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    Calhoun, Craig - Critical Social Theory

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    ‘Twentieth-Century Social Theory Sis dior: Charles C Lemest ‘Ticenih- Century Social Theory ines authors respected fr tei con trbutons in the prominent tadtions of cca theory to tect on pst bd present inorder to propose what comes next. Books inthe sre wil onder eritcal theory, tee, symbolic interactions, functionalist, feminism, world systems theory, poychoanalys, and Weberian socal theory, among ether curent topics Each wil be pain to rea yt provocative 1 ponder. Each wil gather up what har come o passin the rwentth cntury in order to define the terms of socal theoretic Imagination inthe twenty ist “Tiles in he series includ: [Neofunctionaliam and After Jf Alexander Radical Democracy. Stanley Atonowita Critical Socal Theory: Craig Calhoun Feminist Thought Pasa Clough Symbolic Interactions and Cultural Studies: Norman Desi Poltis and Soil Theory Rchatd and Mickey Facks Postcolonial Theory: India Karamehes Soctology After Postsoderism: Charles C. Lemert Weber Soil Theory Alan Sica Socal Theory and Urban Space Sharon Zakin Critical Social Theory Culture, History, and the Challenge of Difference Craig Calhoun Compa © ig Calhoun 1995 “Tih of Cong Ca 9 bind maior of his wok as ee ‘Sein sconce wi the Capra Dep tn es A eal oats oe ln ii of Cambri, Masocbusets 2142, USA 108 Cowley Rosd Seed ORE A hs eed. Exp for he gata of hr pasa forthe paren of ‘taken andrew no a fhe phon may epee or ‘real te ane Som oy met lon: ea ‘lpm ecg of terse, hon he poe person othe ser sein he Unie Ste of Ameri hi ok sol abe the anon fie also by ry of deo erie be ey reat Red oto ‘cre ee he pt’ oe oc ay ding Indole me conte tong npo! on te see uc Lary of Congr Ctl ablation Data Coan Ca J 1952- wrCial el hye, iy, and hcl of BRINE ep RS 1s a¥8S pi Selly Picwophy. 2 Sac ences Paty 3a hop. Coxe heey Deen (oop). ety, Tite Se Trees ‘rae Cae Ms Bh Lary Caton Pubcon Dats [NIP loge elf hbk ite on he ssh bn. “rset in oo 0126 hort Tein Lb Hong Kong ned Grr Bene) Re Ld ao, Capa He % -00014696-0 [Advance Prise for Cc Social Theory “With admirable breadth ad lucidity, Craig Calhoun canvases the most imporan debates in contemporary sal theory. The sult ail ‘ating and important book." Nancy Fraser "This is social theory ais very best na host of domains - concerning cultural ference, postmodernism, the politics of identity and nasona ism ~ Calhoun beaks new ground” Charles Tylor This isa very weliafoomed and very igorous chit survey of Cea Sia Theory.” Pere Bourdiw With thi impresvely widecanging and subtle exploration ofthe cha lenge pone by cultural vray vo the projet of Critical Socal Theory, (Craig Calhoan makes an important contribution no onl to the inerpee tation ofthe projet, but so #0 enewal and reviazation.” Rogers Brubaker “in recent years the meaning of Cec Theory’ andthe contours ofthis approach have become more and more ‘her senton ur ese makes fe copy of ede bas 0 Me more (oer soa ry. ‘Soh Conepnal Practices, 1, Tha erat Lie Sc Arends Bee Past and Future, ch 8 ao Habermas Phiosophi- St Daower on Hage recoarcton of thee “arempions” a8 the ‘tncngoien of meer, which pibsophy sought 10 ove and on fom which Series Editor’s Preface In the language world of socal theory, “eri theory” i one ofthe ‘ost valuable coins ofthe ean. Among the more socal siete social ‘eons, the phrase stands forthe important wadton of wert: eury German thers i the Lineage of Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. Among the more iterary and humanistic scholars, excl theory" represents he pens of enterprises by which Meratures and oher ‘ural works se subjected to rigorous theorecl examination. Alb, behind theve ro lca ueges sands the fact that cial einking has itself come robe one of the more enenial arenes of modern, Western cular To be a modern i atleast fo postss a capacity for eral judament, one tha allows the individual ro stand sensibly apart from the Aehuraniang forces of soc ife. So ubiquitous isthe em in several Senses tha its appearance sa Sure sign one i in the presence of some ot Soother important discussion ofthe nature of modern society el "When in he fat future the deinve inectual story ofthe modern age is write, the Ist of out cules most decisive controversies will ‘rely include the current one in which cetial theories ae centel Setagonint. Atmos the question af moderney’s end and the supposed ‘mergence of portmodern er. Though the nuances of this curl Srgument can beat timer unbearably complicated, the most hase ques tions are comparatively straightforward, and of exacting importance. Wil be Heal of universal Buraniy survive? Should i? ‘On the ae side ar those who interpre the appearance of egment tion in modem cultural and poi! forms ar evdence of 5 major historical wansformaton. lip hop culre, Madonna, Disney Word, IMIV, the AT&T (now Sony} balding in mikown New York