ENGL 3920

Introduction to Critical Theory

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

This course introduces students to Critical Theory, beginning with its roots in the 19th century (i.e., Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche) and then focusing on its most prominent manifestation in the 20th century, the Frankfurt School (e.g., Kracauer, Adorno, Benjamin, Horkheimer, Marcuse), particularly in its engagement with society and literature (e.g. Brecht, Kafka, and Beckett). Established in 1920s at the Institute for Social Research, the assorted circle of scholars comprising the Frankfurt School played a pivotal role in the intellectual developments of post-war American and European political and aesthetic theory. Often known simply as "Critical Theory," their key works cover a vast array of intellectual, political, economic, and artistic concerns, from the dialectic of enlightenment to commentaries on popular culture, high art, commodity fetishism, and mass society. This introduction to the programmatic statements and eclectic reflections of various scholars will highlight the diverse historical influences, collaborative efforts, and internecine debates that shaped the intellectual tradition across continents and generations.

When Offered Fall.

Distribution Category (LA-AS)

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