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Kritik lecture. Adriane & DCH. Why Critical Theory?. “Facts” are subjective—what we might accept as true might be held as false by others Many public and policy disputes enter on differing views of “truth” “Truth” may not exist What is “true” is defined by where you sit
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Kritik lecture Adriane & DCH
Why Critical Theory? • “Facts” are subjective—what we might accept as true might be held as false by others • Many public and policy disputes enter on differing views of “truth” • “Truth” may not exist • What is “true” is defined by where you sit • We may lack access to the real world • Sensory distortion • Linguistic / representational mediation • Cognitive limits • “Truth” is embedded within power/knowledge relations
Marxism • It is a method—focuses on • Historicism (how we got to where we are) • Materialism • Posits that labor and class relations explain socioeconomic order • Foundational—much other critical theory is reactive / orients itself in relationship to Marxism—function of the history of the development of critical theories
Radical / Deep Ecology • Argues that there is no meaningful distinction between humans and the rest of the world (rejects human/nature binary) • Argues that all beings are of equal worth, and that such value is intrinsic (rejects notion of use-value) • Is both deeply influenced by Heidegger and influences other “green” kritiks
Social ecology/Bookchin • Connect ecological problems to social problems • Ecological crisis results from hierarchy and domination • Examples? • Environmental destruction as a symptom • Reverses anthro’s root cause claim: human on human domination causes human domination of nature • Critical of green consumerism/green capitalism • Need to utilize ethics of complementarity • Humans as part of system • Reject either/or • Is a red (Marxism) / green (deep ecology) encounter
Identity • Race & coloniality • Middle Passage • Racialized history of exploration and development—settler colonialism, Manifest Destiny • Gender • Ocean exploration/development as metaphor for masculinity/femininity • Ecofeminism • Historical • Connect domination of women with domination of nature • Women have innate connection with nature • Contemporary • Indigenous women’s movements
Identity [cont’d] • Queer ecology • Queer our relationship with/orientation to the ocean • “erotic” engagement with the ocean
Critical Theory in Debate • Alts—what’s up with that? • Competition and permutations • Ks and other args—contradictions!?! • Answering the K