City, the ‘elit revoltions of 1989 sn Eastern Europe the rae of identity polis {nd eh rebelions word wide, the eollap of sate Mars inthe se Series Editor's Preface ‘West — thes are among the evidences pu forth to ag that we ae now In poor Wh nt» wy ah a hy howe! ommpoed pois tos world ealuon ian open suetion neta ‘Spoil canot cron anered rm within sgommodr “Tope {eerie me whine ap and vei judgments cae hem orc rm th eye hat evidences sch 3 Perera soil and politcal irene and conn srl expres Sous sugges anything new all Thon onthe modernist de of the onsoveny ae tha the moder wold over the lhl ‘aber ontnouny engaged in soe fo cme to es wh ‘nna diferencee The changes aking place oy they is “Shasta ofthe mare ofthe moder Word Modernist age ‘harsh pntmdern fad plas ight nd easy nit he eeious property ‘son eure, t parol, they complain with case that Some Fenton iso fosely with deen a0 pce dea Ey nsw thar cna al roses of accor and debate 00 ‘rn of god soc, ost legal order, and emancipatory pli “Fou ws senousapunne thats taken up sth erent purposes though score of comma concern, by both the ke and rake wigs of Dota and carl ie he Wes pati the United Sees Termoder ve accne, even by her tends, of beng today's onsrvatie whens iw of themes thy sethe endef thom epi fp iran, The hal wa mong highminded sal tess, at mong poiisans and media Sis become complied whenever combatant are rewoied ito one lth falar enor, Iara the poumodernise are correct 0 Some thins on ofthese ay be that th categans by which moerty ‘Soin carl and pola nies nay have ved th ‘tas Hece moe than a fe femora woul pee Cry the erm cic theoy” hs played rl ono ies of ‘eculora atyat eto they have take lee tong sea ol theo “Catal seo” in refence othe eros std aes of {Re German school of scl theory ha teed tone who apply tee ‘Shc rode to meen ie forthe even porpre of 58 Jeep Habermas, eon the mow menonsle example suey ‘tito moder scat He also one of mademiny> most ace tnd Abe same, eral hen” nit references oes Steure commonysawloardy, sociated with poseodersm The serve limaton ot the xpresion “postmodern” ae well laste byte fact hat carl ccs come na many anes 3+ tmay cut on both the moderiat snd postmodernist ses. Ye, ‘roy the cue tha he emergence cal ees of eta ed Serie Editor's Preface mv fale as they have developed inthe last quarter century has been focemost among the diving forces of postmodern sical reves Bene, iy. The ves and abuses of the des of eater posterturlnt thinkers Tike Michel Foucaue, Jacques Deteda and Jacques Laan have gine ile to fundamental changes in many academic Bells Whether or ao hose ‘hanges are somehow pattof a tatsformaton in world culture a ‘question yet ro be answered. may, at present, be unanswerable, art at may be impossible ro deemine whether or not thi new crea aorude inthe study of elute postmodern. "The feelings on these matters zn deep breae the ssa tke are so urgent. This may be why st a0 panfly rare that one eeads am {icount ofthe conroteny in which an opposing postion gies fat fod coherent respect Juergen Habermas's The Phwophical Discourse (0f Moderity (1987) however one exception to thre, Martin Jay's Downeast Eyes (1993) x another, Though i 3 book of another kind (CeigCalhoun's Crieal Social Theory Culture, History and the Cha. lenge of ference xa welcome addon co aorta of writings that take thir stand while evoking 2 nuanced and sensible W nor aheays fienly, view of those against whom they assert themselves. Troe to the traion’s founding faith indecent ceson, these ar among he books that come out more or Ison the modernist sie. Thoogh there foolishness on both sides, postmodern are les inlined to read their theoreial Otbers with the sme care, perhaps because they are to ‘other things. ‘Crag Caiboun is a man of many cemarkale cles and ener. In his generation of soxaltheornts there ate few indeed who have ‘embarked, as he has, on sucha series of project aes the tost imporane sues acros the spectra of current social hiking. The lt ‘of topics on wich he has writen is breathtaking — the ew social movements, nationalism and ethnicity, cl society, ead in the industrial eevolation, the public sphere and more. ls clear that hes 3 Social theorae more than wing to dig ito the empirical depts many theorists deliberate only at abwace remove. This book in which {Glhoun exhib the breadth and depth of his laraing to very ating elect forthe reader, rica Social Theory beaks importa new ground Fil, and most striking rethinks the Wadon of German ert socal theory i relation to subjects it soften accused a gnorng or, even cing Nc ble of handing. As the book's subtle sugges, + major theme he exploration of ference ia respect to which Calhoun offers 4 taly ‘orginal understanding of ways and mana whereby eal theory Both ‘anand must consider social difereaces without geing up more fonda Qe wi Series Editor's Preface mental commitments 10 principles of human emancipation. Secondly, nd jst ab important sigh les staking