the foundations of social research ch 6

The Foundations of The Foundations of Social ResearchSocial Research

Michael CrottyMichael Crotty

Chapter 6:Chapter 6:

Critical Inquiry-The Marxist Critical Inquiry-The Marxist HeritageHeritage

The Foundations of Social The Foundations of Social ResearchResearch

Demystification v. demythologizingDemystification v. demythologizing Paul RicouerPaul Ricouer Demystification=suspicion/Demystification=suspicion/

disillusionment; the text represents a disillusionment; the text represents a false reality and efforts are made to false reality and efforts are made to remove the masks and illusions and gain remove the masks and illusions and gain new interpretationnew interpretation

Demythologizing=text is reverenced and Demythologizing=text is reverenced and its hidden meaning caringly sought afterits hidden meaning caringly sought after

One is critical, one is interpretiveOne is critical, one is interpretive


Research that seeks to understand v. Research that seeks to understand v. research that challengesresearch that challenges

Research that reads the situation in Research that reads the situation in terms of interaction and community terms of interaction and community and research that reads it in terms of and research that reads it in terms of conflict and oppressionconflict and oppression

Research that accepts the Research that accepts the status quostatus quo and research that seeks to bring and research that seeks to bring about changeabout change


Critical Inquiry is about the power of ideas.Critical Inquiry is about the power of ideas. Saul: “language provides legitimacy…”Saul: “language provides legitimacy…” Is all critical inquiry necessarily Marxist?Is all critical inquiry necessarily Marxist? Why start with Marx?Why start with Marx? Who was Marx? Pp. 115-116Who was Marx? Pp. 115-116 ““All social life is essentially practical.”All social life is essentially practical.” Marx’s critique of Hegel’s view of historyMarx’s critique of Hegel’s view of history


Marx retains Hegel’s central view of Marx retains Hegel’s central view of history: that the succession of history: that the succession of societal forms and regimes we find in societal forms and regimes we find in history also represents stages in our history also represents stages in our human self-understanding. human self-understanding.

Marx retains the concept of the Marx retains the concept of the dialectic, integral to Marx’s view of dialectic, integral to Marx’s view of history, called dialectic history, called dialectic materialism/historical materialismmaterialism/historical materialism


To recognize the dialectic is to To recognize the dialectic is to recognize that realities are never recognize that realities are never isolated entities standing in a linear, isolated entities standing in a linear, causal relationship to one another. causal relationship to one another. Dialectically, reality can only be Dialectically, reality can only be understood as multifaceted interaction. understood as multifaceted interaction. Reality and thought are the bearers of Reality and thought are the bearers of contradiction, forever in conflict with contradiction, forever in conflict with itself.itself.

Each “stage” of society is a society Each “stage” of society is a society essentially at war with itself.essentially at war with itself.


For Marx, this perennial antagonism For Marx, this perennial antagonism within every form of society, comes within every form of society, comes to be encapsulated in the term ‘class to be encapsulated in the term ‘class struggle.’struggle.’

The ultimate synthesis of this The ultimate synthesis of this struggle emerging from the dialectic struggle emerging from the dialectic of thesis and antithesis, ala Hegel, is of thesis and antithesis, ala Hegel, is the culmination of a truly socialist or the culmination of a truly socialist or communist or classless societycommunist or classless society


Driving this struggle/liberating process Driving this struggle/liberating process are the relations of productionare the relations of production

Production=mode of life, action of Production=mode of life, action of human beings on the world, dependent human beings on the world, dependent upon the material conditions.upon the material conditions.

Means of production differ from era to Means of production differ from era to era as do social relations created by era as do social relations created by means of productionmeans of production


Over time the relationship between the Over time the relationship between the forces of production and the corresponding forces of production and the corresponding social relations of production is an uneasy social relations of production is an uneasy one. Eventually, new productive forces one. Eventually, new productive forces emerge and the social relations of emerge and the social relations of production have to change in order to production have to change in order to accommodate them. When this happens, accommodate them. When this happens, society’s basic economic equilibrium society’s basic economic equilibrium shatters and new forms of social relations of shatters and new forms of social relations of production must be established.production must be established.


