Essays on the critical theory of society. 100 years from the Frankfurt Institute for Social Research. Leandro Sánchez Marín & J. Sebastián David Giraldo (editors). In collaboration with the following publishers: Free University, Colombian Polytechnic Jaime Isaza Cadavid & Ennegativo editions. Medellín, Colombia. 2023. 937 page.

Abstract

This review examines the collective work “Essays on Critical Theory of Society. 100 Years of the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt,” a commemorative publication that brings together contributions from 43 international scholars. The work is structured into seven thematic sections that not only examine the history, authors, and foundational concepts of the Frankfurt School but also demonstrate the relevance and capacity for renewal of this theoretical tradition. The book transcends historical analysis to use Critical Theory as a tool for diagnosing the present, extending its conceptual framework to crucial contemporary debates. The sections dedicated to aesthetics, feminism, and ecology are particularly noteworthy, establishing a fruitful dialogue between the Frankfurt legacy and current thinkers. The political ecology section, for instance, subverts notions like the Anthropocene to critique capitalist instrumental rationality. The compilation concludes that the persistent vitality of Critical Theory lies in its dialectical capacity to reformulate itself in the face of new epochal adversities, maintaining its relevance as a privileged instrument for social analysis and critique.