Creal Social Theory ‘makes important connections among the major lines of social thought {hat for goed long while have called ut for reconciliation. In com Posing is own soc theory, Calhoun one ofa very few to draw a5 Eongly onthe work of rere Bourdie nd ther cura theorists 8 00| the wets af Habermas and the Frankfurt theorss, mths, and othe, trays demonstrates a cetin gasp of the second important meaning of “tial theory” ab ertigue of care. Bot Calhoun sfuics co keep within the sale precincts of socolgy, his ‘own dsilinary eld. This book is one ofthe few in which a prominent Scciolopcal thers ves serious and sophisticated attention to the entiation of emia theory, in paul, nd other eons asc Sted with the New Socal Mavemente that arose io the 1960s. This ‘nates third major contibation of the book — is enconragement {othe revival of soiology’s readiness to confront extra-socilopcl tecial theories. “Though there are stil other ices o be mined in his wondefl book, these thee alone make Cra Social Theory a book wort the cine of ins reading. Though Cig Calhoun already widely recognized as 2 Teadng socal heors, ths book wil almost Surly advance his tong feputnton evn more, Cricl Socal Theory is compeling as case fen thowe skeptical ofthe vanes of nial cheones to think again ‘Nod, hove who come to crital theory with an alteady warm appeci- tion wl suey enjoy and benef fom the ways Crag Calhoun vances this important tadton of rca thought Charles Lemere y il Rethinking Critical Theory A plilitie hasbeen defined at "someone who is content to live in a ‘wholly unexplored world." The pilin i noe necessary passive, for fe or she may be quite actively engaged in taking objeto gaining potion in the worl, but the phils Is uneeeive, primary wultar {ani orientation, The Biblical association suggests an enemy superior in ‘numbers and int whose hands one might aly and Hannah Arend el ‘shat he term was is used ins modern sense wo ditingishBerween town and gown in the student slang of German unverty towns Bot this reproach was intially jus itellectaal snobbery (combined pethape with genuine fear of stack), the nation ofthe phn took on more ‘Sue colovings as noniatelecuals began to manifest a subrania nte ‘tin “culture, parsley at part ofthe comsracton fnew fort fle status? Nonacademic interest nthe ie ofthe mind snd eve it ‘marers of cakuze more generally ha been interment and uneven, “The fear that cultural objets and intelectual prods would be ‘reduced to mere se values or commodities through an insesiove appro ‘ration by those outside universes has proved exaggerate. Buta the Same tne, + cersin phlinsm has grown within unwerte them selves. Not only academic life fa from exclusively 3 of the mind, the use of cultural objects (eg. publications) as means of professional advancement exes distorting, perhaps eves tansformatve effec 10 ‘otinesn fo point the ceases of thi ew plist, but fo he way ‘in which it‘undermins critical thought. To the extent that cull ‘Production remade int the means ofaccumelting a kind of seademe= ‘Profesional capital cultural producers are encouraged to acy com ‘monplace understandings of the world. To challenge thee ton deeply 2 Rethinking Critical Theory ‘would be to court detachment from those whose “purchase” of thee Fords enables ther o accumulate captls Te oie thsi ot that Frellctosi eto sere leptimate masters, which ey sem no more Tel todo wader contemporacy conditions than a ater times, but that in the spt of pofesonalia they betsy the cling uly and openly to explore the world Despite recurrent diappoinments, one wants to hope that a social scien could never in th sense bea plstine. lade, st some level all Sout cent ike all ones anda pest many over are engaged in Caplin the worl. Yer for moet of, and for social scetsts more {han notes, our explorations are limited by the Boundaries ofthe known word of convertion. We dscover new facts be sure, but they Ie already tamed within schemes of knowlege that we tke 35 Sle {vient and beyond question. One of the enduring challenges for soil ‘Since ogo beyond the affmation and econstution of he familar Sword o recogni other posses. New perspectives new theory {odin empinclinformaron allan enable uso se ow things canbe ‘Serene frm the ways they fe present themselves tows, and ow things even could be diferent from the ways they are. Seizing soch Powiilites however, means rgcng the mation tha either we mast eeprnery everything ast or we mst enter ito a radical disorgan atin of ey in whch we cn claim no bearings to gue us "Not just eacach bur everday life ean be the source of challenges 0 complaency in out views ofthe world. Our ordinary clans with ‘ther people provide us with accasion for eeing the woe om die: Entangled thinking iin diferent rherore. Our practical projects — hen te pojc of growing up = confront ue not ony withthe ned for Some continuous sense of denny bit with the makipcy ofthe weld fof ourecles a creators of that