Can a universal digital ethics exist in a structurally unequal world? A critical theory perspective on Web3, metaverse, and the global south

Ensuring the security of freshwater resources is one of the most important drivers of the quality of social and environmental systems. In recent years, the security of water resources has faced various challenges. In other words, the water resources have become more vulnerable to threats and there is more concern about the sustainable development of socio-environmental systems. The significance of water security and associated concerns have led many researchers to conceptualize the water security and design indices to measure it. The worrying situation of the water security suggests that traditional philosophical paradigms, because of the way they look at man and nature, cannot be successful in solving the problems of agricultural water insecurity. In this regard, it is necessary to look for a new paradigmatic perspective to solve this crisis. In this paper, which was written using a review and analytical study, an attempt was made to examine and compare the concept of water security from the perspectives of positivism, constructivism, and critical theory. In addition, indicators of the critical theory paradigm were introduced and their ability to help conceptualize agricultural water security was explored from a critical theory perspective. The indicators of the critical theory paradigm include: inclusion, communication, cosmopolitanism and change. Also, the concept of agricultural water security from the perspective of critical theory is the emancipation of vulnerable farmers from various communicational, political, social, sexual, economic, and natural barriers. In this process, they will be able to freely participate in water decision-makings and be able to change the existing conditions to the desired conditions. Overall, the results showed that the critical theory paradigm, because of its point of view to the man and nature, as well as its goals of emancipation and change, could be a solution to the complex problems of agricultural water security.

Abstract:This article elaborates a normative Stakeholder Management Theory (SHMT) from a critical theory perspective. The paper argues that the normative theory elaborated by critical theorists such as Habermas exhibits important advantages over its rivals and that these advantages provide the basis for a theoretically more adequate version of SHMT. In the first section of the paper an account is given of normative theory from a critical theory perspective and its advantages over rival traditions. A key characteristic of the critical theory approach is expressed as a distinction between three different normative realms, viz., legitimacy, morality, and ethics. In the second section, the outlines of a theory of stakeholder management are provided. First, three basic tasks of a theoretically adequate treatment of the normative analysis of stakeholder management are identified. This is followed by a discussion of how a critical theory approach to SHMT is able to fulfill these three tasks.

This article elaborates a normative Stakeholder Management Theory (SHMT) from a critical theory perspective. The paper argues that the normative theory elaborated by critical theorists such as Habermas exhibits important advantages over its rivals and that these advantages provide the basis for a theoretically more adequate version of SHMT. In the first section of the paper an account is given of normative theory from a critical theory perspective and its advantages over rival traditions. A key characteristic of the critical theory approach is expressed as a distinction between three different normative realms, viz., legitimacy, morality, and ethics. In the second section, the outlines of a theory of stakeholder management are provided. First, three basic tasks of a theoretically adequate treatment of the normative analysis of stakeholder management are identified. This is followed by a discussion of how a critical theory approach to SHMT is able to fulfill these three tasks.

In the data-driven economy, AI algorithms will eventually drive power interests and value allocation of scarce resources in terms of who gets what, when, and how. However, to date, the decision-making process and internal mechanisms of algorithm-based AI remain “a black box”. Therefore, a critical systematic analysis of the benefits and limitations of AI’s practical utility and applicability, as well as legal and institutional promotion and control measures to enhance transparency in algorithm design, is needed now more than ever. The current structural situation of human oppression, control, and domination by AI power in the name of techno-engineering-based social innovation and development in the age of digital capitalism requires a multidisciplinary approach to governance that utilizes political science, educational politics, and critical theory perspectives. This paper aims to comprehensively review the emerging AI governance definitions, issues, and development plans from critical perspectives.

The Frankfurt School's theory of critical aesthetics encompasses several ideas and precepts, the most significant of which are (criticism in art). This principle contains the main view of this theory and defines most other concepts and principles. It is one of the main principles and criteria for distinguishing original text from non-original text from the perspective of this theory. This paper, entitled (Criticism in Art as a Main Principle of Original Text from the Perspective of Critical Aesthetic Theory: The Text of Sherko Bekas's Bracelet Book as an Example), The aim is to demonstrate the main critical perspectives and themes of the text, as well as to determine the text's level of authenticity in light of this theory. For this purpose, the descriptive-analytical method was used. It attempts to distinguish between the original and non-original texts using the principle of criticism in art, which takes a critical view of art's relationship to society. The text's main critical viewpoints and themes should be identified and presented, and it should be demonstrated that this text is based on criticizing the current state of society and is an original text from the perspective of this theory.

