Theodor W. Adorno emerged as a pivotal German philosopher and social critic in the post-World War II era. His influence is rooted in the interdisciplinary nature of his research and his affiliation with the Frankfurt School. He rigorously examined Western philosophical traditions and offered a radical critique of contemporary Western society. Initially hampered by unreliable translations, Adorno's work has seen a resurgence in English-speaking countries, with improved translations and posthumous publications solidifying his impact on epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, and cultural theory.
Adorno's lectures from 1949 to 1968 capture his dynamic analysis of music, literature, and the arts during Germany's postwar recovery. He passionately explored diverse topics, including Proust's prose and Schoenberg's compositions, advocating for a rediscovery of neglected cultural figures. Adorno emphasized the importance of tradition in a modernizing society, promoting a critical engagement with the past while addressing contemporary cultural aspirations. This collection highlights his ability to intertwine critical theory with the socio-political landscape of his time, making it invaluable for scholars of German intellectual history and modern arts.
Adorno's lectures from 1949 to 1968 showcase his dynamic engagement with pressing social and political issues in postwar Germany. He tackled topics such as architecture, individual-society dynamics, authoritarianism, and the need for moral reckoning after Auschwitz. His improvisational style and critical insights reflect a commitment to modernity and a nuanced understanding of tradition. This collection serves as a vital resource for those interested in critical theory, German intellectual history, and the sociopolitical landscape of the era.
Delves into Theodor W. Adorno's lesser-known musical career and successful music criticism. Theodor W. Adorno is recognized as one of the twentieth century's most prominent social theorists. Though best known for his association with the Frankfurt School of critical theory, Adorno began his career as a composer and successful music critic. Comprehensive and illuminating, Orpheus in the Underworld centers on Adorno's concrete and immediate engagement with musical compositions and their interpretation in the concert hall and elsewhere. Here, Adorno registers his initial encounters with the compositions of the Second Viennese School, when he had yet to integrate them into a broad aesthetics of music. Complementarily essays on Bela Bartók, Jean Sibelius, and Kurt Weill afford insight into his understanding of composers who did not fit neatly into the dialectical schema propounded in the Philosophy of New Music. Additionally, essays on recording and broadcasting show Adorno engaging with these media in a spirit that is no less productive than polemical and focused as sharply on their potentialities as on their shortcomings. Orpheus in the Underworld offers a captivating exploration of Adorno's musical compositions, shedding new light on his understanding of influential composers and his critical perspectives on recording and broadcasting.
Essays by Adorno on art and cinema, available in English for the first time. In Without Model, Theodor W. Adorno strikingly demonstrates the intellectual range for which he is known. Taking the premise of the title as his guiding principle, that artistic and philosophical thought must eschew preconceptions and instead adapt itself to its time, circumstances, and object, Adorno presents a series of essays reflecting on culture at different levels, from the details of individual products to the social conditions of their production. He shows his more nostalgic side in the childhood reminiscences of 'Amorbach', but also his acute sociocultural analysis on the central topic of the culture industry. He criticizes attempts to maintain tradition in music and visual art, arguing against a restorative approach by stressing the modernity and individuality of historical works in the context of their time. In all of these essays, available for the first time in English, Adorno displays the remarkable thinking of one both steeped in tradition and dedicated to seeing beyond it.
In December 1945, Thomas Mann and Theodor Adorno engaged in a significant correspondence exploring the creative tension between literary tradition and modernism, particularly regarding Mann's novel Doctor Faustus. Their letters discuss Mann's admiration for Adorno's work and touch on personal themes, including postwar Germany. The volume includes extensive annotations for context.
In summer 1960, Adorno gave the first of a series of lectures devoted to the relation between sociology and philosophy. One of his central concerns was to dispel the notion, erroneous in his view, that these were two incompatible disciplines, radically opposed in their methods and aims, a notion that was shared by many. While some sociologists were inclined to dismiss philosophy as obsolete and incapable of dealing with the pressing social problems of our time, many philosophers, influenced by Kant, believed that philosophical reflection must remain ‘pure’, investigating the constitution of knowledge and experience without reference to any real or material factors. By focusing on the problem of truth, Adorno seeks to show that philosophy and sociology share much more in common than many of their practitioners are inclined to assume. Drawing on intellectual history, Adorno demonstrates the connection between truth and social context, arguing that there is no truth that cannot be manipulated by ideology and no theorem that can be wholly detached from social and historical considerations. This systematic account on the interconnectedness of philosophy and sociology makes these lectures a timeless reflection on the nature of these disciplines and an excellent introduction to critical theory, the sociological content of which is here outlined in detail by Adorno for the first time.
The correspondence between Theodor W. Adorno and Gershom Scholem reveals a deep intellectual friendship that blossomed despite their initial differences and mutual hostility. Spanning over thirty years, their letters cover a wide array of subjects, including philosophy, religion, history, politics, literature, and the arts. Additionally, they reflect on the life and work of their mutual friend, Walter Benjamin, showcasing the dynamic exchange of ideas between two influential thinkers in the 20th century.
This hugely influential study on the psychology of authoritarianism was written in answer to Hitler’s Germany—and now rings more relevant than ever as fascism and anti-Semitism sweep across America. What makes a fascist? Are there character traits that make someone more likely to vote for the far right? The Authoritarian Personality is not only one of the most significant works of social psychology ever written, it also marks a milestone in the development of Adorno’s thought, showing him grappling with the problem of fascism and the reasons for Europe’s turn to reaction. Over half a century later, and with the rise of right-wing populism and the reemergence of the far-right in recent years, this hugely influential study remains as insightful and relevant as ever. This new edition includes an introduction by Frankfurt School scholar Peter E. Gordon and contains the first-ever publication of Adorno’s subsequent critical notes on the project. “Adorno and his colleagues could easily have been describing Alex Jones’s paranoid InfoWars rants or the racist views expressed by many Trump supporters.” —Molly Worthen, New York Times