world, No lee ofall as crestres ‘vo ext fly only in our relations wat others, we can ever see ur ‘estes altogether dred ey shee in the many sided relations of ‘ur lives and ations to thone of ores As Arende sugested the “who” ‘teach person “which appears clea and unmistakably t others emains hidden from the person Rimel, ke the dain in Geeek Feligon which accompanies each maa throughout i ile always lok: tng over his shoulder ftom behind and ths vxbe ony 0 those he ‘Sooo, neither intellectual nor clurl radtions exis in such atono mous and self-contained fashions at are sometimes sugested they ate ‘or knowl simply trough ineral eflecon Caaral dietity” hak ‘recently become 1 hot academic tpi, and “mulisturalisn” has been “sconeed though twas something aopethe new in pencil afi Retinking Crit Theory 3 Ye recurrent, sometime yd, dag wit cous very have een common in umn hy pec where tha hiory hs een sky ogc ne yen a the ey ese ‘gous tadtons Ise natonal sel of carl honey hat iS moderna relation of ew or of pubic le sod new loge af solic. Yeti is not easy to rach across thse eadone and modes of sundrsadig to rsp the relationship betwee wt own rout that afters and tines bard todo so waste modality of Sry ‘The modem venare of socal theory ~ conrtned sce ong Machisvell, Vico and Hobbes cscaly to coage pot fis = dete a ot ec ue Howe mat an bal ri duction abd concer hey sgh spent the ental aman condinon. But mth ince empaniy any fecopnted te halnges bth hsorl hanged mec ry poe for the unary const ofthe baton senda, Most social science is description of the familie social world with slighty differing contexts and paiculars ~ like romance novels that ‘eheasc fay standard pot in new settings and wath new chrace. ‘We indus cumulates 0 be mere hel, sort them into tentiale pacers” For the move part this sorting 1 limited to taxonomy, rather ike pe Darwinian ordering ofthe blog ‘i universe in terms of phenotypic charcrersice Only occasionally do we systematize ina more theoretical way, one that ars for underlying order that canor be found in any ofthe surace characte tis of ts objets. Noting press thie theoretic venture os more firmly chan she experince of hisorial change and crou-culural iver. "Theory, inthis sense, es never in the fats hemes not even those that demonsuate the stasis connection between various occurrences. Inhis distinction of mere correlation ttm te causa, Home showed almost despite hel oro Kant athe than to himself the essential place of theory and the limits of empiscam as a tource of cern lenowiedg. tthe same ine e suggested te indeterminacy o theory, ‘the impossibly of ever arving a deft prot bared on empiric ‘vience. Hume turned away fom theory tory a aude for hurtan understanding and action, Theory, afer all i not the only way 10 ‘Provide orientation to action; language and everyday culate provide us ‘with enormous clssificatory abies though a we more into analyst ‘ Rethinking Cota Theory vee become at at imply it boreal. Tis is commonly equated With cual esoning bo Orit of ery neds to rake room ao iether red mea Naras ed ot be nol Srements of prouroon or tune They cm also be acouns of Bow feior ovens o atoms link aad neat sbseqest ons. Analysen ‘Rr varan of prs te hn tog on of {Shut porse'Theor importa a the tematic examination “Sostccon of knowlege nthe cae of acl theory, know Stour scl fe. This maybe aa or arate fom wh each frm Sunuesing een appronce fo generation and specication Whe cata soning may be applied to dere evens is more Commonly sed in soul scat le to aes of phenomens, tested ‘Smeralyequalen that nfocce eer canes of lat equiva itr phenomenon instanceof ca exec o proce ones Yn the anence of intervening on). Nara, cones fen {ecaed ar erent paclrsg but) the pretty be foal av nara of world tory, aa (2h compas among, natives flat a form of peer ros-statonal know. “The word tat scat kt understand ots em pineal, contd of facts and propositions isthe Word also of Phenomenological expenace, reece jdgment, and practical action Recopnsig tha mes more dita, bt perhaps more eres, the ey caleng: hcorttshae ced eversince Hameo develop sematie wysor understanding the well hat ae reo that world 5 the objet [FTopence sad acon a well sof obveratin, that ecogie he acco ober subj in hac word, nd that re gorau et eee Ihr own enbeddednes i hioy a “This oars that roe common conception of theory are i ing ts amie ty pvt to imagine that theory aopther atsact while copia Howie i smchow perf comet: This iP rong on both coum Tn soci since hore are always pty nde, they depend nat lest some infomation about how th wld work nd sho O28 horton ote world ndoed fom tecture and experience of he ‘hoor fut eal I inex), More than this, many ofthe best {hones ae cempualy eh Tha i hey ate comptions not soy Of formal proprons or aburactspeclaons tof concrete expan flo and arts, They work ey largely by empl analogs, Statements of ecy and conta rote than lwke unter Satements! The extent to which he mos compeling