Critical theory

Question 1

what ‘school’ is interchangeable with critical theory

Answer 1

Frankfurt school

Question 2

what 4 theoretical strands are encompassed by critical theory

Answer 2

Cosmopolitanism, Postmodernism, postcolonialism, critical security studies

Question 3

which countries theoretical tradition can most closely be linked to critical theory

Answer 3

Germany

Question 4

what is the core mission of critical theory

Answer 4

to expose the many sources of oppression

Question 5

what is critical theory often criticised for

Answer 5

lacking a set of core concepts

Question 6

what broader theoretical tradition underpins critical theory

Answer 6

Marxism

Question 7

for early critical theorists what was the purpose of theory

Answer 7

interpret reality as an open ended totality of the changing and unfolding social relations and identities in IR

Question 8

what are the criticisms of critical theory

Answer 8

Positivists: no ‘research programme’ – not objective and scientific – relativist?
Poststructuralists (and some feminists and postcolonialists): too ‘emancipatory’ or universalist – still adherents of ‘reason’ – too Western
Marxists: Habermasian Critical Theory as slide back to liberalism – cosmopolitanism, legalism, ‘thin’ universalism, ‘idealist’ rather than ‘materialist’
What is the distinctive position of Critical Theory in IR?
Does it grasp the international, as such? Or does it assume the international space?

Question 9

is critical theory “ scientific”

Answer 9

nah