Difference Between Critical Theory and Constructivism

The main difference between critical theory and constructivism is that critical theory is a theory focusing on critiquing and changing society as a whole while constructivism is a theory that states humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world.

Critical theory and constructivism are two key concepts you encounter in sociology. Critical theory focuses on critiquing society, societal structures and social norms, with the aim of preserving social justice while constructivism focuses on the constructs of knowledge and reality.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Critical Theory
     – Definition, Characteristics
2. What is Constructivism
     – Definition, Characteristics
3. What is the Difference Between Critical Theory and Constructivism
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Critical Theory, Constructivism

What is Critical Theory

Critical theory is a “social theory oriented toward critiquing and changing society as a whole, in contrast to traditional theory oriented only to understanding or explaining it.” This actually includes a group of theories that describe and analyze both the society and social norms, with the aim of preserving social justice and enhancing the freedom of the individual. According to critical theory, it’s societal structures and cultural assumptions that influence and create social problems, not individual or psychological factors.

Furthermore, critical theory can be traced back to Marxist theories, and it was developed by the Frankfurt School, which includes a group of sociologists from the University of Frankfurt in Germany. These sociologists include Max Horkheimer, Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno, Erich Fromm, and Walter Benjamin.

Figure 1: Members of the Frankfurt School

Core Concepts

This theory should,

• address the totality of society in its historical specificity (how it came to be configured at a specific point in time)
• improve understanding of society by combining all the major social sciences, such as economics, sociology, geography, history, anthropology, political science, and psychology

According to Max Horkheimer, a true critical theory is explanatory, practical, and normative. Moreover, it should explain the social problems that exist, offer practical solutions to respond to them, and abide by the norms of criticism established by those in the field.

What is Constructivism

Constructivism is a concept that describes humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world. According to this concept, reality is a human construct; thus, reality is always subjective. Furthermore, constructivism is related to various theories, including realism and pragmatism. In addition, constructivism rejects the idea that scientific methods can generate or verify knowledge.

There are different types of constructivism, including cognitive constructivism, biological constructivism, radical constructivism, and phenomenological constructivism.

The term constructivism is actually used in various disciplines to refer to various theories. For example, in the field of education, constructivism refers to a learning theory that states knowledge is constructed by the knower based on mental activity. However, in the field of art, constructivism is a movement in 20th Century Russian art and architecture. Moreover, in mathematics, constructivism is a view that admits only constructive proof and entities demonstrable by them are valid, implying that the latter have no independent existence.

Difference Between Critical Theory and Constructivism

Definition

Critical theory is a social theory that describes and analyzes society and social norms, typically with the aim of enhancing the freedom of the individual while preserving social justice. In contrast, constructivism is a theory that states humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world.

Ontology

Critical realism uses a realist ontology (there is such a thing as an external reality), while constructivism supports the individual construction of social reality.

Aim

The main aim of critical theory is social transformation and emancipation through critique, while the main aim of constructivism is exploring the concept of reality and knowledge.

Conclusion

Critical theory is a social theory that describes and analyzes society and social norms, typically with the aim of enhancing the freedom of the individual while preserving social justice. In contrast, constructivism is a theory that states humans construct knowledge through their intelligence, experiences and interactions with the world. In brief, this is the main difference between critical theory and constructivism.

Reference:

1. Crossman, Ashley. “What Is Critical Theory?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 15 Oct. 2019, Available here.
2. Harvey, L. “Constructivism.” Social Research Glossary, Quality Research International, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “AdornoHorkheimerHabermasbyJeremyJShapiro2” By Jjshapiro at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “4134630” (CC0) via Pixabay