theories te his {Eosey empire con be sce exay by uc reflec on the theories {hav hive Prone soar enduringly sonal those, for example, of Mion, Weber Dust, and Fred Rethinking Ctl Theory 5 ‘Second he idea ofa theoryfe, totaly concrete empirical sociology ix equally islading, Even when empiri researchers eave the thee feveal onetations completly snexpist, snd clam ~ like Sherlock Holmes ~ ta be wotking with “nothing but the fact,” they ty on concepts, ideas abou causality, and understanding of whee fo look for fmprcalseationship that caot be derive ently fom thi ele of [fats and tha are secesnazy to cote both fact and expansions (One of the major jobs of theoretical sociology is t0 make exp ‘orderly, consent ~ and open to eral analy ~ thee “onenations™ tht are sally taken for granted by empirical researchers Perhap it see t lary the ways in which te term “theory” i used by sociologist ~ and indeed by soil scientists generally in oder to se why our habival ways of thinking about theory sometimes ob Scare understanding both of what i going om in academic scence and how cheory i important in the pub sphere. Fst, “theory” some times understood in a strongly empiri fasion 10 ete 10 an onder taste of tested propositions. In euch a usage of theory, the mai flemeass ate (1) potently generalizable propostions, and (2) sope Stems about where dhey do and do ot fe: Generaly and cums ton are Key goals of theory thes conceived, This offen called posit- iam, by buch eis and proponent, but thats elly « misnomer, The “posts” label comes from the scent of early French social Beads Uke Comte, and Hegel's enique of "mere posity”~ sein the srfaceexinence of the world but not itr items tensions The Frankf heore, expecally Horkheimer and Adorno, combined thet appropriation of Heels dialectics (stressing the role of determinate ‘egaion") with thet crioque of oth socal since empiiism and the philosophy of the Vienna Cicle (which called is wosk “logical post" Logical posivam was fr fom summation of ested propositions It tuned onthe search for consistency and the power of logcal (usualy ‘ute femal) expression, no st empircal generaleation. Many lope] ost were (and are) intrested inthe theo of physics and math matics, which ae hardly empiial generalizations. The theory of rl Siri, for example yields vome tesable proponcions, but echived ‘ecogiton ava “beatfal” and powerul theory before very many of ‘Propositions could be ested” As Kae Popper, hou only ambi ‘uty part of the positivist groping, summed pn next phrase, ‘cients shouldbe interested in "conjectures and refuations” not mere ‘neralzatons! This lads the, #0 the second sense of "theory," 2 legally tegrated casalexlanstion. Ie x only for this second sore of shor tha rena of pra ke parinony or power or complocrss become ream power cr somal ‘ Rethinking Critical Theory Final, thete is thied seme of theory, one Robert Meron wid 19 ising from the fst two." He called this third sore there ‘onenatons or perspectives, ther than theo. He meant, | think, “Something ke approaches ¢oelving rablems and developing explana tions rather than the solitons and explanation themeeles. While “Taleot Parsons ted to consolidate funcional as an inegrated pene ral theory thus, Merton's own ise of fancionalsm in middle-age ‘heotes was arab orienting perspective s0 10 has been ost use ofthe ‘road trations asocated with Max Webee or Kal Marx. Dring the Tas tity years however, we have Become avare that his third Sease of theory cannot be hep altogether in he Background of the Bist ew. This ins for two reasons. Pint, we reaine thatthe language ou socalled theoretal perpecncs provide fr talking abou various sues self ‘pendent oncom other words, if we ay that we think power and Confit play «lager soe than functional integration in esablshing os order, we presume understandings of what social orders ha an ‘nly be achicned on the bai of some level of theoriation, nd which tay not be the same a other undersandings. Second, and for party Elmar reasons, most of what we ake vo be the “acts” of socal sence, fd indeed the ersten for evaluating both facts and explanations, ae themselves conte ia part through theory. Theory doesnot only {allow from and atempe fo explain sn indoctively pre-given word of ‘opr obrervation, theory enables us to make observations and thos ‘Snvert sentry impressions into understandings we can appropiate 36 facts, Theories thur offer us ways to tik abou the empirical wold, ‘ways to make obeerstons, and ways to formulate wet, not just Ways ‘opin theres ofthe tee and he corelatins among the empirical ‘huevos Eich ofthese thee widespread senses of hoy offers insight into the ways sociological theory informs both sient research apd pubic Ie and practical ation outside academia, Theoreial wings fer repostores and syathecs of empirical knowledge; they eer explana tions and they offer methods for thinking up new explanation. But thie makes things stem too simple, and i obscures