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Social criticism

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	Topics Social criticism Topic Home Social criticism analyzes social structureSocial structure Social structure is a term frequently used in social theory - yet rarely defined or clearly conceptualised.... s which are seen as flawed and aims at practical solutions by specific measures, radical reformReform Reform means to change, usually a reversion to what is perceived to be a pure original state.... or even revolutionRevolution A revolution is a drastic change that usually occurs relatively quickly.... ary change. About The starting points of social criticism can be very different and the different forms of SocialismSocialism Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which propert... never had a monopoly on Social Criticism. The starting point can be the experience of a minority within society generally (e.g. gay people) or even the experienceExperience Experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in or observation of some thing or some event gained through... of a group of people within a progressive social movementSocial movement Social movements are a type of group action.... which does not live up to its progressive agenda in every respect. Women in the New LeftNew Left The New Left is a term used in political discourse to refer to radical left-wing movements from the 1960s onwards.... were often dissatisfied with the sexist attitudes of their male counterparts and many of them engaged in second wave feminism, women in the Chicano movementChicano Movement The Chicano Movement, also called the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement,... where enraged by similar attitudes and created Chicana feminismChicana feminism Chicana feminism, also called Xicanisma, is a group of social theories that analyze and historical, social, political,... . Within (or after ) postmodernismPostmodernism Postmodernism is an idea that has been extremely controversial and difficult to define among scholars, intellectuals, and hi... a grand unifying theory no longer seems possible. This does not exclude the possibility nor the necessity of dialogueDialogue A dialogue is a reciprocal conversation between two or more persons.... . Nevertheless most social critics still consider the Critique of capitalism to be central. Academic forms of social criticism The dispute between critical rationalismCritical rationalism Critical rationalism is an epistemological philosophy advanced by Karl Raimund Popper, which is a logical generalization of ... (e.g. Karl PopperKarl Popper Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH, MA, Ph.D., D.LITT, FBA, FRS , was an Austrian and British philosopher and a professor at the Lo... and the Frankfurt SchoolFrankfurt School The Frankfurt School is a school of neo-Marxist social theory, social research, and philosophy.... ) exemplified the principal problem whether the research in the social sciencesSocial sciences The social sciences are groups of academic disciplines that study the human aspects of the world.... should pretend to be 'neutral' or 'objective' or consciously adopt a necessarily partisan view. Works of social criticism can belong to social philosophySocial philosophy Social philosophy is the philosophical study of interesting questions about social behavior.... , political economyPolitical economy Political economy was the original term for the study of production, the acts of buying and selling, and their relationships... , sociologySociology Sociology is the study of society and human social action.... , social psychologySocial psychology Social psychology is the study of how individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others.... , psychoanalysisFacts About Psychoanalysis 'Psychoanalysis' is a family of psychological theories and methods based on the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud.... but also cultural studiesCultural studies Cultural studies combines sociology, social theory, literary theory, media theory, film/video studies, cultural anthropology... and other disciplines or reject academic forms of discourseDiscourse *Discourse* is a term used in semantics as in discourse analysis, but it also refers to a social conception of discourse, ... . Social criticism in literature and music Social criticism can also be expressed in a fictional form, e.g. in a revolutionary novel like The Iron HeelThe Iron Heel *The Iron Heel* is a novel by American writer Jack London, first published in 1908. ... by Jack LondonJack London Jack London, probably born John Griffith Chaney was an American author who wrote The Call of the Wild and over fi... or in dystopiaDystopia A dystopia is a fictional society that is the antithesis of utopia.... n novelNovel A novel is an extended, generally fictional narrative in prose.... s like Aldous HuxleyAldous Huxley Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer who emigrated to the United States.... 's Brave New WorldBrave New World *Brave New World, published in 1932, was first intended as a dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley.... or George OrwellGeorge Orwell Summary Eric Arthur Blair* , better known by the pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist.... 