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What is Critical Theory?

Explanations > Critical Theory > Concepts > What is Critical Theory?

Definition | Discussion | See also

Definition

Generally, Critical Theory is a broad approach to challenging and destabilizing established knowledge.

In a more focused sense, Critical Theory comes out of the German 'Frankfurt School,' (who called it Critical Theory of Society or Critical Social Theory) which emphasizes that all knowledge is historical and biased, and that 'objective' knowledge is illusory.

Discussion

Critical Theory starts from Marx and Freud and expands through the 20th century to cover areas such as literary criticism, linguistics, semiotics, psychology, philosophy, feminism, screen theory, and includes methods such as structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction and postmodernism.

Critical Theory is such a huge area, it is almost impossible to cover it in total depth. This section is based on an extension of a study done as a part of a postgraduate university course in psychology.

See also