the potentially teansormarive rol of theory i both academic soclogy and public ie ‘Tae tree conversion] ideas about how theory works, pat this an ther way, astme tat ll cence i normal cence in Kuhn's sense “They lave no room for rvolationary science ot eve for smaller cha [eng to paradigms that we might aot wan o aim are evolutionary tren though they bring siifcant change othe way we ee the word ‘Consider, for example the empiricist notion of theory I Usted fest “This idly grasp the extent ro which theory eds to be rh with Rethinking Cite Theory 7 npr Inowlege, but milan presets empical nowlege a5 ‘bough cold be simply an oder summation of texed propos inthe fs pace, ths vets imaging tate empeapeopontons Gan be contre in ways tat do nt dpend on thane (or Sseatheoral sumption, tat rented win arcat ‘Berea onenationsand thir smetnes fel wo wamdate Ans tberetealGacoures, More Ena he undead fifo kare ‘oom for anomalies and acne tat ctr or bowie slongie feted certain and he perhape do mich sore ee kaos Forward. And lst bt not lee meth exteot to which the Bee theories ae nor silyssemblage of propositions bt snl con facts comparing, cota. a dejng sare ong aes ‘varies tory tsading nara Even when we peak with more sophisiation of theory as explana tion and methods for consticing explation, we fl do ute 1 the role of theory in contin or vey asc to he scale, inclosing the Ince about which theoe and the race cons throagh which we ex propontoorsdundersandng Tere as Tike for example te eso democracy or cle ~seo become part a ‘he wold we std, changing iso that we ar eves able o achive the complete closure tavnged by our convensonl textbook oto of theorecalcomulton othe Wlstonsip between theory and research ‘hd especialy with sega cote latondp of scl cheery the peblic per bur abo aon wo he mos academe ens We ted 1 copa tat ur here nsvans respond to poblcn aout ltfons to ater understanding ort oe normative sda, bu that ining one et of problems they may create new ny new one Say fmerg the ol world changer We do at move sing fo fae epimers Accounts to more adequate accounts, wi out cater of adequacy {fen shaped tn puny the patel ble that command oo feeton'" Weber and Dukes’ there thn cannot oe compared Simply on theese of rath at hough with some mapable Gta we ‘old deie that ong nd these wrong, Rater they ar best compared in tems of ther pret schne for achieving erent lind of wnderundng or undcntandings of dierent ues in this connection oof the ment portant rls of theory Ks in enabling we task new anderen sors of queens & hes of ipo qui sn fom Maven rap hat oad tocar fom thew of ino We, Maru theory ass to ory to what cata ices sowed in materi flons of ‘roduction shape eonlcs ests sad actenm, snd whether feo ‘ Rethinking Critical Theory fom of ch es kes for an trata coco Stone enouth fo rumph ove atom. We may Ham more fom NEO etn soe ans shan fom hi awe Maree, the Tho ele us tok qusony tha dt exer to the eniiatiog {Deon themes = a for example Man’ theory of aieaton pro {Tce such insstent questioning fhe conitons commun soos Shar akg marust governments sented oppress ue tthe at hs eal a oss oa sign that our knowledge rows progressively Deter yates ‘ofthe many pos vanage pts tht one mit achieve in cone hon af's age set of cel phesomens. Theos resin mle not tecaus we are confused or hive not er reached cotec sete unde nding othe probleme before ay ba becuse all robles ~ ike all Feil ces nent wae Orprarthe ny gens for pol oak sentra questons about any really sn ‘anv phenomenen wins same theory or een within «set of com ‘tenable opal interstate trons. Nong this was one of the rntthroughe of modern phys inked to the theory of relay. AS Hessenberg ronarhed “The mos ingotne now reel of sale ysis wa he eon of Be eo penne gue ieee of naar ve, without radon to one od be se paca event Ths ae te fat ‘Sorin syn fw whith teased on cert fondamenal eas ‘Suet une dei nay of sing gacstins ake ese ad hos ‘etactva sym separated om othe whch alow diferent guestons For tis reason, we cannot expec theoretical cumulation result in che evelopment ofthe singh, completely adequate theory. The ld of Scolopia theory neces and indeed happy ~ wil remain a field ‘falogue among multiple thores, each offering aspect of truth and tone ofthe commanding truth entry. This means also that theory reeds tobe ten cacally trough ts oem te process of iterpetation, Und tha i empircal content i often best deployed not as univers Gratis oe like generations but as analogies, contass, and omparbors “Tocombat the cosy contentment ofthe philisine (or postisrempirist lus cecal vial theory makes he very pivennes ofthe word he ‘hie of exploraton and analysis The suggests another reason why Rethinking Critical Theory ’ theory ha comple elaonsip to facts. I cannot merely summarize them, or be neat teed by them. since theory of some sort always ‘Senile comearion a thon fact. Than ot only a pide to ‘comin the way n which engineering principe oe consraion ‘St