R&L Logo R&L Logo
  • GENERAL
    • Browse by Subjects
    • New Releases
    • Coming Soon
    • Chases's Calendar
  • ACADEMIC
    • Textbooks
    • Browse by Course
    • Instructor's Copies
    • Monographs & Research
    • Reference
  • PROFESSIONAL
    • Education
    • Intelligence & Security
    • Library Services
    • Business & Leadership
    • Museum Studies
    • Music
    • Pastoral Resources
    • Psychotherapy
  • FREUD SET
Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
eBook
share of facebook share on twitter
Add to GoodReads Exam Copies

Critique as Social Practice

Critical Theory and Social Self-Understanding

Robin Celikates - Translated by Naomi van Steenbergen

Can critical theory diagnose ideological delusion and false consciousness from above, or does it have to follow the practices of critique ordinary agents engage in? This book argues that we have to move beyond this dichotomy, which has led to a theoretical impasse. Whilst ordinary agents engage in complex forms of everyday critique, it must remain the task of critical theory to provide analysis and critique of social conditions that obstruct the development of reflexive capacities and of their realization in corresponding practices of critique. Only an approach that is at the same time non-paternalistic, pragmatist, and dialogical as well as critical will be able to realize the emancipatory potential of the Frankfurt School tradition of critical theory in radically changing social circumstances.
  • Details
  • Details
  • Author
  • Author
  • TOC
  • TOC
  • Reviews
  • Reviews
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / Rowman & Littlefield International
Pages: 238 • Trim: 6¼ x 9
978-1-78660-462-0 • Hardback • May 2018 • $147.00 • (£113.00)
978-1-78660-463-7 • Paperback • September 2019 • $51.00 • (£39.00)
978-1-78660-464-4 • eBook • May 2018 • $48.50 • (£37.00)
Series: Essex Studies in Contemporary Critical Theory
Subjects: Philosophy / Movements / Critical Theory, Philosophy / Political, Philosophy / Social, Philosophy / Continental Philosophy
Robin Celikates is Professor of Social Philosophy at the Free University Berlin.

Naomi van Steenbergen is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at Utrecht University, Netherlands.

Preface, Axel Honneth / Acknowledgements / 1. Introduction / 2. 'I See Something You Cannot See': The Model of the Break / 3. 'Follow the Agents': The Model of Symmetry / 4. Critical Theory as Reconstructive Critique / 5. Conclusion / Bibliography
Celikates’s book is a

key part of an important resurgence in the tradition

of critical theory. Critique as Social Practice forms the

basis for Celikates’s more recent work on social

philosophy and civil disobedience, while also

providing important resources for the broader

scholarly conversation on critical theory and the place

of critique in the contemporary social and political

environment.
— Symposium: A Canadian Journal Of Continental Philosophy


Celikates’ important contribution lies in outlining a methodological egalitarianism that overcomes the external-internal ‘dichotomy’ (108) and the limits of each approach. . . . Celikates’ work is an important contribution to the question of how critical theorists, given their emancipatory aims, should address the oppressed.
— Marx and Philosophy Review of Books


Celikates presents an insightful critical reconstruction of three influential models of the relation between the European, male critical theorist and the people about whom he theorises in the works of Bourdieu, Boltanski and psychoanalysis, and of the French-German debates around them. This fine translation makes this important contribution to the history of European critical theory available to English-language students and scholars.
— James Tully, Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria


How do we articulate the theoretical critique of the social order and the criticisms made by ordinary people in everyday life? The solution Celikates proposes, based on the Frankfurt School’s interpretation of psychoanalysis, is highly original and very promising. This is a fundamental work for all those wishing to take advantage of both the empirical study of society and the contributions of philosophy, from the perspective of social change.
— Luc Boltanski, Professor at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris


