Critical Theory In The Scenario Ex-Lt Corporal Renate Barnard Case

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According to (Crossman A. Unknown), the aim of the Critical theory is to dig below the surface of social life and discover the assumptions that keep us from a complete and true understanding of how the world works. The theorist Max Horkheimer defined a theory as critical as it seeks "to free human beings from the settings that enslave them.” In the given scenario Ex- Lt Corporal Renate Barnard’s charge appeal against the SAPD was dismissed by the constitutional court. In the case stated by Barnard she sued the SAPD believing they were discriminating against her by not promoting her in her occupation rank. The court denied the appeal as Acting Chief Justice Dikgang Mosneke believes that the SAPD employment equity plan was not challenged. The…show more content…
The word, The Critical Theory has two meaning and each meaning has its own origin and history. The term that I will be using and that is applicable in the Renate Barnard case is the sociology term for the word. This term describes the Frankfurt School’s neo-Marxist philosophy. Critical methods of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud were used by the Frankfurt school. The critical theory is a form of social theory concerned with criticizing and changing society as a whole. Whereas the traditional theory is focused on mainly understanding or explaining it. The Critical theory’s objective is to dig beneath the surface of social life and expose the assumptions that keep us from an accurate understanding of how the world functions. The first main concept of the critical theory is that it should be focused on the totality of society in its historic specificity. Secondly, it ought to improve the understanding of humanity by incorporating all the main social sciences, including geography, sociology, political science, psychology ,economics, anthropology, and…show more content…
They are a social and political philosophical movement of thought located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. When Felix Weil, made his donation to the institute in 1923, the aim was to focus on the development of Marxist studies in Germany. The first generation critical theorists consisted of: Theodor Adorno (1903-1969), Max Horkheimer (1895-1973), Walter Benjamin (1892-1940), Friedrich Pollock (1894-1970), Herbert Marcuse (1898-1979), Leo Lowenthal (1900-1993), and Eric Fromm (1900-1980). The 19th century produced a second generation theorists led by Jürgen Habermas. Marxism was one of the main theories used to create the critical theory. Marxism is a theory created by Carl Marx "Marxism" is basically Marx's analysis of the complex and evolving relations between the poor and the rich. Concentrating on the social and economic relations where people make their livelihoods, he saw a struggle of two classes behind capitalism's law and order: the capitalists, who own the industrious resources, and the labours or public, who has to work in order to survive. "Marxism" is fundamentally Marx's investigation of the complex and emerging relations between these two

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