From Alienation to Forms of Life: The Critical Theory of Rahel Jaeggi (Penn State Series in Critical Theory)

A leading scholar of Continental philosophy, Rahel Jaeggi reads key concepts of Hegelian-Marxist social philosophy through the lens of contemporary German and Anglo-American thinkers. This thorough introduction to her work assesses and critiques her efforts to revitalize critical theory. The author of numerous works in social and political philosophy, Jaeggi reclaims key categories in the lexicon of Left Hegelian thought and applies them to a significant source of inspiration for her work: phenomenology. In engaging with her substantive corpus, the contributors to this volume grapple witih Jaeggi's rich and astute readings of the experience of alienation--of being "intractable" or not "available" to ourselves; with her rendering of "immanent and internal critique"; and with her success in navigating Haerbamisian-Kantian transcendentalism and Honnethian-Hegelian ethical substantialism, in an effort to pave the way toward a normatively guided critical theory of society. The result of this exchange is a deeper underdstanding of how Jaeggi's interpretations of Adorno, Heidegger, Tugendhat, Dewey, Frankfurt, and Taylor opens new, productive avenues for discourse. Structured for classroom use and featuring essays by leading English-language scholars of phenomenology and Continental and existential philosophy, this critical introduction to Rahel Jaeggi is an insightful and generative confrontation with the most recent transformation of Frankfurt School-inspired social and philosophical critical theory. The wide-ranging work of Rahel Jaeggi, a leading voice of the new generation of critical theorists, demonstrates how core concepts and methodological approaches in the tradition of the Frankfurt School can be updated, stripped of their dubious metaphysical baggage, and made fruitful for critical theory in the twenty-first century. In this thorough introduction to Jaeggi's work for English-speaking audiences, scholars assess and critique her efforts to revitalize critical theory. Jaeggi's innovative work reclaims key concepts of Hegelian-Marxist social philosophy and reads them through the lens of such thinkers as Adorno, Heidegger, and Dewey, while simultaneously putting them into dialogue with contemporary analytic philosophy. Structured for classroom use, this critical introduction to Rahel Jaeggi is an insightful and generative confrontation with the most recent transformation of Frankfurt School-inspired social and philosophical critical theory. This volume features an essay by Jaeggi on moral progress and social change, essays by leading scholars engaging with her conceptual analysis of alienation and the critique of forms of life, and a Q & A between Jaeggi and volume coeditor Amy Allen. For scholars and students wishing to engage in the debate with key contemporary thinkers over the past, present, and future(s) of critical theory, this volume will be transformative "An introduction to the work of critical theorist Rahel Jaeggi for English-speaking audiences. Essays by scholars in Continental and analytic philosophy assess and critique her efforts to revitalize critical theory"--Provided by publisher Title Page 2 Copyright Page 3 Contents 4 Acknowledgments 6 Chapter 1 7 Chapter 2 16 Chapter 3 32 Chapter 4 43 Chapter 5 53 Chapter 6 67 Chapter 7 80 Chapter 8 91 Chapter 9 103 Chapter 10 124 Contributors 153 Index 155