brdes, is a aid in hinking through changed eumsancs and new possibilty paca actos ea with scl ch Relig them ct beyond te mmeacy of wha any paneer omens to conceptualize something of what coal be. Thin only tre of opin other norman thong tough te sme capac Faieates normative craig. Rater, this cal sul sty that shows he its of sheer emprise. "The pnts concealed diferent but equal ery by dalec- «al thorn follwing Hegel nd by thera nthe strat move tent emanating om be work of he gut erdmand de Sst For the Tomer the ley the remo and convadon that dpa ‘xing resi and pon both ost station ra arg htoreal ety ‘othe ponstitsoftstramcznence Forth ae he ey tobe ablewose an anerying pte of canes nd consti ot tly theme comingent setae pater of sal xcrrnces Acta ei fences aways ref clement of chance and srbirscns, ths re imperfect pesto the oneryng strc of posi Thi hy epincal knowledge neds ro he complement with theory aed why theory canoe bet mere somimation of mpiea! knowles Socal Scents are familiar wth the difeence fetes a smecdone and a Sauipe = and sometimes erated with sadn slleaacy Sd polis who ts on thinking nen of parla eet ‘han overall pens and probes But cv swell conse st tical sample does not hecesanly reach to under saaiy simply epesens acral the empiteal pate a one point nse ‘Cauiy alway depends 0 nesene tat gos beyond oe cfc” oF ‘mbes hemscves. And inthe deeper, there ent pen ‘eogiing thatthe fac oa ave ten oer “The old contrast herween iographic parslarsio singl) ad samedi genraand opie) resoing dot Qu ape it Brome rasp, accortl, he extent to which yp Nay wing Bes the story of a chin of ptr event tht lead f= soplae esl. Histor, ths ste try of what has happend. We ce in Aiki, however, an ccoon of what cud hav happened esas ie ‘cru iformation for cnneration of ou cre deo. Bat ‘emote reatning dos oer thither ir les st stn st ‘estoos andi te tom of he Mother gration of he ‘Min specie css of wt ha appeed An atonal tp on 10 Rethinking Critical Theory rere generalization is invalved in the move fom empirical history 10 theory. Tis said of generals tat based on experince, they ae always Drepatng to fe he last war, One of he roles of theory so enable ws fo recopize in what ways our fare wars may be diferen. ‘None ofthe complex inthe relsonsip of theory to facts should be senses ae ior keep hs enh Tying causa is nor simpy a tater of abraction. Moreover, theory ‘Sor consatly opened ro revision inthe ight of empiri inguin, They to became brit, orto fll io disuse, or 10 become simply 3 epostry of nology. But the same is tue not only of empirical Invenigation as organized by social sence, but of experince and ‘rita action which re alo sources ofthe indctve content, meaning, Ed fen of soil theory. Using theory to challenge the ives of thse ann abl roars ay ole ad ew fact in that world requires recoginng that knowledge is 2 itor ‘product and always a least potently 2 medium of storia sgn ‘Since to sore so open up visas of understanding it can never be alkgeter neal, it neessariyperspectival. This obligates the theo fit to tke serous both the historical sures of hei theory ands ‘entation to the future, Atendt invoked parable fom Kafka £0 ‘ibenbe this necessary station of theory ~ indeed of thinking ~ ina tension berween pst and ature. I posts an individual He bso angi th frat pecs in om behind om the iin. ‘he srcond oc te ond abs. He es blo oth, To bese the Fis cppor iin bight mh the sae, for he wats pas hin ferwunsand inset nay he seo suppor hs ho gh th he race he ive isc. Bar tony ere oor nt ty he tw staan wb ae thee bu heh rly nd who ‘Sly Knows bento? Hi em hog ta some ie 20 wad moments hi would ee ht rer han an ight Insccr brn yr wl mp out fhe hong ine ae pom, ‘noconn of is expense ighting te poston of mp oer i Seana eee he with exc tee “The protagonist pane ie speci and determinate ientiry from his oso in this confit. The dream of Being promoted to umpire ort a somewhat dangerous ove fo whch many thinkers have succumbed, the dream that theory eam beset apart om both areompetve ali ‘ofthe past sachin sown past and fom a prospective engagement withthe cure eis noe surprising dat theorists should have this eam, This hope of echieving perfect knowledge, bur serail that they ‘ould ess i To lave the field of role forthe umpite's chai 2 Rethinking Cota! Theory " 12) 0 aope the Carts vi rom nowhere, Instead fa tap of teason hr i sinply 2 matcopon end ot Knowledges fom Biased origins nando by ay rate purpone ls kao flee that canoe understand its igs ake responsi for Sec. “reat deal of ven very ood sx theory predaced and presented 1s shough ween fom the umpires chai, I are to ake easy bork ts own Rators candon of producto nd spans practical acon nr only annoy those who cal for more etcl ory, Bor conbute tothe fequnt appa of radonal, man seam or postin theorists who expects Kind of rigors cu Iaon in Soci scence knowledge Phloophicl sctundertandings roored in emptor weabcoes of te sort lose termed ponte acruly