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20 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is Critical Social Theory?
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-A framework within which one can analyze social, political and economic life
-Enables people to gain insight into the oppressive forces that control their lives |
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Briefly discuss history of CST.
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-Began by the Frankfurt School in Germany in 1920’s.
-Further developed by Jurgen Habermas (2nd generation) in the 1960’s -Emphasized communication & collective coordination of social action |
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What kinds of effects did CST have on Fundamental Structures of Society?
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-Encouraged social critique of the fundamental structures of society:
**Challenges us to challenge status quo** -Kinds of work & wages that are available & to whom Meaning of privatized, unpaid work, & who does it -Eg: What if men gave birth and stayed at home… would they still have power position? Assumptions about what constitutes family -Eg: same sex couples… do they get the same things as ‘normal’ families? Access to education -Does everyone have same access? Ie: would a homeless person have same access to school as us? Images of women, Blacks, Latinos, & gay people in the media -This is a fairly new development -Happened because someone challenged these things -Availability of health care -Profit motive of capitalist economies & the distribution of wealth -Laws and law enforcement |
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Who was Jurgen Habermas?
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-He proposed scientific inquiry into people's lived experiences with a critical eye toward exposing patterns of both recognized and undisclosed dogmatic domination of individuals and groups
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What is the ultimate goal of CST?
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-facilitate liberation from constraining social, political, economic circumstances by addressing an oppressed group’s culture of silence
(Friere, 1972) -a culture of silence is a culture of fear, low self-esteem, an alliance with the oppressor, etc... -they just don't speak up for whatever reason |
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6 Assumptions of Critical Social Theory (Stevens,1989)
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1.All research & theory are political (this vs that = teeter totter) in that the social, economic, & political processes of a society are reflected in the microcosm of scholarly investigation
2. Oppressive structural relations pervade modern industrial society; they usually function automatically, are taken for granted, and remain unexamined -Poor illiterate ppl do not get the same breaks as rich educated folks 3. Mythical, religious, scientific, practical, and political interpretations of the world are open to systematic questioning and critique -Does the vatican try to stop conversation about some topics? 4. Social conditions are not interpreted as natural and constant but are rather viewed as created by specific historical situations -Society creates their own misery 5. Understanding of the changing conditions of human suffering can be gained through an historical study of the development of oppressive arrangements in society 6. Liberations from oppressive structures is an indispensable condition of the quest for human potential, completion & authenticity -Social critique is forever -Essential for mankind if we are to get rid of oppression -Have to be aware of oppression so we know how to combat it (Ie: station 20 west… couldn’t ignore the problem anymore, had to change it.) |
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7 Concepts of CST (Stevens,1989)
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1.Oppression & domination
-Used to indicate unequal power relations embedded in basic structures and functions of society -Ppl still try to do monopolies 2.Liberation: -freedom from the coercion & constraint of oppressive social structures -Emergence of same sex marriages 3.Dogma/ideology: -dominant, authoritative system of ideas whose underlying premises have not been sufficiently examined or challenged --Just because someones says it, is it? --Have we moved passed that? Do we need to move passed that? 4.Critique : -process that consists of several components oppositional thinking; reflection; analysis; & dialogue -Lets us analyse the oppressive force and find the real cause of problem 5.Dialogue: -mutual interaction that raises collective consciousness by clarifying, affirming, & integrating the historical, social, political, and economic experiences of communities. -“I’m gonna do ________ to __________”… is wrong… we don’t do to, we do for -Pt have the right to refuse too -So it is their choice 6.Conscientization: -learning to perceive social, political, & economic contradictions & conceiving of ways to take action against oppressive contradictions -Liberating ppl from unacknowledged circumstances 7.Action: -informed, deliberate, meaningful behavior & verbalization by those experiencing oppression that seeks to bring about social change. Based on critical insights, reflection, & dialogue -Non-action is called wishful thinking -Just thinking about it is not enough anymore |
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Central Tenets of CST
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No ahistorical knowledge
-Everything has a history All knowledge mediated by power relations -Eg: communists couldn’t create a utopia without oppression Social order entails domination and power Language central to knowledge and meaning -Ie: chairMAN, workMAN, huMAN, policeMAN Research maintains systems of race, class, gender oppression -Lots of cardiac research was done on men, but then applied to women who have a different system (eg: different hormones and interaction with medications) Facts cannot be separated from values By critiquing social order, CST = …enlightenment, empowerment, emancipation, social transformation |
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Why should Nurses study CST?
