Degree | Type | Year |
---|---|---|
Philosophy | OB | 3 |
You can view this information at the end of this document.
No prerequisites apply in order to enrole the course.
Critical Theory is a compulsory suject in the third year of the philosophy degree. This course offers an historical and systematic picture of the main philosophical problems addressed by the critical theory developed mainly by the so-called Frankfurt School. To this aim, we will study some of the main texts that have produced the three generations of philosophers and the current trends of the feminist critical theory.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
Topic 1: The Frankfurt School and the idea of a Critical Theory
The appropriateness of the term “School” and the shared assumptions among its members. The distinctiveness of Critical Theory in contemporary philosophy.
Readings:
Topic 2: The critique of instrumental Reason
The role of the critique of instrumental reason within Critical Theory and its relationship with domination, progress, and History.
Readings:
Topic 3: Negative Dialectics
Dialectics: neither method, nor methodology, nor reality? The transition from positive dialectics to negative dialectics. Constellations and critiques of positivism and ontology.
Readings:
Topic 4: The damaged Subject
The preeminence of the object and individuation as a model of contemporary socialization: from social atomization to internal division.
Readings:
Topic 5: The communicative Reason
The reformulation of the concept of communication by Jürgen Habermas and the impasse of the critique of instrumental reason.
Readings:
Topic 6: The reconnaissance and the critique of life forms
The most recent contributions to Critical Theory: from Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition to Rahel Jaeggi’s critique of forms of life.
Readings:
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Class Activities | 7 | 0.28 | 1, 10, 11, 13, 6, 4, 27, 17, 25, 21, 22, 26 |
Grup discussions | 10 | 0.4 | 4, 17, 25 |
Theorical Classes | 38 | 1.52 | 11, 13, 19, 21, 22 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Conducting works | 12.5 | 0.5 | 12, 19, 20, 26 |
Tutorships | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 7, 4, 14, 15, 19, 17, 25, 22, 24 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Compulsory Readings | 40 | 1.6 | 9, 8, 10, 14, 17, 22, 24, 26 |
Writing | 25 | 1 | 6, 27, 14, 19, 25 |
Classes will help to introduce and present the content and compulsory readings, as well as recommended texts, following various methodologies: lectures, group work based on texts, and flipped classroom sessions.
We strongly recommend to read the compulsory readings before each lecture.
Follow-up will be provided during the preparation of written assignments in order to give feedback throughout the writing process. These follow-ups will take place during individual tutorials held during office hours, which will also guide students in choosing a personalized path for this task.
Regular communication between students and the teaching staff will take place via the Virtual Campus.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mid-term Exam 1 | 35% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 2, 16, 5, 7, 9, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 6, 27, 14, 15, 19, 20, 18, 21, 22, 24, 23, 26 |
Mid-Term Exam 2 | 35% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 16, 5, 7, 9, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 6, 27, 14, 15, 19, 20, 18, 21, 22, 24, 23, 26 |
Tutorships and participation | 10% | 2 | 0.08 | 5, 6, 4, 17, 25, 18, 24, 23 |
Writing a brief essay (2000 words) | 20% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 5, 27, 17, 25, 18, 23 |
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
Continuous assessment will consist of three graded activities and assumes class attendance, active participation, and ongoing engagement with the course.
To pass the continuous assessment, all assessment activities must be completed, and the average grade must be at least 5 out of 10.
Assessment activities:
a) Two midterm exams – 7 points total
a.1) Midterm 1 – 3.5 points
a.2) Midterm 2 – 3.5 points
b) Written assignment – 2 points
c) Assignment follow-up and class participation – 1 point
The Department of Philosophy may establish (as it has in the first semester) a concentrated assessment period. The teaching staff will inform students at the start of the course whether this will apply and provide the relevant dates.
There is no second call.
Recovery Exam
To be eligible for the recovery exam, students must have completed and been assessed on all the activities included in the continuous assessment.
The teaching staff will inform students of the procedure and date for the review of assessment grades, both for the continuous assessment and the resit.