's (Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four *Nineteen Eighty-Four* is a dystopian novel written by the English writer Eric Blair, under the pen-name of George Orwell,... ) or Ray BradburyRay Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer best known for The Martian Chron... s Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451 *Fahrenheit 451* is a dystopian fiction novel by Ray Bradbury.... , children's books or films. Fictional literature can have a significant social impact. "For example, the 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe, born was an abolitionist and writer of more than 10 books, the most famous being Uncle To... furthered the antislavery movement in the United States, and the 1885 novel RamonaRamona *Ramona* is a novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson and published in 1884. ... , by Helen Hunt JacksonHelen Hunt Jackson Helen Maria Hunt Jackson was an American writer best known as the author of Ramona, a novel about the ill-treatment of I... , brought about changes in laws regarding Native AmericansFacts About Native Americans in the United States American Indian and Alaskan NativesU.S.... . Similarly, Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. was a prolific American author who wrote over 90 books in many genres, often advocating socialist v... 's 1906 novel The Jungle helped create new laws related to public health and food handling, and Arthur MorrisonArthur Morrison Arthur George Morrison was an English author and journalist, known for his realistic novels about London's East End and for ... 's 1896 novel A Child of the Jago caused England to change its housing laws." Musical expressions of social criticism are very frequent in punkPunk rock Punk rock is an anti-establishment rock music movement with origins in the United States and United Kingdom around 1974 or 1... music. Classical works Among the classical works are: Étienne de La BoétieÉtienne de La Boétie tienne de La Botie was a French judge, writer, political philosopher and friend of Montaigne, author of the Discourse of V... : Discourse on Voluntary Servitude (circa 1560) Immanuel KantImmanuel Kant Immanuel Kant , was a German philosopher from Knigsberg in East Prussia .... : "On the question, what is enlightenment?" (1784) Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft was a British writer, philosopher, and early feminist.... , A Vindication of the Rights of WomanA Vindication of the Rights of Woman Written in 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft's *A Vindication of the Rights of Woman* is one of the earliest works on "the woman q... , (1792) Karl MarxKarl Marx Karl Heinrich Marx was an immensely influential German philosopher, political economist, and socialist revolutionary.... , The Communist ManifestoThe Communist Manifesto The Communist Manifesto was first published on February 21, 1848, and is one of the world's most influential political trac... (1848) Karl Marx: CapitalDas Kapital *Das Kapital* is an extensive treatise on political economy written by Karl Marx in German.... (1867) Mikhail BakuninMikhail Bakunin Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin , was a well-known Russian revolutionary often considered one of the fathers of modern anarc... , Statism and Anarchy (1873) Walter BenjaminWalter Benjamin Walter Benjamin was a German Marxist literary critic and philosopher.... : Critique of Violence (1921) Georg LukácsGeorg Lukács Georg Lukcs was a Hungarian Marxist philosopher and literary critic in the tradition of Western Marxism.... : History and Class Consciousness (1923) Virginia WoolfVirginia Woolf Virginia Woolf is by reputation one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.... : A Room of One's OwnA Room of One's Own *A Room of One's Own* is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf.... (1929) Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud Overview Sigmund FreudThe name Freud is generally pronounced [] in English and [] in German.... : Civilization and Its DiscontentsCivilization and Its Discontents *Civilization and Its Discontents* is a book written by Sigmund Freud in the decade preceding his death in 1939.... (1930) Henry MillerHenry Miller Summary Henry Valentine Miller was an American writer and, to a lesser extent, painter.... : The Air-Conditioned Nightmare (1945) Max HorkheimerMax Horkheimer Summary Max Horkheimer was a Jewish-German philosopher and sociologist, known especially as the founder and guiding thinker of the ... /Theodor W. AdornoTheodor W. Adorno Theodor Ludwig Wiesengrund Adorno was a German sociologist, philosopher, musicologist, and composer.... : Dialectic of EnlightenmentDialectic of Enlightenment Overview *Dialectic of Enlightenment, is the pivotal, fundamental textbook of Freudo-Marxist Critical Theory explaining the socio-... (1947) Simone de BeauvoirSimone de Beauvoir Simone de Beauvoir* was a French author and philosopher.... : The Second SexThe Second Sex Overview *The Second Sex* is the best known work of Simone de Beauvoir, an uninhibitedly bisexual woman, and was a seminal text in ... (1949) Aimé CésaireAimé Césaire