Erich Fromm's Critical Theory: Hope, Humanism, and the Future

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Interest in Fromm is increasing: as a prominent Marxist, sociologist, psychoanalytic theorist, and public intellectual, the unique normative-humanist thrust of his writings provides a crucial critical reference point for those seeking to understand and transcend the societal pathologies of our age. The essays in this volume retrieve, revive, and expand upon Fromms central insights and contributions. They offer a critical theory of culture, the self, psychology and society that goes beyond what is typical of the narrower concerns of the fragmented and isolated disciplines of today, demonstrating the pan-disciplinary potential of Fromm's work. But this book does not simply reassert Fromms ideas and rehash his theories, but rather reconstructs them to bring them into meaningful dialogue with contemporary ideas and cultural, political and economic developments. Providing new approaches to Fromms ideas and work brings them up-to-date with contemporary problems and debates in theory and society and helps us understand the challenges of our times.

Reviews

An exceptional collection of essays which succeed in demonstrating the power of Fromms scholarship and the relevance of his conceptual apparatus for furthering contemporary social research. This volume is an indispensable contribution to the booming Fromm renaissance. * European Journal of Social Theory *
[T]he reading experience resembles that of looking at a mosaic: it provides us with a particular selection of themes in Fromms works, which without claiming to be exhaustive in any way gradually composes a larger picture from the smaller juxtaposed segments. * Thesis Eleven *
Durkin and Braune have put together a fine volume of essays on the legacy of Erich Fromm. This brilliant collection contributes to the international discussion of Fromms legacy to demonstrate how much it has to teach us in our struggle to confront contemporary challenges. It is provocative, unorthodox, and generates reflection about one of the great figures in the history of philosophy and Frankfurt school critical theory. * Claudia Leeb, Associate Professor of Political Theory, Washington State University, USA *
Erich Fromm's Critical Theory: Hope, Humanism, and the Future, edited by Kieran Durkin and Joan Braune provides the best collection of essays that I have read on Erich Fromm and his importance for critical theory, social psychology, politics, and education. The essays cover a wide range of topics by top scholars in the field and are essential reading for those interested in Erich Fromm and his relationship to Frankfurt School Critical Theory, the themes of fascism, and authoritarianism, and a wide array of topics in social psychology. * Douglas Kellner George F. Kneller Chair in the Philosophy of Education, UCLA, USA *
Both the rise of rightwing authoritarianism, and the surge of interest in Marxs critique of the very capitalism that helped to produce that authoritarianism, have made Erich Fromm more relevant than ever. As the wide-ranging essays in this volume show, Fromms searing Marxist humanist critique of modern capitalist civilization, which transcended the psychological/social and secular/religious divides, offers a refreshing contrast, not only to the tepid efforts of recent German critical theory, but also to the radical but academically cloistered writings of some of his erstwhile Frankfurt School colleagues. * Kevin B. Anderson, Professor of Social Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA *
[Erich Fromms Hopeful Humanism] is compelling and an important addition to Frommian research. * Radical Philosophy *

Author Bio

Joan Braune is Lecturer in Philosophy at Gonzaga University, USA. She is author of Erich Fromms Revolutionary Hope: Prophetic Messianism as a Critical Theory of the Future (2014). Kieran Durkin is Lecturer in Social and Political Theory at the University of York. He is author of The Radical Humanism of Erich Fromm (2014) which was shortlisted for the Philip Abrams Memorial Award.