lead many sel teoss o hep bad fh with et ‘bem genuine accomplish. Pacing fics ope ia the ascovery” of Siwles and perpen ats hey wath pel or someting ind hamor ash ut defesvey and deste a herr are pcb ther They a le pate mpoe o ther on work as more ne bound conto to» prose of prac tial reason rater han pre knowledge tos ooneraton awh the fonstucon of new undeanding sonal rsa though they iden only wi the Socrates of th ater dager the Pato the orale writings) who insta on domiating she we dscasion {nd stati the whet hey dn ee he vito of Sorte eter Imadesty nthe early dialogue when hs voce oly one, however Brin, song several cath of which spear set of the th ad athe he impeatons of what the ees have oey™ ‘As th metaphor sunt the ae non sol change but the malty of oes, the deems nm a nde sane of Aiferentsobject postions and abe Mente The very het of ara 5 Arendt called hence renewal ofthe huss word throug he proton of Beings oth mel and es ans Hat ‘hcl comes i the word he potent source faa novel In thecommon- bt neve ly common wl of hata hao, hs ital the tegunig of aor! divers, though th aes ony with th amnion of ew eth we soe of them vo Pee Sine so mach hor eck he up's ci, ers fl to have 2 specter for teary tht sllconciou soar fo histor Blae i logue ad among cures, eds o fact and frgagment nthe paces) worl. Deccing to Rant and lone tan, nt jt Hoieiner and Arn, we ean ll ec i 2 Rethinking Citcal Theory Kant firmly placed. hit philosophy ia contrast both to. Hume's skepism and othe dogmatic ravonaliso of Leibniz. was a unten Shi to rect the pret of increasingly secure understanding and theo feccal Knowledge av to stage seed prematurely. Instead, Kant ‘Suh a sytemascally athe cold wo explore he Its a well as the rounds of diferent forme of reason, keowledge, and understanding, ‘king senousy not only pure reason but practical reason and aesthetic Judgment, Kant was perhaps ar fll succesful nhs quest and indeed lunderestinaed the extent ro which his sheory, ike al thers was em Feuded i athe than able to ap beyond o beneath history and culture Hegel sought to historie~ and scaine~ Kan in one way; Durkheim Inanother Inout own day, ino accident that bot Pere Bourdie in “The Categaces of Profesor Judgement, or The Conflict of the Fac ties") and Michel Foucault» “Wha Is Enlightenment”) should have ‘Chosen to evoke Kant in ther ils as well ay aspects of ther chow.” ‘And in his more rent work expecially, Jurgen Habermas appeat in ‘fensingly a6 #00 Kansan ethics. ‘Kant i 2 sel gore to cemind ws ao of the error involved i rawing oversharp Boundaries eween the Enlightenment andthe Ro mantic movemet (or the modera and the postmodera). Kant who Felped to name as wll as complete the Enlightenment, admired noone mote than Rousseau, whose bust he kept of his desk. Yet of al igh teentccentuy thinkers, Roosess most anipated Romanticism. In an tsa when seldelared postmodernist scourge the Eniptenment athe foundation of epressie modem conscoushess, itis worth remember: ing that in thee day, the philowopes were as surely the enemis of plstine complacency asthe Romantics were a generation of two ltr, Kind ferteal theory hea focus the exploration af the social wold ‘pond the dimenstons which can be taken for granted as pat ofthe Contemporary consciousness of any er then i mest be abroad enough fous to wezome ~ albeit not unceily = ee descendants of Roman tes aid Enlighten alk, while svoiing both ater skepism with ts Sesion that we have no sources of intellectual security bur radon, ne dogmatm with iw afemation ofthe postive of the inited sword “A ihe same time, while Kant was no a Cartesian subjective rational is content wih "vie rom nowhere,” neither was he fall atentive so the importance of cultural and inerpeesonal difference inthe consti tion of ndertanding. Arend, keen Sethe maximal interest in aman rainy in Kant di righty erecta pening co this concern in para: raph 40 ofthe Third Crique in which Kant considers the nature of the onus communis that makes poe out shared capacity for judgment. Rethinking Crincal Theory B Bot i is minal opening. Kast explores what i means vo ave a toad rather thas natrow tind. Tht involves secing ings fo standpoint of others, but a4 method of achieving nivel ‘than mali of perspective: man wird ay of iting. he ie ‘et in ih any wa od ‘el rly ono mean era do (sheboygan Usimatey the text ofthis Broads es in the capacity to make jad ‘ments “universally communicable" Though Kant the recognises the ‘cimtence of mulipl tandpoins, bein no way se thee a impeding ot ‘hllengng the goal of university. Though thi ston ofthe Third Griique was eral for Arent consideraton of Kant: plies phi Torophy in many ways it seems to evoke Habermas wth he concern for universality and communication more than Arent with her fous on plurality and secon Aten own interest in plrality nay ate, 30 Incerest in the disinctvenes of individual human tings ata cuca,

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