Aim Fernand David Csaire is a Martinican poet, author and politician. ... , Discourse on colonialism Frantz FanonFrantz Fanon Frantz Fanon is a Martinique-born French author and essayist.... : The Wretched of the EarthThe Wretched of the Earth *The Wretched of the Earth* is Frantz Fanon's best-known work, written during and regarding the Algerian struggle for inde... (1961) Rachel CarsonRachel Carson Rachel Louise Carson was a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-born zoologist and marine biologist whose landmark book, Silent Spring... : Silent SpringSilent Spring * DDT ... (1962) Herbert MarcuseHerbert Marcuse Summary Herbert Marcuse was a prominent German-American philosopher and sociologist of Jewish descent, and a member of the Frankfur... : One-Dimensional ManOne-Dimensional Man *One-Dimensional Man* is a work by Herbert Marcuse, first published in 1964.... (1964) Guy DebordGuy Debord Guy Ernest Debord was a writer, film maker, hypergraphist and founding member of the groups Lettrist International and Situa... : The Society of the SpectacleThe Society of the Spectacle *The Society of the Spectacle* is a dense, polemical, and poetic work of philosophy first published in 1967 by the situati... (1967) Harry BravermanHarry Braverman Harry Braverman was an American Communist and political writer.... : (1974) Michel FoucaultMichel Foucault Michel Foucault was a French philosopher who held a chair at the Collge de France, which he gave the title "The History of ... : Discipline and PunishDiscipline and Punish *Discipline and Punish* is a book written by the philosopher Michel Foucault.... (1975) Cornelius CastoriadisCornelius Castoriadis Cornelius Castoriadis was a Greek economist and philosopher.... : The Imaginary Institution of Society (1975) Joseph WeizenbaumJoseph Weizenbaum Joseph Weizenbaum is a professor emeritus of computer science at MIT.... : Computer Power and Human ReasonComputer Power and Human Reason Joseph Weizenbaum's influential 1976 book *Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment To Computation* displays his amb... (1976) Howard ZinnHoward Zinn Howard Zinn is an American historian and political scientist.... : A People's History of the United StatesA People's History of the United States In *A People's History of the United States* author Howard Zinn seeks to present U.S.... (1980) and many of the writings of Pierre BourdieuPierre Bourdieu Pierre Bourdieu was an acclaimed French sociologist whose work employed methods drawn from a wide range of disciplines, from... Contemporary authors Judith ButlerJudith Butler Judith Butler is a prominent American post-structuralist philosopher and has contributed to the fields of feminism, queer th... , Gender TroubleGender Trouble Gender Trouble is a 1990 book by Judith Butler that is highly influential in academic feminism and queer theory.... (1989) Giannina BraschiGiannina Braschi Poet and novelist Giannina Braschi is credited with writing the first Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! and the poetry trilogy ... , "Yo-Yo Boing!" (1998) Raewyn ConnellRaewyn Connell Raewyn Connell is an Australian sociologist who deals critically with culture, media and political hegemony and became wide... , Masculinities (1995) Noam ChomskyNoam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky is the Institute Professor Emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.... : Manufacturing Consent (1988), Profit over people (2000) Simon Head: The New Ruthless Economy. Work and Power in the Digital Age, Oxford UP 2005 Gilbert RistGilbert Rist Gilbert Rist is a professor at the institut universitaire d'?tudes du d?veloppement in Geneva.... , The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith, Expanded Edition, London: Zed Books, 2003 See also AbleismAbleism Ableism is a term used to describe discrimination against disabled people in favor of people who are not disabled.... African CinemaAfrican cinema The term African cinema usually refers to the film production in countries south of the Sahara since they gained formal inde... , African American literatureAfrican American literature African American literature is literature written by, about, and sometimes specifically for African Americans.... AdultismFacts About Adultism Adultism is a term used to refer to the "oppression of young people through attitudinal, cultural and systematic discriminat... , AgeismAgeism Ageism is bias against a person or group on the grounds of age.... , Children's rights movementFacts About Children's rights movement The children's rights movement is a historical and modern movement committed to the acknowledgement, expansion, and/or regre... Antisemitism class struggleClass struggle Class struggle is class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective.... , council communismCouncil communism Council communism is a Radical Left movement originating in Germany and the Netherlands in the 1920s.... , Labour movementLabour movement The labour movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their... , exploitationExploitation The term "exploitation" may carry two distinct meanings:... BiopoliticsBiopolitics A neologism coined by Michel Foucault, the term "Biopolitics" or "Biopolitical" can refer to several different yet not... Critical pedagogyCritical pedagogy Critical pedagogy is a teaching approach which attempts to help students question and challenge domination, and the beliefs ... , Sociology of educationSociology of education The sociology of education is the study of how social institutions and individual experiences affect educational processes a... Critique of technologyCritique of technology Summary Critique of technology is a theory which criticizes technology for alleged negative impact under conditions of advanced tech... , Development criticismDevelopment criticism Development criticism refers to far-reaching criticisms of modernization and its central aspects: modern technology, industr... EurocentrismEurocentrism Eurocentrism is the practice, conscious or otherwise, of placing emphasis on European concerns, culture and values at the ex... FeminismFeminism Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or con... , Women's movement, Women's studiesWomen's studies Women's studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics.... ,Women's CinemaWomen's cinema The term women's cinema usually refers to the work of women film directors.... IdeologyIdeology An ideology is an organized collection of ideas.... , Criticism of religionCriticism of religion The criticism of religion includes criticism of the concept of religion itself, criticism of the practice of religion, and c... , Critique of capitalism, Critique of technologyCritique of technology Critique of technology is a theory which criticizes technology for alleged negative impact under conditions of advanced tech... ImperialismImperialism Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance... , MilitarismMilitarism Militarism or militarist ideology is the doctrinal view of a society as being best served when it is governed or guide... , NationalismNationalism Nationalism is an ideology that holds that a nation is the fundamental unit for human social life, and takes precedence ove... Hegemonic masculinityHegemonic masculinity Hegemonic masculinity is the normative ideal of masculinity to which men are supposed to aim.... , HeterosexismHeterosexism Heterosexism is bias against lesbians, gay males, and bisexuals - or any group that is not exclusively heterosexual.... , HomophobiaFacts About Homophobia \| \|The of this article is . Please see the discussion on the Homophobia is the fear of, aversion to, or discriminati... LGBT social movementsLGBT social movements LGBT social movements is a collective term for a number of movements that share related goals of social acceptance of homose... AnarchismFacts About Anarchism Anarchism is the name of a political philosophy or a group of doctrines and attitudes that are centered on rejection of gove... , SurrealismSurrealism *Surrealism* is an artistic, cultural and intellectual movement oriented toward the liberation of the mind by emphasizing ... , Situationist International New social movementsNew social movements The term new social movements refers to a plethora of social movements that have come up in various western societies roughl... PamphletPamphlet A pamphlet is an unbound booklet. It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in hal... , SatireSatire Satire is a technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject to ridicule, often as an intended means of... , Utopian and dystopian fictionUtopian and dystopian fiction Summary Utopian fiction is the creation of an ideal world as the setting for a novel.... Political CinemaFacts About Political cinema Political Cinema in the narrow sense of the term is a cinema which portrays current or historical events or social condition... , Political theatrePolitical theatre Political theatre is drama or performing art which emphasizes a political issue or issues in its theme or plot.... Post-structuralismPost-structuralism Post-structuralism is a loose, historical term used to describe intellectual developments in Continental Philosophy and Crit... , Critical TheoryCritical theory In the humanities and social sciences, critical theory has two quite different meanings with different origins and histories... ColonialismColonialism See colony and colonisation for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism.... , Anticolonialism, NeocolonialismNeocolonialism Neocolonialism is a term used to describe certain economic operations at the international level which have alleged similar... , Post-ColonialismPost-colonialism Post-colonialism refers to a set of theories in philosophy and literature that grapple with the legacy of colonial rule.... RacismRacism Racism is a belief in the moral or biological superiority of one race or ethnic group over another or others.... , Racism in the United StatesRacism in the United States Racism in the United States has been a major issue in the country since before its founding.... , Antiracism SexismSexism Sexism is commonly considered to be discrimination and/or hatred against people based on their sex rather than their individ... Whiteness studiesWhiteness studies Whiteness studies is a controversial field of study, popular mostly in the United States, and the UK, which began appearing ... External links