Towards a Critical Theory for the 21st Century

This lecture series examines not only the historical significance of the Frankfurt School but also the contemporary relevance of the Critical Theory it developed. This theory will be compared with the diverse critical approaches that have emerged from postcolonial studies, poststructuralism, queer theory and related intellectual movements.
The central question is why critical theory remains indispensable for understanding some of the most pressing challenges of the twenty-first century: the decline of democratic institutions, persistent and widening socio-economic inequalities, and the ongoing ecological crisis. The complexity and interdependence of these problems demand an interdisciplinary approach; a goal frequently invoked within contemporary academia but only rarely realised in practice. The Frankfurt School, by contrast, succeeded in integrating insights from economics, social psychology, cultural theory, legal studies, aesthetics, historiography, cultural anthropology and philosophy into a comprehensive critique of modern society.

The individual lectures
1. The Contemporary Relevance of an Interdisciplinary Research Programme (3 Nov)
2. Capitalism without Democracy: Old and New Forms of Fascism (10 Nov)
3. Social Psychology in an Age of Extremes (17 Nov)
4. Art and Society (24 Nov)
5. Theory and Practice (1 Dec)

By Rene Gabriëls, PhD
Philosopher, Maastricht