Introducing Critical Theory

Trying to read Habermas, Lacan, or even Derrida is like having a root canal. As a novice, I found almost without exception, the literature written by these prime movers of critical theory, just short of impenetrable. This little book, on the other hand, while presenting its own special problems (there is no logic to its layout for instance) does provide a hook for understanding, for people like myself. I now have a reasonable good lay of the land. So that when I return to the leading writers of the movement, I will at least then have a fighting chance. In short, this book provides a crude index, that while not quite a conceptual map of where the various islands of theoretical development lie (and where each of the prime movers sit in the scheme of things), does give us a meandering trip through the major historical developments hitting the major signposts in a meaningful if not in an always coherent way. As for overall logic, critical theory, at its deepest level appears to be a general theory of the use of symbols in the generation of meaning and knowledge. It is a theory that has come about in a "backward propagation" sort of way: that is to say, by observing the texts of literature and subtext of culture and social organization, and how the various levels "actually work" and then deconstructing the cultural messages sent and received by the meaning of these text (and subtexts)-- or said in the vernacular of the theorists themselves: by "reading the texts back against themselves." Marx and Freud figure prominently in the development of Critical Theory as their respective theories were concerned primarily with the subtext of meanings: Marx's was concerned primarily with the subtext of economics: the class struggle between the exploiters of labor and those exploited; while Freud spent most of his time developing a theoretical map of the "unconscious, arguably responsible for most of our conscious behavior. In both cases the "unseen" or what is below the waterline accounts for the lion's share of what happens above water in conscious "reality." Culture and politics are also areas in which the subtext dominates from "off stage." One take away message from the book is that reading the subtext of culture, politics and economics is not just the heaviest clue as to where critical theory comes from, but also to where it is headed. It is very much analogous in its approach to theoretical developments in abstract mathematics, where pre-mathematical entities such as transformations and maps have their own deeper logic and are introduced and understood well before any concrete entities such as numbers are ever introduced. The same is true of Critical Theory. Mining the subtext, the "unconscious," the unseen moving hand in economics," etc. is not just the main clue but also the main heuristic for pushing forward both literary and philosophical theories of meaning. The unseen, the subtext, provides the grist for the criticism mill, as well as keeps po

This book was fun to read. I liked how easily the author managed to reduce whole bodies of work into a sentence or two, which is precisely what I am looking for in these books. I agree with some of the other reviews here that he seems to dwell on Marxism and his influence, but I have always wondered why Marxism gets so much attention among "intellectuals" and this book helps to explain this phenomenon. While I doubt that this book sums up Critical Theory in its entirety, or even comes close, it definitely inspires further readings into the subject (at least it does for me), which is more than I can say for most books. I look forward to reading it again.

Reading this book is not going to make you an expert on Foucault or Lacan- however, if what you are seeking is an idea as to the spectrum of schools and branches and concerns of "critical theory," or if you're not even terribly sure what "critical theory" IS, then I suggest you pick this book up. When I was just getting started, it really helped me create a "cognitive map" of the field. Basically you get a mapped out schema of the world of critical theory, with a few tantalizing tidbits dropped about some of the thinkers- then it is up to you to go out and get the real books and start reading them. But if you are starting from nothing, and don't even know what you want to read- Donald Rumsfield's "Unknown Unknowns," then start reading this book so you can figure out what your "Known unknowns" are: "I don't know anything about Althusser, but judging on what I read in this book, I now know that I want to study him," etc. I have a few other of the "Introducing" books, and, honestly, the only one I came back to at all frequently was this one. It does not try to "explain" any particular thinker, but to introduce you to a field- I think in this regard I think it is sucessful. It is by no means perfect- for instance, Zizek only gets two teeny little pages- but, again, it is making various "names" available to you, various schools, various strands- Frankfurt school, Deconstruction, Structuralism, Post Marxist, Post Feminist, etc- so that you can go out and get started. I highly recommend this book. I think it is terrific. (Plus the illustrations are great fun!) Critical theory can be a confusing hodge podge of theoretical models- this book will help you on the path.

Say you're a professor or someone like that and you've just been to a conference or you're planning to go to an event like that where at least some of the people will know something about whatever critical theory is. and you remember reading some of the stuff some years ago, but you don't really use the theories much, so you're kind of rusty. and then you come across this book and start going through the pages and before you know it an hour has passed, you've finished the book and your brain is over-activated by the many theoretical memories triggered by the material. you find yourself not simply repeating what's in the book, but looking at what you already know with a kind nudge, like an overheard conversation on an airplane that reminds you of something you ought to be thinking about. "Theory is power" Mr. Sims helfully reminds one on page 165.