“Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

“Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger first appeared in the 1991 Annual Review of Sociology (Vol. 17, pp. 105–131). This article explores the intersections and contributions of critical theory, poststructuralism, and postmodernism to sociology and broader intellectual traditions. Agger highlights the critiques these perspectives offer against positivism, presenting them as transformative lenses to study contemporary society. The paper delves into empirical and conceptual applications within sociology, including deviance, gender, and media studies, while challenging traditional disciplinary boundaries. Its significance lies in advocating for methodological reflexivity and interdisciplinarity, encouraging sociologists to reconsider the assumptions underlying their empirical practices. This work remains influential in reshaping sociological methodologies and integrating insights from broader cultural and philosophical discourses, offering critical interventions in literary theory and beyond.

Summary of “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

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Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

Theoretical Concept/Term	Definition/Explanation	Associated Theorists/Works
Critical Theory	A framework developed by the Frankfurt School to critique capitalist society and its cultural and ideological underpinnings.	Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse, Habermas
Domination	The dual process of external exploitation and internalized self-discipline in capitalist societies.	Adorno, Horkheimer, Marcuse
False Consciousness	The inability of individuals to perceive the systemic nature of their exploitation under capitalism.	Marx, Lukács
Commodity Fetishism	The mystification of social relations in capitalism, where commodities are imbued with value detached from their production.	Marx, expanded by Frankfurt School
Dialectical Imagination	A method of critique that sees social facts as mutable and emphasizes the potential for societal transformation.	Jay, Adorno, Horkheimer
Reification	The process by which social relations are perceived as fixed and unchangeable objects.	Lukács, Frankfurt School
Poststructuralism	A critique of structuralism that emphasizes the instability of meaning and the constructed nature of knowledge.	Derrida, French Feminists
Deconstruction	A method of reading that reveals contradictions and suppressed meanings within texts.	Derrida
Undecidability	The idea that texts inherently contain conflicts that prevent fixed interpretations.	Derrida
Difference/Différance	The concept that meaning arises through difference and is always deferred, never fully present.	Derrida
Postmodernism	A critique of grand narratives and universalizing theories, emphasizing pluralism and localized knowledge.	Lyotard, Foucault, Baudrillard
Grand Narratives	Totalizing frameworks, such as Marxism, that attempt to explain all social phenomena.	Lyotard
Discourse/Practice	The interconnected systems of knowledge and power that shape social realities and behaviors.	Foucault
Hyperreality	A state in which reality is replaced by simulations and media-created images.	Baudrillard
New Social Movements	A focus on identity-based and non-class-based movements (e.g., feminism, environmentalism) as sites of resistance.	Habermas
Communication Theory	Habermas’s theory emphasizing rational dialogue and consensus as a means to counter systemic domination.	Habermas
Interdisciplinarity	The breaking down of disciplinary boundaries to integrate knowledge from multiple fields.	Derrida, Agger
Critical Cultural Studies	A method of analyzing cultural practices and media as sites of ideological and political struggle.	Frankfurt School, Baudrillard, Cultural Studies

Contribution of “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger to Literary Theory/Theories