The aim of present study is to explain role of educational system in the books of famous Iranian writer and revolutionary Ali Shariati from the perspective of critical theory. The method of research was qualitatively comparative (deductive approach) and method of data collection and analysis was documentary and content analysis respectively. In order to collect data, in addition to Shariati’s books and lectures (primary sources), books and articles available in Iranian and international libraries and information homepages (secondary sources) were used. Findings showed that Shariati's thoughts on role of the education system have been greatly influenced by views of critical theory’s proponents. There are also similarities between Shariati's views and critical education thinkers on negative role of education system in exacerbating social injustice and inequality and promoting a culture of silence. In addition, the research findings showed few differences. Shariati's attention to Eastern education and Islamic education as an alternative to Western education, the disregard of critical education advocates for the liberating role of religion, and Shariati's low emphasis on role of race and gender in analyzing the performance of educational system can be the most important differences between Shariati and critical theory scholars. The last point is that although the Western countries influenced by theory of critical education were able to establish a critical atmosphere of criticism, questioning, and active dialogue in their schools, but the fulfillment of Shariati's aspirations to change the political system did not lead to a fundamental reform in Iran's education system and challenges such as a centralized structure, a prescriptive curriculum, a passive teacher-student relationship, and a lack of critical and questioning space still persist

The displacement of people around the world is a phenomenon that has been increasingly accentuated. When forced, there is the institute of refuge as a guarantee of survival. Due to the high number of refugees in some regions of the world, an alternative was the creation of refugee camps. Given the complexity that these camps took on, a market logic was incorporated into them. The present work aims to analyze the refugee camps from the perspective of Critical Theory, more precisely from the concept of hegemony. The theoretical reference is the Critical Theory and qualitative methodology is used, concerning a case study.

AbstrakPenelitian ini mengkaji teori kritis komunikasi sebagai pendekatan analitis yang berfungsi untuk mengkritisi struktur kekuasaan, ideologi, dan relasi sosial dalam praktik komunikasi. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah untuk mengungkap dinamika kekuasaan dominan, menganalisis representasi dan konstruksi realitas, serta mendorong kesadaran kritis dan transformasi sosial melalui komunikasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian kualitatif dengan metode studi pustaka (library research), yang mengandalkan analisis kritis terhadap literatur, buku, jurnal akademik, dan konten media yang relevan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa teori kritis komunikasi berakar pada pemikiran Marxis, kritik budaya, poststrukturalis, dan perspektif feminis. Dalam kajian komunikasi, teori ini diterapkan untuk menganalisis konten media, iklan, propaganda, komunikasi politik, dan wacana antarbudaya. Temuan penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa teori kritis komunikasi memiliki peran penting dalam meningkatkan kesadaran kritis, mendekonstruksi ideologi dominan, dan mendukung perubahan sosial. Simpulan penelitian ini menegaskan relevansi teori kritis sebagai kerangka berpikir untuk melakukan perlawanan terhadap hegemoni dalam praktik komunikasi. Implikasi dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa teori kritis komunikasi dapat digunakan sebagai alat strategis bagi pendidik, praktisi media, dan akademisi komunikasi untuk mendorong komunikasi yang emansipatoris dan mempromosikan keadilan sosial dalam kehidupan masyarakat kontemporer. Kata Kunci: Teori Kritis; Komunikasi; Kekuasaan Dominan; Kesadaran Kritis; Perubahan Sosial. Abstract This study examines critical communication theory as an analytical approach that critiques power structures, ideologies, and social relations within communication practices. The main objective of this research is to uncover the dynamics of dominant power, analyze the representation and construction of reality, and promote critical awareness and social transformation through communication. This study adopts a qualitative research design using library research (studi pustaka) as the primary method, relying on the critical analysis of literature, books, academic journals, and relevant media content. The research results show that critical communication theory is rooted in Marxist thought, cultural criticism, poststructuralism, and feminist perspectives. In communication studies, this theory is applied to analyze media content, advertising, propaganda, political communication, and intercultural discourse. The findings emphasize that critical communication theory plays a significant role in enhancing critical consciousness, deconstructing dominant ideologies, and supporting social change. The conclusion highlights the relevance of critical theory in providing a framework for resistance against hegemony in communication practices. The implication of this study suggests that critical communication theory can be used as a strategic tool for educators, media practitioners, and communication scholars to foster emancipatory communication and promote social justice in contemporary society. Keywords: Critical Theory; Communication; Dominant Power; Critical Consciousness; Social Change.

In recent years, there has been a notable shift toward collaborative governance as a theoretical and practical framework for public administration and management, and in light of this shift, public administration scholars have called for refocused attention on the relationship between bureaucracy and democracy. This article responds to this call by turning to the critical social theory of Jürgen Habermas. It reviews relevant elements of Habermas’s broader social theory that illuminate the tension between bureaucracy and democracy in the context of collaborative governance. Collaborative governance is best viewed from the perspective of a critical theory attuned to the normative and political stakes of collaborative arrangements and practices. In the conclusion, the specific contributions made to collaborative governance from a critical theory perspective are discussed. The article ends with a plea for the folding of critical democratic pedagogy into the training of public managers and administrators. Public managers should be trained to see the potentials of collaboration from the perspectives of both administrator and citizen in order to see not only how processes of governance or management take place but also how those processes could and should advance the cause of democracy.