Critique as Social Practice takes up a crucial question for all those undertaking socially engaged academic work: under conditions of ideology, what epistemic standing does the critical theorist have in relation to those suffering injustice in whose name the theory is constructed? Celikates illuminates how external critique (drawing on insights and norms from other (theoretical, political) contexts) and internal critique (drawing on insights and norms of practitioners) are inadequate. He goes on to defend the idea of reconstructive critique that begins with the critical practices of those embedded in unjust systems, but also requires an evaluation of the adequacy of those practices, recognizing that injustice can also compromise our abilities to know. In Celikates' view, ideology critique is properly understood as second-order epistemic critique. It is a brilliant book that reframes the contemporary challenges of critical theory and offers a deeply compelling and nuanced response.
— Sally Haslanger, Ford Professor of Philosophy and Women's and Gender Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology


Celikates subjects the familiar refrain that critique is a form of practice to a systematic, rigorous, and illuminating analysis. His conception of reconstructive critique as a form of social practice shows as much respect for the critical capacities of agents as it does awareness of the dangers of ideological distortions. The result is a highly original and compelling articulation of the distinctive methodology of critical theory.
— Amy Allen, Liberal Arts Professor of Philosophy and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA


Critique as Social Practice

Critical Theory and Social Self-Understanding

Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • Can critical theory diagnose ideological delusion and false consciousness from above, or does it have to follow the practices of critique ordinary agents engage in? This book argues that we have to move beyond this dichotomy, which has led to a theoretical impasse. Whilst ordinary agents engage in complex forms of everyday critique, it must remain the task of critical theory to provide analysis and critique of social conditions that obstruct the development of reflexive capacities and of their realization in corresponding practices of critique. Only an approach that is at the same time non-paternalistic, pragmatist, and dialogical as well as critical will be able to realize the emancipatory potential of the Frankfurt School tradition of critical theory in radically changing social circumstances.
Details
Details
  • Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / Rowman & Littlefield International
    Pages: 238 • Trim: 6¼ x 9
    978-1-78660-462-0 • Hardback • May 2018 • $147.00 • (£113.00)
    978-1-78660-463-7 • Paperback • September 2019 • $51.00 • (£39.00)
    978-1-78660-464-4 • eBook • May 2018 • $48.50 • (£37.00)
    Series: Essex Studies in Contemporary Critical Theory
    Subjects: Philosophy / Movements / Critical Theory, Philosophy / Political, Philosophy / Social, Philosophy / Continental Philosophy
Author
Author
  • Robin Celikates is Professor of Social Philosophy at the Free University Berlin.

    Naomi van Steenbergen is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at Utrecht University, Netherlands.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • Preface, Axel Honneth / Acknowledgements / 1. Introduction / 2. 'I See Something You Cannot See': The Model of the Break / 3. 'Follow the Agents': The Model of Symmetry / 4. Critical Theory as Reconstructive Critique / 5. Conclusion / Bibliography
Reviews
Reviews
  • Celikates’s book is a

    key part of an important resurgence in the tradition

    of critical theory. Critique as Social Practice forms the

    basis for Celikates’s more recent work on social

    philosophy and civil disobedience, while also

    providing important resources for the broader

    scholarly conversation on critical theory and the place

    of critique in the contemporary social and political

    environment.
    — Symposium: A Canadian Journal Of Continental Philosophy


    Celikates’ important contribution lies in outlining a methodological egalitarianism that overcomes the external-internal ‘dichotomy’ (108) and the limits of each approach. . . . Celikates’ work is an important contribution to the question of how critical theorists, given their emancipatory aims, should address the oppressed.
    — Marx and Philosophy Review of Books


    Celikates presents an insightful critical reconstruction of three influential models of the relation between the European, male critical theorist and the people about whom he theorises in the works of Bourdieu, Boltanski and psychoanalysis, and of the French-German debates around them. This fine translation makes this important contribution to the history of European critical theory available to English-language students and scholars.
    — James Tully, Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria


    How do we articulate the theoretical critique of the social order and the criticisms made by ordinary people in everyday life? The solution Celikates proposes, based on the Frankfurt School’s interpretation of psychoanalysis, is highly original and very promising. This is a fundamental work for all those wishing to take advantage of both the empirical study of society and the contributions of philosophy, from the perspective of social change.
    — Luc Boltanski, Professor at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris


    Critique as Social Practice takes up a crucial question for all those undertaking socially engaged academic work: under conditions of ideology, what epistemic standing does the critical theorist have in relation to those suffering injustice in whose name the theory is constructed? Celikates illuminates how external critique (drawing on insights and norms from other (theoretical, political) contexts) and internal critique (drawing on insights and norms of practitioners) are inadequate. He goes on to defend the idea of reconstructive critique that begins with the critical practices of those embedded in unjust systems, but also requires an evaluation of the adequacy of those practices, recognizing that injustice can also compromise our abilities to know. In Celikates' view, ideology critique is properly understood as second-order epistemic critique. It is a brilliant book that reframes the contemporary challenges of critical theory and offers a deeply compelling and nuanced response.
    — Sally Haslanger, Ford Professor of Philosophy and Women's and Gender Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology


    Celikates subjects the familiar refrain that critique is a form of practice to a systematic, rigorous, and illuminating analysis. His conception of reconstructive critique as a form of social practice shows as much respect for the critical capacities of agents as it does awareness of the dangers of ideological distortions. The result is a highly original and compelling articulation of the distinctive methodology of critical theory.
    — Amy Allen, Liberal Arts Professor of Philosophy and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA


