Frankfurt School Of Culture Theory Research

Generally, Frankfurt School's critique of cultural industry and mechanical reproduction are regarded as the whole of its cultural theory. In fact, its cultural theories also include the rich resources, e.g. Horkheimer's critique of instrumental reason, Adorno's reflection of anti-semitism in Europe and the philosophy of modern art, Benjamin's cultural critique of modern literature, art, and modernity, and the second generation of Frankfurt leader Habermas, he from the perspective of the communicative theory to reflect on the theory of mass culture of classical Frankfurt school, as well as the third generation leader Honneth's recognition theory. The essay main body part by seven chapter constitutions, they focused on the five representative figure of Frankfurt school's theory of culture, which have different points about culture. Horkheimer's culture theory logically divided into three levels: cultural, enlightenment and reason, he absorbed the two kinds of meaning of the culture in the German classical cultural concept, therefore his cultural concept with dual attributes "free spirit" and "civilized elements". The chapter two point out that Horkheimer's three logic levels of cultural critique, the key purpose of his culture theory is the critique of instrumental reason since the Enlightenment. Chapter three, Adorno's culture theory is divided into four parts:the first analyzes the dialectical relationship between "culture" and "management", which points out the culture of two sides, "freedom" and "management", the rest of the three parts in chapter is about "culture industry", "anti-semitism", "philosophy of new music". Adorno's true intention was to criticize the political totalitarian doctrine that technique, economy and cultural industry result in altogether. In chapter four, Benjamin's culture theory critique is set for exploration in the three dimensions of literature, culture and art in the modern society. Chapter four is focused on Benjamin's best three articles in the three periods, then find out messianic criticism and critical view on the culture of city, and the western art developed in modern times. Chapter five, Habermas's cultural theory closely connected with his communicative action theory, on the one hand he inherited the first Generation of the Frankfurt school'mass culture critical theory, on the other hand pointed out its limitations, because he influenced by Bakhtin's idea and the British school of culture studies, therefore, the chapter five including the relationship between culture and communication, the differences between the two concepts "mass culture" and "popular culture", and the Re-critique of the critical theory based on communicative action theory. On the whole, he is optimistic about the "popular culture" in the age of media and technology. The chapter five, Honneth's cultural theory is closely connected with the recognition theory, he argues that individual values are recognized by the social culture and culture is a way of social identity. Chapter seven, mainly around the accept of the Frankfurt school in China, mainly discusses the similarities and differences of Frankfurt school and British cultural studies, Finally the Essay envisages the development tendency of popular culture in China, carry on reconsidering reflect on cultural Theory of Frankfurt school.