• Critical Theory and the Critique of Cultural Forms
  • Frankfurt School Influence on Literary Theory: Agger highlights how critical theory, particularly the Frankfurt School, critiques cultural forms like literature as ideological mechanisms of domination. This approach aligns literature with broader socio-economic structures, emphasizing its role in reproducing capitalist ideology (Adorno & Horkheimer, 1972).
  • Dialectical Imagination in Literary Analysis: The article underscores the role of dialectical imagination, which challenges positivist readings of texts and emphasizes their historical and transformative potential (Jay, 1973; Agger, 1989b).
• Poststructuralism and Deconstruction in Literary Studies
  • Undecidability in Textual Interpretation: Agger discusses Derrida’s concept of undecidability, which reveals internal contradictions in texts and challenges fixed meanings (Derrida, 1976). This directly contributes to deconstructive literary theory by showing how texts generate multiple, often conflicting interpretations.
  • Difference and Differance: Derrida’s theories of difference/différance, as discussed by Agger, inform literary theories by rejecting the idea of stable meaning, emphasizing the relational nature of language in literary texts (Culler, 1982).
• Postmodernism and the Fragmentation of Narrative
  • Rejection of Grand Narratives in Literature: Agger highlights Lyotard’s critique of grand narratives, which resonates in postmodern literary theory by celebrating fragmented, non-linear, and localized storytelling (Lyotard, 1984).
  • Hyperreality and Literary Representation: Drawing on Baudrillard, Agger explores how literature reflects hyperreality, where texts blur the line between fiction and reality, offering a critique of representation itself (Baudrillard, 1981).
• Feminist Contributions to Literary Theory
  • Poststructural Feminism in Literary Studies: The article references French feminist theorists (e.g., Kristeva, Cixous, Irigaray), emphasizing their role in exposing the gendered dimensions of literary discourse and challenging patriarchal language structures (Weedon, 1987).
  • Deconstructing Male-Centric Narratives: Feminist deconstruction critiques traditional literary narratives for their exclusionary practices, enabling a reading that prioritizes marginalized voices (Richardson, 1988).
• The Sociology of Literature and Cultural Production
  • Reading Literature as Cultural Discourse: Agger applies poststructuralist and postmodern frameworks to literary texts, treating them as cultural products embedded within power structures and ideological practices (Foucault, 1977).
  • Literature and the Political Economy of Signs: Borrowing from Baudrillard, the analysis links literary texts to the broader political economy of signs, emphasizing their role in constructing and contesting cultural meaning (Baudrillard, 1981).
• Interdisciplinarity in Literary Analysis
  • Blurring Disciplinary Boundaries: Agger advocates for integrating insights from sociology, philosophy, and cultural studies into literary analysis, reflecting an interdisciplinary approach that enriches literary theory (Derrida, 1987; Foucault, 1980).
  • Literary Criticism as Reflexive Practice: By aligning literary theory with critical sociology, Agger stresses the importance of reflexivity in reading and writing, highlighting how literary texts shape and are shaped by their socio-cultural contexts (Habermas, 1971).

Examples of Critiques Through “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

Literary Work	Theoretical Framework	Key Critique	Reference from Agger
Franz Kafka’s The Trial	Critical Theory (Frankfurt School)	The novel is critiqued as a reflection of alienation and systemic domination in modern capitalist bureaucracy. Kafka’s depiction of the court system mirrors the ideological mechanisms described by Horkheimer and Adorno.	Frankfurt School’s critique of domination and alienation (Agger, 1991).
Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse	Poststructuralism (Derrida’s Deconstruction)	The novel’s fragmented narrative structure is analyzed for its undecidability, challenging traditional notions of linear storytelling and stable meaning. Woolf’s portrayal of time and memory resonates with Derrida’s différance.	Derrida’s concept of undecidability and différance (Agger, 1991).
Don DeLillo’s White Noise	Postmodernism (Lyotard, Baudrillard)	The novel critiques consumer culture and media’s creation of hyperreality, as depicted in the obsessive fear of death and the bombardment of advertisements.	Baudrillard’s hyperreality and Lyotard’s rejection of grand narratives (Agger, 1991).
Toni Morrison’s Beloved	Postmodern and Feminist Critical Theory	Morrison’s exploration of slavery and memory is examined as a subversion of dominant historical narratives, giving voice to silenced perspectives. The text deconstructs patriarchal and Eurocentric accounts of history.	Feminist cultural studies and postmodern subversion of grand narratives (Agger, 1991).

