well as Ph.D. Program Outcome V.ii, “Demonstrate understanding of theories and practices of the creative process, engaging difference, and social justice.” This means that seminar contributions will be evaluated on the basis of the clarity of their descriptions and critiques of central arguments, theories, methods and their critical appraisals of potential benefits and shortcomings of theories and practices of the creative process, engaging difference, and/or social justice. ASSIGNMENTS, PROCEDURES, AND EVALUATION CLOSE READING RESPONSES (CRR): To facilitate the close reading of and critical engagement with texts, seminar participants will be divided into two groups and post altogether five reading responses. These responses should be between 400 and 800 words long and contain specific references to and/or quotes from the text under discussion. Rather than attempting to summarize an entire reading, the responses should focus on one idea, theme, or issue and pursue it in greater depth, recording comments or criticisms, and raising questions. BRIEF COMMENTS (BC): In order to allow for group discussions, seminar participants who are not posting their (roughly) biweekly reading response will post one or more brief comments on one or more of the responses. The length of these short comments may vary from a few lines to an entire paragraph. CONFERENCE CALL DISCUSSIONS: Toward the end each sequence, we will convene by phone to discuss what we have learned (or failed to learn) through our close engagement with various texts. Although these discussions are intended to be rather informal, participants are asked to prepare a three- to five-minute opening statement, in which he/she takes an arguable (preferably provocative) position on one or more of the readings. CRITICAL REVIEW ESSAY: About midway through the seminar, participants will write a critical review essay that deals with one or more issues concerning the theory and/or practice of critical theory. The review essay should be 2000-2500 words in length (approximately 7-10 pages) and contain specific textual evidence from the readings to support interpretations and contentions. Written