Traditional,Problem-Solving and Critical Theory: An Analysis of Horkheimer and Cox's Setting of the ‘Critical’ Divide

Abstract

Robert W. Cox's dictum that ‘(t)heory is for someone and for some purpose’ (emphasis in the original) is said to be the most-quoted line in International Relations (IR) theory. Yet whilst this spurred a revolution in critical thinking in IR, it echoed a far older conception of Critical Theory advanced by Max Horkheimer in the 1930s that claimed there is ‘no theory of society?…?that does not contain political motivations'. Both sentiments emphasize the relation between knowledge and human interests, and yet both formulate two distinct—though allied—ways of approaching ‘critical’ theorizing. In order to understand the similarities and differences in their approaches, this paper draws out three loci of difference between Cox and Horkheimer regarding the question of emancipation: (i) the epistemological relation between ‘critical’ and ‘Problem-Solving’ (Cox) or ‘Traditional Theory’ (Horkheimer); (ii) the emphasis placed on transformation and historical process; and (iii) the importance of intersubjectivity in how each approach emancipation. It is argued that by actively combining critical (dialectical) approaches across the social sciences, broadening human agency through civilizational dialogue, and retaining a commitment to emancipatory (and visionary) political futures based on human association, that Critical International Theory can maintain ongoing relevance in IR.     

Theory of mind: are there wider implications from working with d/Deaf people?

An exploratory teaching approach was inspired by the communicative experiences of d/Deaf students in tertiary education. ‘Theory of Mind’ has been used by some to describe the capacity to appreciate that views of others may be different from our own, a concept that could provide a different way for students and educators to understand the barriers identified. An adapted assessment highlighted challenges faced and a communication group provided opportunities for extending personal understandings of social settings. Emerging ideas to inform practice and potential implications for inclusion have relevance for other contexts.     

“90后”大学生思政课教学新思路探析——以宁夏师范学院为例

＂90后＂大学生群体具有坚定的政治信仰、强烈的爱国热情、明确的价值取向;生活态度总体上积极健康,人生目标明确。但是由于各方面原因,这一群体对未来充满了不确定感,紧张、压抑、焦虑的情绪比较严重,如果不能妥善引导和疏通,情况堪忧。高校思政理论课在解决这些问题上发挥着重要作用。因此,思政课应从构建和谐师生关系和创新教学方法等方面,提高其教学实效性。     

“90后”大学生思政课教学新思路探析——以宁夏师范学院为例

＂90后＂大学生群体具有坚定的政治信仰、强烈的爱国热情、明确的价值取向;生活态度总体上积极健康,人生目标明确。但是由于各方面原因,这一群体对未来充满了不确定感,紧张、压抑、焦虑的情绪比较严重,如果不能妥善引导和疏通,情况堪忧。高校思政理论课在解决这些问题上发挥着重要作用。因此,思政课应从构建和谐师生关系和创新教学方法等方面,提高其教学实效性。     

社会角色理论视域下高校问题学生行为失范

高校"问题学生"行为失范已得到社会的普遍关注,基于前人研究的基础,立足客观实际,开辟新视角,将社会角色理论引入对这一问题的研究,不仅对"问题学生"和"行为失范"进行了重新界定,从角色转换、角色冲突、角色错位、角色失败四个方面分析了高校"问题学生"行为失范产生的缘由,并提出了相应的对策。     

Relational rurals: Some thoughts on relating things and theory in rural studies

This paper considers how shifts within the social sciences towards conceptualising spatiality in relational terms have unfolded in rural studies in particular ways over the past decade or so. A period in which networks, connections, flows and mobility have all established themselves as compelling conceptual frames for research, the rural has increasingly been recast in relational terms as a multi-authored and multi-faceted space, constituted through local-global interconnections and their place specific, sometimes contested, manifestations. In this way, the multiple meanings of the rural continues to be a focus of critical concern, as are the implications ‘of’ and ‘in’ rural spaces for some of the major issues currently being faced by governments and citizens around the world; including climate change and food security. Apprehending the complexity of the rural in these terms, we argue, requires not only thinking space relationally, but at the same time being epistemologically relational or theoretically pluralist. That is, recognising the co-constituent production of rural space through material and discursive phenomenon, processes and practices, and thus the value of existing theoretical resources (social constructionism, political and economic materialism) in relation with the critical and rigorous appraisal of ‘new’ concepts and ideas to better comprehend rural space in its multidimensional complexity and particularity. To this end, we identify Cindi Katz's notion of ‘countertopography’ as a promising conceptual and methodological addition to the rural scholar's toolkit insofar as it attends to a politics of location and differentation in relation to global processes. We conclude our discussion by sketching out possible objects of countertopographical analysis for understanding ongoing processes of change in rural space(s).     

Participation for children exposed to domestic violence? Social workers' approaches and children's strategies

This article explores social workers' approaches to children exposed to domestic violence and children's strategies in encounters with these professionals in the context of family law proceedings. Investigator approaches as well as child strategies are reconstructed from children's narratives. Furthermore, possible links between the social worker's approach described by a particular child, and the child's own strategies are outlined. Participation can offer children validation of their experiences and support their recovery after exposure to violence. However, it is suggested that it seems to be a challenging task for social workers to both validate children's experiences of violence and simultaneously offer them participation in the investigation process.     

Performing India in America through Pragma-Cultural Markers

Intercultural Communication is marked in literary discourse in numerous ways. Diasporic literary discourse representing intercultural communication uses pragma-cultural markers such as food and music as tools of intercultural communication. This paper attempts to examine intercultural communication foregrounding these pragma-cultural markers as represented in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Queen of Dreams within the framework provided by Relevance Theory (:249). This paper foregrounds the manner in which writers like Divakaruni deploy pragma-cultural markers to express multiple linguistic and cultural perspectives in their literary narratives, thereby portraying an amalgamation of America and India and facilitating intercultural communication which is a dialectical process, as on the one hand the “America” that is in the hearts, minds, and words of these writers shapes their expressions and on the other, their growing presence in terms of their literary output is changing the definition of American art and culture.     

邓小平主政西南时期的少数民族政权改造工作研究

邓小平在主政西南近三年的时间里,积极推动少数民族政权改造工作。其主要措施有四项：一是坚决落实“共同纲领”精神,实行民族的区域自治制度;二是充分发挥少数民族领袖影响力,推选有代表性的人物组成政府;三是广泛运用民族代表会议的形式讨论决定问题,有利于少数民族人民当家作主;四是配备和培养少而精的民族干部,保证政权改革顺利推进不出乱子。其鲜明特点有三个：一是着眼维护民族团结这个政治目标进行少数民族政权改革;二是在充分尊重少数民族意愿的基础上处理政权改革各项事宜;三是在时空条件成熟的前提下实施政权改革政策措施。     

2011年文艺学研究有关的几个问题

一个学科要想获得发展,必须处理好两个彼此相关的问题:其一是对当下社会文化重大问题的回应能力;其二是将这些问题的回应与本学科自身的关联梳理清楚。通过对2011年与文艺学研究有关的几个问题及其讨论(包括"艺术学升‘门’"、"文学经验"、"文学形式"、"视觉文化"等)的清理,可以发现文艺学研究必须要积极应对和处理与相邻学科的关系、本学科内部的研究范式以及在当代文化重要问题中推动学科的发展。