Critical theory

ED 203 FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION
ira santos
harold siapo
agnes surop

Questions for
Reflection:
Who controls the schools?
Who makes policies that
govern schools?
Who determines the ethical,
social, and economic goals of
education?
Who establishes the
curriculum?

What is Critical
Theory?
 It is one of the more recently
developed theories to appear
(Gutek).
It is a theory that stresses the
importance of critique in ideology and
situating analysis of a topic like
education within the dominant social
relations and system of political

What is Critical
Theory?
 It borrowed themes such as conflict
from Marxism.
It sought to raise the consciousness
of disempowered and dispossessed
people.
GUTE

Critical Theory focuses
on…
GUTE
CRITIQUE
It examines the
issue of who –
what class –
controls
educational
institutions and
processes and
establishes

Critical Theory focuses
on…
GUTE
REFORM
We must work
against cultural
agents that
reproduce the
status quo (social,
political, and
economic)

Proponents of Critical
Theory
ANTONIO
GRAMSCI
-born on January 22, 1891 in
Italy
-Most important Marxist of the
20th
century
-known for his concept of
cultural hegemony- maintaining
the state of capitalist country.
-He was clear that the
transformation from capitalism

Theory
JURGEN
HABERMAS
-Born outside Düsseldorf in 1929,
Habermas came of age in postwar
Germany
-Habermas embraced the critical
theory of the Frankfurt School.
-Habermas' primary contribution to
philosophy is his development of a
theory of rationality.
-In 1981 Habermas published The
The o ry o f Co m m unicative Actio n, in
which he develops on the concept of

Theory
HERBERT
MARCUSE
-born on July 19, 1898 in Germany
-Marcuse co-founded the Frankfurt
Institute for Social Research with
Theodore Adorno and Max
Horkheimer.

Theory
MAX
HORKHEIMER
-Max Horkheimer (1895–1973) was
a leader of the so-called “Frankfurt
School”
n 1916, his manufacturing career
ended and he was drafted into World
War. After World War I, he enrolled
Munich University, where he
studied philosophy and psychology.
After university, Horkheimer moved
to Frankfurt am Main, where he
studied under Hans Cornelius.

Theory
IVAN ILLICH
-Ivan Illich was born in
Vienna.
- Illich's concerns around
the negative impact of
schooling hit a chord - and he
was much in demand as a
speaker.

Theory
THEODOR
ADORNO
-was one of the most important
philosophers and social critics in Germany
after World War II
-The scope of Adorno's influence stems
from the interdisciplinary character of his
research and of the Frankfurt School to
which he belonged.
-It also stems from the thoroughness with
which he examined Western philosophical
traditions, especially from Kant onward, and
the radicalness to his critique of

Theory
PAULO FREIRE

Critical Theory is based on
Tends to reject the
universalizing concepts
found in Idealist and
Realist metaphysics.
Seekto spark
public debate
overeducation
GUTE

Critical Theory vs. Pragmatism
1. The primacy of scientific
method as the basis of
the Complete Act of
Thought.
GUTE

Critical Theory vs. Pragmatism
2. The impulse to create
largerand more inclusive
shared communities
through
consensus-
building
strategies.
GUTE

Critical Theory against all odds
YOU’RE NEITHER
CRITICAL NOR
THEORETICAL!!!
GUTE

Educational Implications
First stage:
Critical Theory is constructed by its positive
utopianism: “ a vision of better reality, which
overcomes the present oppressive reality. This
transformation of utopia becomes the arena of
today’s praxis” (Horkheimer, 1985)
Its aim is to “building a new world” (Horkheimer,
1985)

 Second Stage:
 The second stage can be described as philosophical
pessimism.
 He explicitly dissociate himself from the Marxian
tradition.
 He dissociate himself from the tradition which
believed in the possibility of “the good society”,
wherein not only social relations but also thought
itself could be elevated.
 He abandons the revolutionary project.
 As long as there is room for liberty, collective
violence will continue to rule.

