24-107.25 Frankfurt School: Three Generations of Critique [digital]

Veranstaltungsdetails

Lehrende: Ervin Kondakciu

Veranstaltungsart: Seminar

Anzeige im Stundenplan: AM3: FrankfurtSchool

Semesterwochenstunden: 2

Credits: 4,0

Unterrichtssprache: Englisch

Min. | Max. Teilnehmerzahl: 10 | 23

Anmeldegruppe: AG AM3 (HF, ab WiSe 14/15)

Weitere Informationen:
Verwendbar in folgenden Studiengängen bzw. Modulen:
- B.A.-Hauptfach Politikwissenschaft: Aufbaumodul 3 - Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte oder Wahlbereich
- B.Sc. Volkswirtschaftslehre (FSB ab WiSe 2016/17), Ergänzungsfach Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte: Aufbaumodul 3 - Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte
- B.A.-Nebenfach Politikwissenschaft: Fachbezogener Wahlbereich

Kommentare/ Inhalte:
On a recently published volume titled Critical Theory in Critical Times, the editors argue that "we live in critical times". The present historical moment is characterised by both a number of global crises and a widespread disbelief in the ability of existing political institutions to address the consequences of these crises. What is more, the leitmotiv of the defence line of existing institutions seems to rely more and more in the claim that 'there is no alternative' (TINA). Within this context, the explicit goal of Critical Theory, as articulated by Max Horkheimer, to "seek human emancipation in circumstances of domination and oppression" (Bohman, 2005) seem as relevant as it was when it was first articulated. In other words, the added value of one of the distinctive ideas of the first generation of Critical Theory, namely, the idea that the 'facts' of social life are not given and unalterable, and that one of the roles of theory is to inquire into the embedded emancipatory potentialities, has not diminished by the course of history the last century.

In the course of this seminar, we will follow the development of Critical Theory from its genesis in the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt am Main to its geographical and academic migration. The title 'critical theory' is today claimed by a number of theorists employing a variety of different methods and working in different academic fields, so that many commentators use now the term in the plural.To elaborate, in this seminar texts from three generations will be discussed: the first generation, including texts from Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Erich Fromm, and Herbert Marcuse; the second generation, including Jürgen Habermas; the emerging third generation, including Axel Honeth, Nancy Fraser, Wendy Brown, and Rainer Forst. 

Lernziel:
In the end of the seminar, students are expected to have acquired a detailed overview of the trajectories that followed the theoretically innovative, politically subversive, and philosophically genuine ideas that characterise Critical Theory and be capable of both reconstructing these ideas and employing them to inquire into contemporary social phenomena.

Vorgehen:
The students are asked to actively participate in the theoretical debate and prepare at least five times one question for each text, which they shall post at the Forum page of the OpenOLAT digital space of the course. Each session starts with a student presentation (about 15 minutes), which is followed by a critical discussion. The presenters are asked to highlight the main points of the discussed text, critically engage with it, and moderate the discussion. Afterwards, students are asked to form small groups and discuss for about 15 minutes the questions distributed by the instructor, before opening the floor for a last comments/questions section.

This is going to be a so-called hybrid course, which entails, on the one hand, that it will be possible to succesfuly complete it remotely, and, on the other hand, that physical presence meetings are going to take place when possible.
Physical presence elements are going to be embedded if the circumstances allow for it. To explain, the course will unfold through three modalities: first, discussions on the Forum page of the course’s OpenOLAT webpage. Second, ZOOM sessions. Third, traditional physical presence sessions. In the case that physical presence meetings take place, if for any reason there are students that cannot participate in them, they will be offered the possibility of equivalents to participation in the session. In other words, participation in physical presence meetings is advised but not required.

All texts and other materials will be made available for downloading on OpenOLAT.

Literatur:
- Bohman, James, "Critical Theory", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2016 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2016/entries/critical-theory/.
- Jay, Martin (1981). Dialektische Phantasie: Die Geschichte der Frankfurter Schule und des Instituts für Sozialforschung. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer.

Zusätzliche Hinweise zu Prüfungen:
Leistungsanforderungen:
- B.A.-Hauptfach Politikwissenschaft, Aufbaumodul 3 - Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte: Studienleistungen (siehe A); zusätzlich kann in dem Seminar eine Hausarbeit als Modulabschlussprüfung des AM 3 absolviert werden (siehe B).
- B.A.-Hauptfach Politikwissenschaft, Wahlbereich: Studienleistungen (siehe A); Hausarbeit nicht möglich.
- B.Sc. Volkswirtschaftslehre: Studienleistungen (siehe A) und Hausarbeit (siehe B).
- B.A.-Nebenfach Politikwissenschaft, Fachbezogener Wahlbereich: Studienleistungen (siehe A); Hausarbeit nicht möglich.

A) Studienleistungen (unbenotet):
- prepare disussion questions
- group presentation
- moderation of one session

B) Modulprüfung:
Prüfungsart: Hausarbeit
Bewertungsschema: benotet (RPO)
Umfang: 10-12 Seiten
Abgabetermin: Given the exceptional circumstances this will remain open and flexible.
Abgabeort: per email

Termine
Datum Von Bis Raum Lehrende
1 Di, 6. Apr. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
2 Di, 13. Apr. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
3 Di, 20. Apr. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
4 Di, 27. Apr. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
5 Di, 4. Mai 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
6 Di, 11. Mai 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
7 Di, 18. Mai 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
8 Di, 25. Mai 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
9 Di, 1. Jun. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
10 Di, 8. Jun. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
11 Di, 15. Jun. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
12 Di, 22. Jun. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
13 Di, 29. Jun. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
14 Di, 6. Jul. 2021 16:15 17:45 digital Ervin Kondakciu
Prüfungen im Rahmen von Modulen
Modul (Startsemester)/ Kurs Leistungs­kombination Prüfung Datum Lehrende Bestehens­pflicht
24-107VWL Aufbaumodul 3: Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte (für Volkswirtschaftslehre) (WiSe 17/18) / 24-107.11  Frankfurt School: Three Generations of Critique [digital] Hausarbeit 8  Hausarbeit k.Terminbuchung Ervin Kondakciu Ja
24-107VWL Aufbaumodul 3: Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte (für Volkswirtschaftslehre) (SoSe 20) / 24-107.11  Frankfurt School: Three Generations of Critique [digital] Hausarbeit 3  Hausarbeit k.Terminbuchung Ervin Kondakciu Ja
Veranstaltungseigene Prüfungen
Beschreibung Datum Lehrende Pflicht
1. Studienleistung k.Terminbuchung Ja
Übersicht der Kurstermine
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Lehrende
Ervin Kondakciu