User:Kbr023/Critical theory

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Critical Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Critical_theory&action=edit

Critical theory is to critique and change society overall as a whole. Critical theorists look at the imbalance and differences in society and try to help people truly understand how the world works. “Communication meditates, organizes and is the process of the production of sociality and therefore of the reproduction of society”^[1].  Critical theory looks at how society sees and looks at freedom and equality.

One of the critical theories used in communications studies is muted group theory. The muted group theory is “Language serves the dominant group who created it (and those who belong to the game groups as its creators) better than non-dominant groups who have to learn to use the language to describe their different experiences as best as they can”^[2]. Muted group theory is the idea that there are always cultural groups in every society that are not understood and not heard. These groups are not understood and are pushed to the side due to the more dominant social groups and so these groups are then overlooked.  For instance, women or ethnic minorities may struggle to express themselves fully due to language and communication barriers.

“Marxist communication theory examines communication within the context of the dialectic of class and dominance and capitalism as a social totality based on the logic of accumulation.^[3]” This theory focuses and examines media and communication systems and how they reflect social inequalities and power structures within a capitalist society. This theory focuses on how the media works in the concepts of ownership, control, and content production is influenced by the economic factors. This theory argues that the media can be used for ideological control and manipulation while shaping the public's point of view and opinions. “Marxist notions, however, are ridiculed and marginalized in mainstream academia ( not only in communication  studies), notwithstanding critical theory, empirical social research, and ethical considerations.”^[4]

Critical theory in communication encourages us to question and critically engage with the messages we encounter and to strive for more inclusive and equitable communication practices. Critical Theory is all about understanding the power and role of communication while maintaining a society.

1. Fuchs, C. (2022). Foundations of critical theory. media, communication and society. Routledge.
2. West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2007). Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application. McGraw-Hill.
3. Fuchs, C. (2020, January 1). Erich Fromm and the Critical Theory of Communication. Humanity & Society, 44(3), 298–325.
4. Irawan, N., & Mustofa, A. (2022). Communication and capitalism: a critical theory. Asian Journal of Communication, 32(1), 67–69.