This text collects together Ben Agger's essays on the origins, significance and applications of critical theory - a perspective associated with the Frankfurt School. The essays address a variety of topics including the viability of Marxist theory and new social movements.

J�rgen Habermas's critical communications theory of society has excited widespread interest in recent years. The essays in this book explore the research implications of Habermas's theory for the analysis of modern problems of public life. Spanning the spectrum of the social sciences, the essays relate critical theory to industrial policy under advanced capitalism, education, the mass media and consumerism, public participation in planning, policy analysis, and critical historical studies.John Forester is Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University. Critical Theory and Public Life is included in the series Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought, edited by Thomas McCarthy.

This work addresses one of the most central and timely subjects in Public Administration - how to make sense of critical theory and especially how to assess its implications for everyday practice.

Critical Theory traces its roots from Marxism, through the renowned Frankfurt School, to a wide array of national and cultural traditions. Raymond Morrow's book traces the history and outlines the major tenets of critical theory for an undergraduate audience. He exemplifies the theory through an analysis of two leading social theorists: J[um]urgen Habermas and Anthony Giddens. Unique to this volume is the emphasis on the link between Critical Theory and empirical research and social science methodology, often thought to be incompatible.

Too often attacked as hopelessly abstract, contemporary critical social theory can help us to understand both public policy and its analysis. In this book, John Forester shows how policy analysis, planning, and public administration are thoroughly political communicative practices that subtly and selectively organize public attention. Drawing from Jürgen Habermas's critical communications theory of society, Forester shows how policy developments alter the social infrastructure of society. He provides a clear introduction to critical social theory at the same time that he clarifies the practical and political challenges facing public policy analysts, public managers, and planners working in many fields.

The purpose of this book is to develop those ethical traditions. For example, Horkheimer’s books Eclipse of Reason and Critique of Instrumental Reason, and his early and now classic essay Materialism and Morality ask for a reformation of Kantian ethics. The reform sought is that categorical imperative in an individualism capitalism serves to worsen the difference between business ethics and moral philosophy. That is, it is not enough to try to be good or ethical as individuals when it is the systemic processes that must be dealt with. Therefore, Horkheimer asks that the maxim that would be made universal be done at the level of people organizing with others to change the social system that is producing the unethical behaviors. The book is organized into several sections. The first section sets the stages, beginning with a challenge to the field of social responsibility in business and public administration (Jones, Ten bos, & Parker have a new book out that is smashing). Then, we turn to Carr and to Zanettic who each have done critical theory work in public administration. This is followed by Heather Hopfl, who edited an issue on ethics of goodness, and does the kind of writing that makes deep connections. The next set of chapters make topic connections: rhizomatics, dialogics of co experience, story/narrative, and postmodern. The third set of topics focus on application: technofuturist, international business, economics, university, environment, accounting, spirituality, strategy, and ending with Mills’ work on silence of race/ethnicity in business (and public administration) ethics writing.

This book provides an understanding of the content and aims of Habermas's critical theory of society — the theory that analyzes the causes of our cultural lack of direction, polical apathy, and the increasing complexity of modern society. The author offers a foothold on the current debates regarding the credibility and cogency of the theory. Braaten presents Habermas's defense of his critique of reason in his most recent work concerning the confrontation between postmodernists and neoconservatives, and modernists and liberal theorists. She also explores the possibility of applying Habermas's critical resources in the United States in ways that he himself may not have considered.

Semiotic Analysis and Public Policy evaluates several key areas of public policy that are dependent on narrative, naming, sign, and branding to create meaning. Semiotic analysis, drawing on the work of Saussure, Peirce, and others, allows for creation of a case-oriented model of brand versus product, and of medium compared with message. Using a critical Habermasian lens, Atkinson convincingly exposes approaches focusing too heavily on instrumentality and rhetoric that claims a resolution of complex societal dilemmas. Rooted in the literature on public policy and semiotics, Atkinson creates an opportunity to delve more fully into the creation of narratives and meaning in policy, and the origins and maintenance of public programs. Evaluation of such programs shows various levels of disconnect between popular understanding of public considerations, political outcomes, and what results from the administrative/regulatory process in support of the law. This book will be of interest for scholars and researchers of public policy, policy analysis, public administration, public management, and policy implementation.

Examines the field of cultural studies and argues for its relevance in addressing the enormous impact of popular culture and mass media today. Among the perspectives analysed are the Marxist sociology of culture and poststructural/postmodern analysis

By focusing the various difficulties encountered in applying theory to practical concerns, this book explores the reasons for the absence of a radical politics in Habermas's work. In doing so, it shows that certain political implications of the theory remain unexplored. The book articulates a unique application of Habermasian theory, the actual functioning of decision-making groups, the nature of deliberative interaction, and the kinds of judgments participants must make if they are to preserve their democratic process.