Falko Schmieder

Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research – Berlin

Questions and Theses on the Historicity and Actuality of Ideology Critique

30 November 2021, 17h00 (Lisbon Time — GMT+0)

Sala Mattos Romão (Departamento de Filosofia)* | School of Arts and Humanities – University of Lisbon

Abstract

The concept of ideology, and with it the approach of ideology critique, seem to be out of date; other guiding concepts such as discourse, narrative, or hegemony have relegated them to sideshows. At the same time, basic assumptions such as the end of history or the post-ideological age, both powerful factors in the depotency and delegitimization of ideology critique, have lost their plausibility today and have themselves become recognizable as ideologems. New forms of authoritarian populism and religious fundamentalism, as well as the intensification of the contradictions of neoliberalized capitalist society, therefore in recent times have led to new attempts to reappropriate and refound the critique of ideology. The lecture pleads for not limiting oneself to systematic reconstructions of a supposed core of ideology critique or the presentation of different types of ideology (critique). Rather, the reappropriation of ideology critique must also address the reasons for its historical decline, as well as the new phenomena that lead to tensions with classical approaches to ideology critique and by which the historicity of the object of ideology critique can be grasped. In a second step, reflections, theses and questions on the concept of ideology under the conditions of ‘reflexive’ modernity will be presented. They refer both to new manifestations and to theories related to them, such as that of the formation of cynicism as a form of enlightened false consciousness or that of the ironic self and the commodification of irony. The lecture demonstrates the indispensability of ideology critique for a critical theory and at the same time points to the necessity of reflecting on the limits of ideology-critical enlightenment.

* The event will also be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. Pre-registration required at: praxis.cful [at] gmail.com until a day before the event. Those registered will receive the Zoom link by e-mail the same day of the Seminar.