Criticism Against “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

• Excessive Abstraction: Critics argue that Agger’s work relies heavily on abstract theoretical discussions, which may alienate readers seeking more practical or empirical applications.
• Overemphasis on Positivism’s Flaws: While the critique of positivism is thorough, some suggest Agger overemphasizes its limitations without sufficiently addressing its contributions to sociology and science.
• Ambiguity in Definitions: Agger’s blending of critical theory, poststructuralism, and postmodernism may blur distinctions between these schools of thought, leading to conceptual ambiguity.
• Limited Empirical Integration: The focus on theoretical critique often sidelines empirical validation, raising concerns about the applicability of these ideas to contemporary sociological practices.
• Resistance to Synthesis: Critics might point out that Agger’s attempt to synthesize these three frameworks into a unified critique risks oversimplifying their unique perspectives and intellectual contributions.
• Accessibility Concerns: The dense academic language used throughout the article may render it less accessible to broader audiences or those outside of academic sociology and literary theory.
• Potential for Political Bias: Agger’s alignment with critical theory’s Marxist roots could be critiqued for introducing ideological bias, which some readers might perceive as detracting from objectivity.
• Limited Engagement with Opposing Views: The article may be criticized for not engaging deeply enough with counterarguments or the strengths of perspectives it critiques, such as positivism or mainstream sociological methodologies.

Representative Quotations from “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“Critical theory…attunes empirical social researchers to the assumptions underlying their own busy empiricism.”	This highlights critical theory’s emphasis on reflexivity in social sciences, urging researchers to examine their own biases and ideological commitments that influence their methodologies and interpretations.
“Poststructuralism reveals how language itself helps constitute reality, offering new ways to read and write science.”	This underscores the role of language in shaping social realities. Poststructuralism critiques positivist approaches by emphasizing the constructed nature of meaning and the necessity of rethinking scientific discourse as a textual phenomenon.
“Postmodernism…refuses the totalizing claims of grand narratives like Marxism that attempt to explain the world.”	Postmodernism challenges overarching frameworks or universal truths, advocating for pluralistic, fragmented perspectives that better reflect diverse social and cultural experiences.
“Positivism functions ideologically where it promotes passivity and fatalism.”	Agger critiques positivism for fostering a sense of inevitability in social structures, which discourages critical engagement and transformative action.
“Deconstruction challenges the hierarchy of writing over reading, cultural production over cultural reception.”	This quotation articulates the Derridean idea of deconstruction, which seeks to dismantle traditional power dynamics in literary and cultural studies, highlighting the active role of interpretation.
“Marcuse…calls surplus repression the disciplining mechanism of late capitalism.”	Agger draws from Marcuse’s theory to explain how modern capitalism intensifies psychological and social control, ensuring conformity and limiting revolutionary potential.
“Every text is a contested terrain…what it appears to ‘say’ cannot be understood without its assumptions.”	This reflects Derrida’s notion of undecidability, where texts harbor implicit meanings and contradictions, requiring deeper critical interrogation beyond their surface content.
“Foucault insists that knowledge must be traced to different discourse/practices that frame the knowledge formulated.”	Agger references Foucault’s discourse analysis, emphasizing how institutional and societal practices shape what is accepted as knowledge, thus making social phenomena historically contingent.
“Postmodern sociology views the social world from the multiple perspectives of class, race, gender, and other positions.”	This demonstrates the postmodernist rejection of universalism, advocating instead for a mosaic approach that values the diversity of experiences and identities in sociological analysis.
“Critical theory challenges social science to look beyond the appearance of given social facts toward new social facts.”	Agger connects critical theory with an activist stance in sociology, where understanding the malleable and historically constructed nature of social realities opens pathways for transformative change.

Suggested Readings: “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance” by Ben Agger

1. Agger, Ben. “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 17, 1991, pp. 105–31. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2083337. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
2. Darcy Tetreault. “Three Forms of Political Ecology.” Ethics and the Environment, vol. 22, no. 2, 2017, pp. 1–23. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2979/ethicsenviro.22.2.01. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
3. EVANGELISTA, JOHN ANDREW G. “On Queer and Capital: Borrowing Key Marxist Concepts to Enrich Queer Theorizing.” Philippine Sociological Review, vol. 61, no. 2, 2013, pp. 349–69. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43486379. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
4. Frauley, Jon. “Synoptic Vision: Metatheory, Conceptualisation, and Critical Realism.” The Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers Canadiens de Sociologie, vol. 42, no. 3, 2017, pp. 293–324. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/90014109. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.