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Nurses must understand the “big picture” contributing to individual and community health
-What’s helping them and what’s hindering them Unequal power hierarchies , political interests and economic policies contribute to sexism, racism, classism and ageism that ultimately inhibit health and human potential -Have to deal 1 to 1 with pt, but have to see big picture -CST Explores ways to eliminate oppression -CST helps us to address issues, not just adjust |
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3 views that may lead nurses to draw different conclusions about health behaviour?
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1. Downstream view
2. Thinking upstream 3. Critical Social Theory |
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Downstream View?
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The individual as the locus of change
-Blames the individual; but should look at all factors -Why are you drinking/smoking? -Based on subjective perceptions Based on short term interventions -But not enough becauase a lot of ppl are chronically ill -Purports to explain why people do/do not engage in a preventive health action in response to a specific disease threat -Model places the burden of action exclusively on the client -Model focuses the nurse’s energies on interventions designed to modify the client’s distorted perceptions Nurse may deduce client’s problems can be solved merely by altering the client’s belief system. -But you might not be able to change the situation (ie: there is nowhere else to work on the reserve so I will continue working in smoking bingo hall) -Model addresses the concept of perceived benefits versus perceived barriers/costs with taking an action. |
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Upstream View?
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Society locus of change
-Ppl will make the easier choices available to them -Junk food is easier to keep than fresh fruits and veggies. So ppl eat shit -We promote our own demise -Directing attention upstream & examining opportunities for nursing intervention at the population level. -Points out range of available health choices -Range of choices available shaped by policy decisions -Advocates national-level policy making |
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Critical Social Theory is... (3 points)
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1) Based on the belief life is structured by social meanings determined through social domination
2) Maintains standards of truth are socially determined & no form of scientific inquiry is value free 3) Interest of truth are served only when people are able to voice their beliefs without fear of authority or retribution |
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Types of Knowledge identified by Habermas,1979
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1)Technical/empirical:
-interest in technical control of environment 2)Practical/hermeneutic: -understanding the subjective experience 3)Emancipatory: -liberation from unacknowledged domination and transforming conditions ***Nurses aren’t very good at this yet… but we are starting to advocate way more*** |
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Technical interests?
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-Grounded in experience and observation
-Also referred to as positivism or logical empiricism Meaning derived through explanation of behaviour -Doing this because ______ happened “knowledge is power” -If they know WHY they did this, may give them the power to change it -Precludes an egalitarian relationship between giver and receiver -Habermas opposed its use in isolation Boychuk Duchscher, 2000 |
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Practical Interests?
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-Communicative action
Governed by consensual norms (implies an understanding between at least 2 persons) -I’m hearing what you’re saying and you’re saying what I’m hearing Meaning understood through dialogue -More meaningful -Historical and contextual perspective – more holistic understanding of meaning (Boychuk Duchscher, 2000) |
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Emancipatory interests?
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-Congruent with autonomy and responsibility
-Primarily individual – but dependent on freedom of society -Reflection – a consciousness which both examines and reconstructs meaning for greater self knowledge -May result in empowerment and liberation through autonomy and self-responsibility |
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Critical Social Theory Applied to Nursing
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Nurses are challenged to expose power imbalances that prohibit people from achieving their full potential
-Oppressed nurses give oppressed care -Nurses versed in this are able to see beyond the perpetuation of status quo ideas & generate unique ideas unencumbered by previous stereotypes. |
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Values of Critical Social Theory?
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-Exposing of domination
-Expression of contradictions -Assessment for emancipatory potential -Encouragement of change |
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What role does CST have in self reflection?
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-forces us to ask What concepts, practices and beliefs are so much part of my world that I support and perpetuate them unknowingly and/or unwillingly, not thinking they may be unjust, unfair , or undemocratic?
-Before, nurses just learned to adapt to their oppression. Now it has to be a different story |
