Author: M. Farahi Tojegi
A Brief Overview of the Frankfurt School (part one)
Throughout history, various systems and parties have formed and emerged in the world, each of which has sought to create a profound change in the existing system of society, which has caused injustice or deprivation of rights in some way for some individuals or groups; but sometimes these small social systems themselves have deviated in the middle of the road and have strayed from the straight line and the main goal. Or the lofty ideals and transcendent goals have been forgotten and buried only at the top of their slogans, writings, and resolutions, and their place has been taken by selfish purposes and desires in the context of society and in the field of action.
We will continue to examine and explore the depths of the heart and form of the Frankfurt School:
Abstract
The Frankfurt School was founded by Max Horkheimer at the University of Frankfurt and has led to the emergence of prominent figures such as Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Walter Benjamin, and… in the world. The general tendency of the supporters of this school was Marxism. This critical school includes criticism of society as well as various epistemological systems, and its ultimate goal is to reveal the nature of society more accurately. Its main criticisms include: A: Criticism of Marxist theory; B: Criticisms of positivism; C: Criticisms of sociology; D: Criticism of modern society.
Critical theory is also the product of a group of German neo-Marxists of this school who were not happy with the state of Marxist theory, especially its tendency towards economic determinism. This theory is mostly made up of criticisms that have been made from various aspects of social and intellectual life. This theory is inspired by the work of “Marx” and its main goal is to show power relations within the framework of cultural phenomena.
In this series of notes, the Frankfurt School is introduced and discussed with a brief look at its social theory through the documentary method.
Introduction
The Frankfurt School is one of the major schools of sociology that is inspired by Marxism, but since none of the promises of Marxism about the revolution of the proletariat class and the overthrow of the capitalist system were fulfilled due to its internal contradictions, the Frankfurt School broke away from Marxism. The Frankfurt School’s perspective is a critical perspective and focuses more on the cultural level and aims at the liberation of mankind. The main concept of critical theory is to provide critical analyses of the problems and dilemmas of society. For this reason, this theory is essentially a value and measurement theory; therefore, it strongly opposes movements such as positivism, which believes in the neutrality and non-value of social sciences. The dominant element in critical theory is the defense of reason, that is, the critical power that adapts knowledge to the transformation of the world in order to increase the possibility of human flourishing and freedom. [1]
The founders of the Frankfurt School include Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, and Herbert Marcuse. On the other hand, one of the most important theorists of this school is Jürgen Habermas, who can be considered the heir of the Frankfurt School and its most important member, who was able to save this school from its declining impasse after the 1970s, the period of its decline.
History of the Frankfurt School
A philosophical-social school that aimed to overturn the foundations of social sciences, in the 1930s. It was known as this school during an event that occurred in the space of philosophy and social sciences. This school was established with the aim of creating a critical theory that would have the comprehensiveness of criticism of social affairs on the one hand and criticism of various intellectual systems on the other, with an approach focused on understanding and criticizing issues such as capitalism, culture and ideology.
At that time, the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt, Germany, as the central point of this intellectual movement, played a significant role in the formation and advancement of its goals. In the future, with the emergence of Nazism and fascism in Germany, the members of this institute were forced to emigrate to Geneva and then to America, and finally returned to Germany with the end of World War II.
Continues…
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References:
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Giddens, 1378: 192.
