The Rise of Critical Theory

Abstract

The theorization of analytical principles has been an increasingly important concern of those working in the fields of the humanities and social sciences in recent years, leading to far more sophisticated and philosophically informed styles of critical analysis being developed. In this chapter, we shall be surveying the rise of critical theory from the later nineteenth century onwards, from Marxism and structuralism to poststructuralism, postmodernism, and feminism, and considering its impact both on academic disciplines and public life. The basic principles of the main schools of critical theory will be mapped out, as well as their rationale for adopting these, with close attention being paid to the social and political contexts involved in each case. The sceptical bias of the more recent critical theories, namely poststructuralism and postmodernism, will be emphasized, and the implications of such attitudes for coaching will be touched on, prior to a more extended treatment of the topic of scepticism, and its role in public life, in Chapter 6.