In 1923, in Frankfurt, Germany, a group of liberal Jewish thinkers sponsored the founding of an interdisciplinary Institut für Sozialforschung (Institute of Social Research). With fascism rapidly rising, they argued that philosophy had the power to change the world. This became known as the Frankfurt Critical Theory. In this course, we will use the historical text Grand Hotel Abyss to examine the group's founding and the various ideas of the institute's members: Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Erich Fromm, Herbert Marcuse, and Franz Neumann. The class will discuss how prominent German philosopher Stefan Gandler is currently developing the theory in an attempt to update its relevancy and global reach.
910.850.01 Zoom
Wednesdays, Sept. 16 to Oct. 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $158 (6 sessions)
JHU full-time faculty/staff are eligible for tuition remission. You will be unable to register online and receive the discount. Please direct all registration inquiries to odyssey@jhu.edu.