 His pessimism is not a preview for escapism, it
is a new setting for the realization of the
principle of hope and for the struggle over
potential counter-education.
 Horkheimer’s later Critical Theory abandons
optimism but it is unconditionally Utopian.
 “negative theology”

Critical Theory Schools
Frankfurt School
New Frankfurt
School

Horkheimer Builds a School
 The Frankfurt School was a tight network of
independent radical philosophers, economists,
and sociologists associated with the German
Institute for Social Research- essentially a Marxist
think tank bankrolled by the radical son of
German millionaire grain merchant (McLaughlin,
1999)
 The institute was founded in the early 1920s with
the purpose of promoting the development of
radical intellectual ideas not controlled by
traditional Marxist and social democratic parties or
academic disciplines.

The Frankfurt School provides rich material for
the sociology of knowledge as an example of
how a marginal school of thought gained
widespread influence and crosses the
boundaries between disciplines, social
movements, psychoanalysis, Marxism, and
national traditions.
The Frankfurt School thinkers produced
innovative blend of radical philosophy and
social science.

 Fromm brought psychoanalysis into the
institute, helping create the distinctive mixture
of Marx and freud that gave Herbart Marcuse
and Frankfurt School notoriety as part of the
New Left era academic radicalism.
 Fromm was replaced by Herbert Marcuse,
Theodore Adorno, Walter Benjamin

New Frankfurt School
 Critical Theory in Haberman’s words is “a
theory of society conceived with a practical
intentions” (Shijun, 2006)
 It is a development of the theoretical tradition
of historical materialism, and historical
materialism contains in itself the relation
between theory and practice in two senses.
 Studies the historical condition outside the
theory
 Studies the action situation in which the theory
can possibly interfere.

 Unlike science, it does not hold an objectivist
attitude towards its objects
 Unlike philosophy, it does not regard its own
origin as something transcendent, or
something with ontological superiority.
 Habermas insists to make distinctions
between “practice” and “techne”

 Habermas new understanding of “theory” and
“practice” argues that:
a) any type of knowledge is inherently related to
practice.
b) he defines critical theory as “theory of society
conceived with a practical intention” (Shijun,
2006)
c) critical theory is significantly different both from
classical Marxism and the first generation of
Frankfurt School not only in terms of a theory’s
normative basis, but also in terms of a theory’s
practical effect.

Implications for Phil.
Education
 There is a striking difference in value systems of the
educational institution, depending on the
sector/group that governs it.
 Learning and activities that facilitate learning will be
more authentic. The teachers are expected to be
judicious in formulating activities that tailor-fit the
interests and the context of their students.

Implications for Phil.
Education
 The teaching of the nation’s history, language, and system
of government will be more deliberate. The subject
matter will go beyond the facts, and will require the
students to practice critical thinking. The concept of
pantayong pananaw that explores the Philippine identity is
also worth applying in the teaching of history and
language.
 Teachers are expected to be empowering and to be
facilitators of change for their students.
 Partnerships between schools and private/multi-sectoral
organizations or local communities are established. This is
especially seen in the Alay Kapwa and NSTP programs
implemented by other schools.

Insights
 TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION is the focal
point of critical theory and will be most applicable in
our country’s context.
 Our schools have not fallen short in presenting the
situation of our country; however, the next step we
must take is to empower our students to put
everything they have learned to action.

Let’s have an activity!
We will distribute sheets of short bond paper for
your use.

Activity: The Profile of a
Transformative Educator
 Sheets of short bond paper will be distributed.
 In the same sheet of paper, a drawing of a human is
shown. This will represent each member of the class.
The drawing magnifies some body parts, particularly
the head, heart, and the hands.
 For these parts, you will be asked to write your own
version of qualities that a transformative educator
must possess. Limit your qualities/expectations to
FIVE for each body part.
 There are no right or wrong answers.

Think, pair, share
Turn to your seatmate and together, discuss your
answers for this activity.

Critical theory

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