Critical Theory in Critical Times - (New Directions in Critical Theory) by Penelope Deutscher & Cristina LaFont (Paperback)

About the Book

World-renowned specialists in contemporary critical theory address the recent crises and transformations of the global political and economic order

Book Synopsis

We live in critical times. We face a global crisis in economics and finance, a global ecological crisis, and a constant barrage of international disputes. Perhaps most dishearteningly, there seems to be little faith in our ability to address such difficult problems. However, there is also a more positive sense in which these are critical times. The world's current state of flux gives us a unique window of opportunity for shaping a new international order that will allow us to cope with current and future global crises.

In Critical Theory in Critical Times, eleven of the most distinguished critical theorists offer new perspectives on recent crises and transformations of the global political and economic order. Essays from Jürgen Habermas, Seyla Benhabib, Cristina Lafont, Rainer Forst, Wendy Brown, Christoph Menke, Nancy Fraser, Rahel Jaeggi, Amy Allen, Penelope Deutscher, and Charles Mills address pressing issues including international human rights and democratic sovereignty, global neoliberalism, novel approaches to the critique of capitalism, critical theory's Eurocentric heritage, and new directions offered by critical race theory and postcolonial studies. Sharpening the conceptual tools of critical theory, the contributors to Critical Theory in Critical Times reveal new ways of expanding the diverse traditions of the Frankfurt School in response to some of the most urgent and important challenges of our times.

Review Quotes

Critical Theory in Critical Times tackles a crucial topic: the relevance of German and French critical theory to 21st-century politics and emancipatory projects. This excellent collection of essays shows that we have to rethink the core concepts and scope of critical theory in light of contemporary challenges to democracy, human rights, and socioeconomic justice posed by neoliberal forms of globalization and by critical theory's own insufficient attention to colonialism and postcolonialism. By reflexively reassessing and revising critical theoretical approaches, this volume demonstrates the continued relevance of critical theory today and is a must-read for anyone interested in progressive social change.--Jean L. Cohen, Nell and Herbert M. Singer Professor of Political Thought and Contemporary Civilization, Columbia University

The collection of essays contained in this volume is impressive and unprecedented in its presentation of the leading figures and themes of contemporary critical theory. It represents the epitome of critical theory as it is currently practiced across different fields of concern.--David Ingram, Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago

This is an extraordinary volume of contributions by outstanding contemporary thinkers, topically focused on urgent issues raised by our critical times. Its individual essays and its overall approach are sure to have a significant and lasting impact on contemporary thought.--Christopher Zurn, Professor of Social and Political Philosophy at University of Massachusetts, Boston

About the Author

Penelope Deutscher is Joan and Sarepta Harrison Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University. She is the author or editor of a number of books, including Foucault/Derrida Fifty Years Later (2016) and Foucault's Futures: A Critique of Reproductive Reason (2017), both from Columbia University Press.

Cristina Lafont is professor of philosophy at Northwestern University. She is the author of The Linguistic Turn in Hermeneutic Philosophy (1999), Heidegger, Language, and World-Disclosure (2000), and Global Governance and Human Rights (2012), and coeditor of The Habermas Handbook.