Frankfurt School

Definition

The Frankfurt School refers to a group of critical theorists associated with the Institute for Social Research, founded in Frankfurt, Germany in the 1920s. This school of thought challenged the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, progress, and individualism, and sought to expose the ways in which social and political structures perpetuate domination and oppression.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Frankfurt School emerged in response to the failure of the Marxist revolution and the rise of fascism in Europe, leading them to question the Enlightenment's faith in reason and progress.
2. Key thinkers associated with the Frankfurt School include Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and Jürgen Habermas.
3. The Frankfurt School's critique of instrumental reason and the culture industry exposed how modern capitalism and mass media manipulate and control individuals, undermining their capacity for critical and autonomous thought.
4. The Frankfurt School's emphasis on the emancipatory potential of critical theory influenced the development of various social and political movements, including the New Left and the civil rights movement.
5. The Frankfurt School's interdisciplinary approach, combining philosophy, sociology, psychology, and cultural analysis, has had a lasting impact on the humanities and social sciences.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Frankfurt School's critique of Enlightenment theories challenged the prevailing philosophical and political views of its time.
  • The Frankfurt School's critique of Enlightenment theories, such as the emphasis on reason, progress, and individualism, challenged the prevailing philosophical and political views of its time. They argued that these Enlightenment ideals had been co-opted by capitalist and authoritarian systems, leading to the domination and oppression of certain groups. The Frankfurt School sought to expose the ways in which social and political structures perpetuate this oppression, and to develop a critical theory that could emancipate individuals and promote social transformation.
• Describe the key tenets of the Frankfurt School's critical theory and how it differed from traditional Marxist thought.
  • The Frankfurt School's critical theory differed from traditional Marxist thought in several ways. While Marxism focused on the economic base as the primary driver of social change, the Frankfurt School emphasized the role of culture, ideology, and social psychology in perpetuating domination and oppression. They critiqued the Marxist notion of historical progress, arguing that reason had been instrumentalized and used to control and manipulate individuals. Instead, the Frankfurt School's critical theory sought to expose the ways in which modern capitalism and mass media undermined individual autonomy and emancipatory potential, and to develop a more holistic, interdisciplinary approach to social transformation.
• Analyze the lasting impact of the Frankfurt School's ideas on various social and political movements, and how their critique of Enlightenment theories continues to be relevant today.
  • The Frankfurt School's ideas have had a lasting impact on various social and political movements, including the New Left and the civil rights movement. Their critique of Enlightenment theories, such as the emphasis on reason, progress, and individualism, has continued to be relevant in the face of the ongoing challenges posed by modern capitalism, authoritarian tendencies, and the manipulation of individuals through mass media and cultural industries. The Frankfurt School's interdisciplinary approach, combining philosophy, sociology, psychology, and cultural analysis, has also influenced the development of critical theory and its application to a wide range of social and political issues. As we continue to grapple with the complex interplay of power, oppression, and emancipation in the 21st century, the Frankfurt School's insights remain essential for understanding and challenging the structures that perpetuate domination and inequality.

Related terms

Critical Theory: The theoretical approach developed by the Frankfurt School that aims to expose and challenge the social, political, and economic conditions that lead to the oppression and domination of certain groups.

Dialectical Materialism: The philosophical foundation of the Frankfurt School, which views social and historical change as the result of the conflict and resolution of opposing forces or contradictions.

Instrumental Reason: The form of reason critiqued by the Frankfurt School, which reduces rationality to a means-ends calculus and ignores the moral and ethical dimensions of decision-making.