SINGLE ASSESSMENT
Single assessment will consist of three parts, weighted as follows:
a) Exam with two theoretical questions – 40%
b) Commentary on an excerpt from the course bibliography – 30%
c) One comparative question relating authors studied during the course – 30%
Recovery Exam
The same assessment method as continuous assessment will be used.
A student will receive a “Non-assessable” grade if they have submitted less than 30% of the assessment activities. Therefore, ifthe student hascompleted one of thetwo exams, they cannot be considered “Non-assessable.”
Erasmusstudents who request to take an exam in advance must present the teaching staff with an official document from their home university justifying the request.
In cases where a student commits any irregularity that could significantly alter the grade of an assessment activity, that activity will be graded with 0, regardless of any disciplinary action taken. If multiple irregularities occur in a single course, the final grade for that course will be 0.
This course allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools exclusively for bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. The student must clearly identify the parts generated using AI, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced the process and the final result. Failure to transparently declare AI use in any assessed activity in this course will be considered academic dishonesty and will result in a grade of 0 for the activity, which cannot be recovered, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
References
Adorno, Th. W. (2012). Sobre la metacrítica de la teoría del conocimiento. Madrid: Akal
Adorno, Th. W. (2005). Dialèctica Negativa. Madrid: Akal
Adorno, Th. W. (2022). Minima Moralia. Madrid: Akal
Adorno, Th. (2003). Sobre sujeto y objeto. A Consignas. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu editores
Adorno, Th. (2008). La disputa del positivismo en la sociología alemana. A Escritos sociológícos I. Madrid: Akal
Adorno, Th. y Horkheimer, M. (2022). Dialéctica de la Ilustración. Madrid: Akal
Benjamin, W. (2005). El libro de los pasajes. Madrid: Akal
Benjamin, W. (2007). Tesis sobre la filosofia de la Història. València: Ateneu de Benimaclet
Habermas, J. (2010). Teoría de la acción comunicativa. Madrid: Trotta
Honneth, A. (1997). La lucha por el reconocimiento: por una gramática moral de los conflictos sociales. Barcelona: Crítica
Honneth, A. (2010). Reconocimiento y menosprecio: sobre la fundamentación normativa de una teoría social. Buenos Aires: Katz
Horkheimer, M. (2000). Teoría tradicional y teoría crítica. Barcelona: Paidós
Horkheimer, M. (2002). Crítica de la razón instrumental. Madrid: Trotta
Horkheimer, M. (1989). Sobre el concepto de la razón. A Sociológíca. Madrid: Taurus
Jaeggi, R. (2018). Critique of forms of life. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
The lecturer will provide the specific bibliography for each subject.
Further Readings
Benhabib, S. (2006). El Ser y el otro en la ética contemporánea: feminismo, comunitarismo y posmodernismo. Barcelona: Gedisa.
Buck-Morss, S. (2011). Origen de la dialéctica negativa. Buenos Aires: Eterna Cadencia
Habermas, J. (1989). El discurso filosófico de la modernidad. Madrid: Taurus.
Habermas, J. (2023). Conocimiento e interés. Madrid: Taurus.
Honneth, A., et al. (2019), The Routledge Companion to the Frankfurt School, Routledge.
Jameson, F. (2010). Marxismo tardío. Adorno y la persistencia de la dialéctica. Madrid: FCE
Jay, M. (1988). La imaginación dialéctica. Madrid: Taurus
Maiso, J. (2022). Desde la vida dañada. La teoría crítica de Theodor W. Adorno. Madrid: Siglo XXI
Rius, M. (1985). T.W. Adorno. Del sufrimiento a la verdad. Barcelona: Laia
Rush, F. (ed.) (2004). The Cambridge Companion to Critical Theory. Cambridge: CUP
Wellmer, A. (1992). Sobre la dialéctica de modernidad y postmodernidad. Madrid: La balsa de la medusa
Wiggershaus, R. (2012). La escuela de Fráncfort. Madrid: FCE
No specific program is used in this course.
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
---|---|---|---|---|
(PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
(TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |