Habermas & Critical Theory
Who was the German social theorist born in 1929?
Jürgen Habermas
What is communication aimed at mutual understanding called?
Communicative action
What describes shared values, beliefs, and relationships?
The lifeworld
What school of thought included Habermas, Adorno, and Horkheimer?
The Frankfurt School
What should people use to reach an agreement?
Reasons and open discussion
What focuses on efficiency, administration, and control?
The system
What does critical theory aim to do besides understand society?
Change Society
What is the idea that everyone should be able to speak freely and equally?
The Ideal Speech Situation
What happens when systems begin to overpower everyday social and cultural life?
Colonization of the lifeworld
What did Habermas believe could help people achieve freedom?
Reason and communication
What are claims people make about truth and whether social rules are right called?
Validity claims
Give one example of the system influencing everyday life.
examples include a school prioritizing budgets over students’ needs or a workplace valuing efficiency over employees’ voices.
What did Habermas believe earlier Marxist approaches overemphasized?
Labor and the economy
What is the difference between reasoned agreement and agreement caused by pressure?
Reasoned agreement comes from discussion and reasons: pressured agreement comes from coercion or manipulation.
How can social movements help people resist the system’s influence?
They can bring people together to challenge unfair systems and advocate for rights and greater political participation.