Frankfurt School

Introduction• Critical Theory routed from the idea of Marx, emphasis

on better egalitarian, no class division, no subjugation, no oppression by historicising and questioning in problematic area.• Critics present imminent for better society, future,

world, emancipation.• It has great effort to bring Marx in contemporary world.• Critics and re-write of writing of Marx.• Its talk about the creation of knowledge.

Historical development of Critical Theory• Critical theory was closely associated with the “Frankfurt School”

which was developed at Frankfurt institute of social research.• It was set up in 1923 during the Weimar Republic.• When Nazi came into power, it escaped to the USA and set up

institution .• It backed to the Germany after collapse of Nazism domination.• The most important figures were____Max Hokheimer, Theodor

Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Erich Fromm, Walter Benjamin, Leo Lowenthal and in present day Jurgan Hebermass and Axel Honneth.

Hokheimer essay on ‘Traditional and Critical

Theory’ articulate Critical theory• Three driving force

1. Society was in need of radical transformation.2. Theory should be in form of social consciousness.3. Objective in social world is not possible.

Features of Critical theory1. Objective knowledge is not possible in social world.2. Objective subjective knowledge distinction is not possible.3. Value free is not possible in social world.4. Critic of immutability thesis.

How Critical theory is different from

traditional theory.Traditional theory Critical theoryObjective SubjectiveImmutability ChangeableFoundational AntifoundationalEmpirical NormativeValue free Value added

Explain UnderstandRationalist Reflectivist

Three dimension of Critical theory1. Sociological dimension-Robert Cox Social force-Form of state-world order

2. Normative approaches Critics of ethics particularismSocial exclusion

3.Prexeological dimensionEmphasising on Hebermass discourse ethicsInclusionDemocraticMoral practical reasoning

conclusion• Critical Theory has made major contribution to IR theory

since its emergence in the early 1980s.• Reject the idea of objective in social world.• Rethink of political community.• Establishing a cosmopolitan set of arrangement that will

better promote peace, freedom, justice, equality, security across the globe.

References• Devetak Richard, Linklater Andrew, Burchill Scott. Theories of

International Relations. Fifth edition 2013. Published by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in UK.• Smith Steve. International Theory: Positivism and Beyond.

Published in USA by Cambridge University press, New York. Ist Published in 1996.• C.Roach Steven. Critical Theory and International Relations.

First Indian reprint 2009.• Edkins Jenny and Vaughan Williams Nick. Critical Theorist and

International Relations .Ist Published 2009 by Routledge 2park Squre.

• Chain Stephen and Hoore Cerwyn. Approaches to International Relations. Volume III. Published in 2009. Mathura Road New Delhi

• Linklater Andrew. The Achievement of Critical Theory in International Relation. Cambridge University New York, 1996.• Max Hokheimer. Traditional and Critical Theory.(1937)