How does Marx characterize other How does Marx characterize other factors and causes in societal factors and causes in societal evolution? What does he call them? evolution? What does he call them? How does he explain them? Hint: p. How does he explain them? Hint: p. 120120

What impact does the ruling What impact does the ruling economic class have on society economic class have on society according to Marx? Hint: p. 121 topaccording to Marx? Hint: p. 121 top

What does this permeating rule do to What does this permeating rule do to the working class?the working class?


Marx’s concept of alienationMarx’s concept of alienation The activity or process by which someone The activity or process by which someone

becomes a stranger to himselfbecomes a stranger to himself Economic alienation is at the root of any Economic alienation is at the root of any

other form that alienation may takeother form that alienation may take Work no longer belongs to the worker, Work no longer belongs to the worker,

what ought to be an expression of their what ought to be an expression of their very being becomes merely instrumental, very being becomes merely instrumental, a means of subsistence, therefore, the a means of subsistence, therefore, the worker does not fulfil himself/herself in worker does not fulfil himself/herself in his/her work.his/her work.


The alienation of the thing: the The alienation of the thing: the relationship of the worker to the relationship of the worker to the product of labor as an alien object product of labor as an alien object which dominates him.which dominates him.

Humans are also alienated from Humans are also alienated from other humans. The proletariat must other humans. The proletariat must emancipate itself.emancipate itself.

Marxism after Marx?Marxism after Marx?


Western Marxism switches focus to Western Marxism switches focus to superstructures, culture rather than superstructures, culture rather than economic substructureseconomic substructures

The Frankfurt SchoolThe Frankfurt School Founder Felix Weil (Institute for Founder Felix Weil (Institute for

Social Research) and Kurt GerlachSocial Research) and Kurt Gerlach Inaugural director Carl GrunbergInaugural director Carl Grunberg Marxism the starting point, but is the Marxism the starting point, but is the

Frankfurt school really Marxist?Frankfurt school really Marxist?


What happened to the institute and What happened to the institute and its affiliates during World War II and its affiliates during World War II and the Nazi era? Where did they go? the Nazi era? Where did they go? What happened to them? What did What happened to them? What did they do when they got there?they do when they got there?


What is ‘critical theory’?What is ‘critical theory’? Is it unified and coherent?Is it unified and coherent? Horkheimer attempts to define:Horkheimer attempts to define:

Traditional theory: theory that merely reflects Traditional theory: theory that merely reflects the current situation v.the current situation v.

Critical theory: theory that seeks to change the Critical theory: theory that seeks to change the current situationcurrent situation

Traditional theory is not wedded to practice Traditional theory is not wedded to practice because of its cartesian dualism of thought and because of its cartesian dualism of thought and beingbeing


Philosophy and science must find a way Philosophy and science must find a way to inform each other in dialectical fashionto inform each other in dialectical fashion

AdornoAdorno Musicologist; wrote a lot about Musicologist; wrote a lot about

arts/aestheticsarts/aesthetics We substitute concepts for what they We substitute concepts for what they

represent, but no concept can ever capture represent, but no concept can ever capture the richness of the reality. Objects do not go the richness of the reality. Objects do not go into their concepts without leaving a into their concepts without leaving a remainder.remainder.


Adorno wants us to defend the irreducibility of Adorno wants us to defend the irreducibility of non-conceptual material against the ravenous non-conceptual material against the ravenous power of the concept.power of the concept.

Negative dialectics: Philosophy must strive by way Negative dialectics: Philosophy must strive by way of the concept to transcend the concept and thus of the concept to transcend the concept and thus reach the nonconceptualreach the nonconceptual

Adorno: concerned with mimesis/mimetic or Adorno: concerned with mimesis/mimetic or imitationimitation

Constellations (borrowed from Benjamin) rather Constellations (borrowed from Benjamin) rather than conceptual systemsthan conceptual systems

It is a temporary structure only, for negative It is a temporary structure only, for negative dialectics means thinking in such a way that the dialectics means thinking in such a way that the thought form will no longer turn its objects into thought form will no longer turn its objects into immutable ones, into objects that remain the immutable ones, into objects that remain the same.same.


Adorno is engaging in a Adorno is engaging in a phenomenological critiquephenomenological critique

the foundations of social research ch 6

Documents

social relations

social research

critical inquiry

critical theory

research

adorno

production

theory