This is very good and I agree with much of it. However, I don't think the defining feature of critical theory is quite encapsulated by the desire to liberate people from oppression. This is a larger liberal (and libertarian) drive.http://quillette.com/2017/12/09/white-women-tears-wilfrid-laurier-critical-theory/ …
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Corrected - wrong Crenshaw screencap. This is how Kimberlé Crenshaw, pioneer of critical race theory and intersectionality, described the difference between liberalism and the identity politics based critical theory she developed.pic.twitter.com/DMZqtIgYf0
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We should see a significant methodological difference between the Civil Rights Movement & critical race theory, between 2nd wave liberal feminism & intersectional feminism, between Gay Pride & queer theory tho both sets have as an aim the drive to liberate people from oppression
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It's the difference between attempting to do so by removing barriers which prevent certain groups from accessing equal rights & opportunities (universal liberalism) and attempting to do via theoretical considerations of group identity and systems of privilege.
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Critical theory as taught in the universities I have attended in relation to English literature is contrasted with what went before and what it reacted against - liberal humanism. Liberal humanism is also concerned with liberating ppl from oppression tho PoMos say it perpetuates.
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So with critical theory (and excuse my ignorance as I'm new to these theories), does it concern itself with tearing down 'oppressive' structures to liberate people or is it more about putting 'oppressed' people in those structures?
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Critical theory which is rooted in postmodernism & enacted in activism & far-leftist politics wants to revolutionise the whole system. It sees modernism as a failed project which needs undoing. Old-style liberals like the current structure but want to make it fairer.
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Now I understand. So critical theory concerns itself with basically tearing the structure down and starting again, whereas old style liberals are about removing barriers in current structures. Got it!
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I see problems in both. With critical theory, there's an argument that even so called oppressed groups have benefited from these structures. Whereas with old style liberals, are the perceived barriers real or perceived to be real if that makes sense?
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No, I'm sorry, I'm not following you.
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With critical theory, it states that there are systems that oppress particular groups of people and that these systems need to be replaced with someone else. But isn't a flaw in critical theory that quite a few people from 'oppressed' groups have actually benefited from (1/2)
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these oppressive structures and if that's the case, these systems can't be as oppressive as proponents of critical theory think. Fingers crossed that makes more sense!!! (2/2)
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Ah, yes. They are far too simplistic about this and this is mostly because they neglect class as a significant issue because it complicates things.
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Transcending tribalism vs. leveraging tribalism. The former may be ultimately impossible, but it seems like the latter is just doomed to make things worse.
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The critical theory drive sometimes seems to be motivated by a very profound desire of liberation from every type of form or identity. Some kind of orphic liberation from logos itself. Pure and illimated being beyond meaning and hierarchy.
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i think the more operative difference is one is a personal political philosophy and the other is a mindset being required to underlie scholarship. a critical difference, if you will
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