ALSO AVAILABLE

  • Cover image for the book Melancholia Africana: The Indispensable Overcoming of the Black Condition
  • Cover image for the book Posthuman Ecologies: Complexity and Process after Deleuze
  • Cover image for the book Recursivity and Contingency
  • Cover image for the book Ontology and Perversion: Deleuze, Agamben, Lacan
  • Cover image for the book The Future of Humanity: Revisioning the Human in the Posthuman Age
  • Cover image for the book Creolizing Marcuse
  • Cover image for the book The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory: Studies of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, Strauss, and Rand
  • Cover image for the book Destroy and Liberate: Political Action on the Basis of Hume
  • Cover image for the book The Genesis of Living Forms
  • Cover image for the book New Philosophies of Sex and Love: Thinking Through Desire
  • Cover image for the book The Birth of Physics
  • Cover image for the book Partitions and Their Afterlives: Violence, Memories, Living
  • Cover image for the book Social Imaginaries: Critical Interventions
  • Cover image for the book Thumbelina: The Culture and Technology of Millennials
  • Cover image for the book Marx and Art
  • Cover image for the book The Attention Economy: Labour, Time and Power in Cognitive Capitalism
  • Cover image for the book The Task of Philosophy in the Anthropocene: Axial Echoes in Global Space
  • Cover image for the book Creolizing Critical Theory: New Voices in Caribbean Philosophy
  • Cover image for the book Badiou, Infinity, and Subjectivity: Reading Hegel and Lacan after Badiou
  • Cover image for the book Environmental Humanities: Voices from the Anthropocene
  • Cover image for the book Entropic Philosophy: Chaos, Breakdown, and Creation
  • Cover image for the book Walter Benjamin and the Post-Kantian Tradition
  • Cover image for the book Zero-Point Hubris: Science, Race, and Enlightenment in Eighteenth-Century Latin America
  • Cover image for the book The Work of Forgetting: Or, How Can We Make the Future Possible?
  • Cover image for the book Immanent Critique
  • Cover image for the book The French Revolution in Theory
  • Cover image for the book The Limits of Scientific Reason: Habermas, Foucault, and Science as a Social Institution
  • Cover image for the book Hegel, Freud and Fanon: The Dialectic of Emancipation
  • Cover image for the book The Ends of Critique: Methods, Institutions, Politics
  • Cover image for the book Experience and Infinite Task: Knowledge, Language and Messianism in the Philosophy of Walter Benjamin
  • Cover image for the book Melancholia Africana: The Indispensable Overcoming of the Black Condition
  • Cover image for the book Posthuman Ecologies: Complexity and Process after Deleuze
  • Cover image for the book Recursivity and Contingency
  • Cover image for the book Ontology and Perversion: Deleuze, Agamben, Lacan
  • Cover image for the book The Future of Humanity: Revisioning the Human in the Posthuman Age
  • Cover image for the book Creolizing Marcuse
  • Cover image for the book The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory: Studies of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, Strauss, and Rand
  • Cover image for the book Destroy and Liberate: Political Action on the Basis of Hume
  • Cover image for the book The Genesis of Living Forms
  • Cover image for the book New Philosophies of Sex and Love: Thinking Through Desire
  • Cover image for the book The Birth of Physics
  • Cover image for the book Partitions and Their Afterlives: Violence, Memories, Living
  • Cover image for the book Social Imaginaries: Critical Interventions
  • Cover image for the book Thumbelina: The Culture and Technology of Millennials
  • Cover image for the book Marx and Art
  • Cover image for the book The Attention Economy: Labour, Time and Power in Cognitive Capitalism
  • Cover image for the book The Task of Philosophy in the Anthropocene: Axial Echoes in Global Space
  • Cover image for the book Creolizing Critical Theory: New Voices in Caribbean Philosophy
  • Cover image for the book Badiou, Infinity, and Subjectivity: Reading Hegel and Lacan after Badiou
  • Cover image for the book Environmental Humanities: Voices from the Anthropocene
  • Cover image for the book Entropic Philosophy: Chaos, Breakdown, and Creation
  • Cover image for the book Walter Benjamin and the Post-Kantian Tradition
  • Cover image for the book Zero-Point Hubris: Science, Race, and Enlightenment in Eighteenth-Century Latin America
  • Cover image for the book The Work of Forgetting: Or, How Can We Make the Future Possible?
  • Cover image for the book Immanent Critique
  • Cover image for the book The French Revolution in Theory
  • Cover image for the book The Limits of Scientific Reason: Habermas, Foucault, and Science as a Social Institution
  • Cover image for the book Hegel, Freud and Fanon: The Dialectic of Emancipation
  • Cover image for the book The Ends of Critique: Methods, Institutions, Politics
  • Cover image for the book Experience and Infinite Task: Knowledge, Language and Messianism in the Philosophy of Walter Benjamin
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linked in icon NEWSLETTERS
ABOUT US
  • Mission Statement
  • Employment
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Statement
CONTACT
  • Company Directory
  • Publicity and Media Queries
  • Rights and Permissions
  • Textbook Resource Center
AUTHOR RESOURCES
  • Royalty Contact
  • Production Guidelines
  • Manuscript Submissions
ORDERING INFORMATION
  • Rowman & Littlefield
  • National Book Network
  • Ingram Publisher Services UK
  • Special Sales
  • International Sales
  • eBook Partners
  • Digital Catalogs
IMPRINTS
  • Rowman & Littlefield
  • Lexington Books
  • Hamilton Books
  • Applause Books
  • Amadeus Press
  • Backbeat Books
  • Bernan
  • Hal Leonard Books
  • Limelight Editions
  • Co-Publishing Partners
  • Globe Pequot
  • Down East Books
  • Falcon Guides
  • Gooseberry Patch
  • Lyons Press
  • Muddy Boots
  • Pineapple Press
  • TwoDot Books
  • Stackpole Books
PARTNERS
  • American Alliance of Museums
  • American Association for State and Local History
  • Brookings Institution Press
  • Center for Strategic & International Studies
  • Council on Foreign Relations
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
  • Fortress Press
  • The Foundation for Critical Thinking
  • Lehigh University Press
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  • Other Partners...