Abstract
The aim of this paper is threefold. The first task is to explicate the connections between the concepts of justification, ideology and critique in Luc Boltanski’s and Ève Chiapello’s magnum opus, The New Spirit of Capitalism. Secondly, the relationship between sociology of critique and critical sociology is elucidated. In the 1980-90s Boltanski argued that critical sociology, which approaches social actors critically in search of “hidden” explanations “behind their backs”, should be replaced by sociology of critique, which investigates the critical competencies of the social actors themselves. In The New Spirit of
Capitalism, however, critical sociology shows up again. How consistent is this move? The third aim is to clarify Boltanski’s and Chiapello’s theoretical position through confrontation with Marxist conceptions of ideology and critique (Karl Marx and Slavoy Žižek) and with actor-network theory (Bruno Latour). A quick look at Axel Honneth’s recognition-oriented renewal of critical theory further contributes to the clarification. The main outcome is that sociology of critique has helped to reformulate critical sociology as pragmatic critique, as critical sociology of critique that does not operate with deep, transcendent foundations.
Translated title of the contribution | Justification, ideology, critique |
---|---|
Original language | Danish |
Journal | Dansk Sociologi |
Issue number | 2 |
Number of pages | 27 |
Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Event | 24th Conference of the Nordic Sociological Association: Violence and Conflict, Social Theory group. Århus University. - Århus, Denmark Duration: 14 Aug 2008 → 17 Aug 2008 Conference number: 24 |
Conference
Conference | 24th Conference of the Nordic Sociological Association: Violence and Conflict, Social Theory group. Århus University. |
---|---|
Number | 24 |
Country/Territory | Denmark |
City | Århus |
Period | 14/08/2008 → 17/08/2008 |
Keywords
- justification
- ideology
- critique
- Boltanski
- Latour
- Zizek
Artistic research
- No