In recent years, analytic philosophers have begun to pay increased attention to shared or “collective intentionality,” a term referring broadly to our human capacity to act in concert. From the deeply rooted individualistic perspective of contemporary cognitive science, this ability represents a real problem. However, from the perspective of critical theory, and of Jurgen Habermas’s theory of communicative action in particular, the social has always been integral to how we think of agency and the self. Furthermore, there is a long tradition in critical theory of using empirical research in psychology and sociology to inform conceptions of self and agency. In this chapter, the author shows how subjectivity and intersubjectivity are inextricably intertwined in the Habermasian theoretical framework, and traces the ways in which Habermasian account parallels feminist conceptions of the self as relational.

While many educators in higher education are using technologies in their teaching, their use of technology is generally restricted to meeting purposes of convenience and efficiency. Rarely are the affordances of technology being exploited by educators in higher education in order to develop teaching strategies that truly engage students, and help students develop self–regulation and the ability to work collaboratively – both of which are important capacities in the information age. It is therefore desirable to encourage educators to make some changes to their online teaching practices. Achieving change in teaching practice is a challenging process. The authors suggest that adopting a critical theory perspective has the potential to empower educators to re–examine their roles, beliefs and assumptions, and ultimately help to reform teaching practice in online environments to the benefit of both educators and their learners. Thus, the authors seek to encourage educators to re–consider their philosophy of online teaching from the perspective of critical theory.

The ambiguity surrounding what it means to undertake aesthetic study can be profitably used to gain a perspective on art that is lacking in most art education programs. In this paper a brief background on current developments in aesthetics and on how aesthetics consists of contested concepts is followed by a discussion of three approaches to aesthetics: (1) historical, philosophical aesthetics, (2) aesthetic perception and experience, and (3) aesthetic inquiry. A fourth approach consisting of an emphasis on the contested nature of art will be proposed from the perspective of critical theory. This fourth approach entails an examination of assumptions, of taken-for-granted attitudes, and of the social origins and implications of aesthetic theories, values, and designations.

Critical Theory and Social Transformation provides an exploration of the major themes in critical social theory of recent years. Delanty argues that a critical theory perspective can offer much-needed insights into the pressing socio-political challenges of our time. In this volume, he advances the need to reconnect social theory and social research and to return to the foundational concerns of critical social theory. Delanty engages with the key topics facing critical social theorists: capitalism, cosmopolitanism, modernity, the Anthropocene, and legacies of history. The connecting thread is that the topics are all contemporary challenges for critical theory and relate to major social transformations. The notions of critique, crisis, and social transformation are central to the book. Critical Theory and Social Transformation will be of interest to the broad readership in social and political theory. It will appeal to those working in sociology, political sociology, politics, and international studies and to anyone with an interest in any of the chapter-specific topics, such as public space, memory, and neo-authoritarianism.

The issue of corporate responsibility has long been discussed in relationship to universities, but generally only in an ad hoc fashion. While the role of universities in teaching business ethics is one theme that has received significant and rather constant attention, other issues tend to be raised only sporadically. Moreover, when issues of corporate responsibility are raised, it is often done on the presumption of some understanding of a liberal arts mandate of the university, a position that has come under much attack in recent years. The purpose of this article is to investigate more systematically the nature of the obligations that the university has to promote more responsible corporate behaviour. It does so on the basis of a reinterpretation of the liberal arts tradition from a critical theory perspective. This entails: (1) an initial conceptualization of the roles and functions of the university; (2) an examination of these functions at two formative periods of the liberal arts tradition, the medieval university and the rise of the modern university in Germany in the early 19th century; (3) an investigation of ruptures in the understanding and practices of the liberal arts tradition, resulting in large part from the rise of the bureaucratic state and the industrial capitalist economy; (4) a reinterpretation of the liberal arts tradition from a critical theory perspective; and (5) a systematic elaboration of the obligations of the university vis-a-vis corporations based upon the university's key functions of teaching, research, formation and professional development.

Part I Multilateralism - a theoretical examination: possibilties of multilateralism - a regime theory perspective, Yoshinobu Yamamoto constructing international order - a critical theory perspective, Keith Krause opening for omnilateralism, Wolfgang Pape. Part II Global security, economic orders and multilateralism, Jean-Pierre Lehman Post-Cold war security and multilateralism, Francois Heisbourg. Part III Regional multilateral arrangements: the Asian dimension of Paneuropean security and cooperation - the OSCE perspective, Victor-Eves Ghebali European multilateral security arrangements, Fred Tanner Asian security arrangements, possibilities and limits, Akahiko Tanaka the world economy and Aian regions, David Sylan. Part IV Japan and multilateralism: Japan and regional economic order, Tsutomo kikuchi Japanese security policies and the possibility of multilateralism, Matake Kamiya Japan and the United Nations, Reinhard Drifte.