Marcuse's Theory Research Articles

Class in the Classroom: Engaging Hidden Identities

Using Marcuse's theory of the total mobilization of advanced technology society along the lines of what he calls “the performance principle,” I attempt to describe the complex composition of class oppression in the classroom. Students conceive of themselves as economic units, customers pursuing neutral interests in a morally neutral, socio‐economic system of capitalist competition. The classic, unreflective conception of the classroom responds to this by implicitly endorsing individualism and ideals of humanist citizenship. While racism and cultural diversity have come to count as elements of liberal intelligence in most college curricula, attempts to theorize these aspects of social and individual identity and place them in a broader content of class appear radical and inconsistent with the humanistic notion that we all have control over who we are and what we achieve. But tags such as “radical” and “unrealistic” mark a society based on the performance principle. Marcuse allows us to recognize a single author behind elements of psychology, metaphysics, and capitalism. The fact that bell hooks hits upon a similar notion suggests that we might use Marcuse's theory of the truly liberatory potential of imagination to transform and reconceive our classrooms so that the insidious effects of class, racism, and individualistic apathy might be subverted. Specifically, I outline and place into this theoretical context three concrete pedagogical practices: (a) the use of the physical space of the classroom; (b) the performance of community through group readings and short full‐class ceremonies, and (c) the symbolic modeling represented by interdisciplinary approaches to teaching. All three of these practices engage students in ways that co‐curricularly subvert class (and, incidentally, race divisions) and allow students to imagine, and so engage in, political action for justice as they see it.

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of liberative Aesthetics. By Timothy J. Lukes. (Selingsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1985. Pp. 178. $24.00.) - Science and The Revenge of Nature: Marcuse and Habermas. By C. Fred Alford. (Gainesville: University Presses of Florida, 1985. Pp. x + 226. $24.50.) - Critique, Norm and Utopia: A Study

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of liberative Aesthetics. By Timothy J. Lukes. (Selingsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1985. Pp. 178. $24.00.) - Science and The Revenge of Nature: Marcuse and Habermas. By C. Fred Alford. (Gainesville: University Presses of Florida, 1985. Pp. x + 226. $24.50.) - Critique, Norm and Utopia: A Study of the Foundations of Critical Theory. By Selya Benhabib. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986. Pp. xiii + 455. $35.00.) - Volume 80 Issue 4

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of liberative Aesthetics. By Timothy J. Lukes. (Selingsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1985. Pp. 178. $24.00.) - Science and The Revenge of Nature: Marcuse and Habermas. By C. Fred Alford. (Gainesville: University Presses of Florida, 1985. Pp. x + 226. $24.50.) - Critique, Norm and Utopia: A Study

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of liberative Aesthetics. By Timothy J. Lukes. (Selingsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1985. Pp. 178. $24.00.) - Science and The Revenge of Nature: Marcuse and Habermas. By C. Fred Alford. (Gainesville: University Presses of Florida, 1985. Pp. x + 226. $24.50.) - Critique, Norm and Utopia: A Study of the Foundations of Critical Theory. By Selya Benhabib. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986. Pp. xiii + 455. $35.00.) - Volume 80 Issue 4

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of Liberative AestheticsTimothy J. Lukes Cranbury, N.J.: Associated University Presses, 1985, pp. 178

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of Liberative AestheticsTimothy J. Lukes Cranbury, N.J.: Associated University Presses, 1985, pp. 178

The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of Liberatvoe Aesthetics

Timothy J. Lukes The Flight into Inwardness: An Exposition and Critique of Herbert Marcuse's Theory of Liberative Aesthetics. Selinsgove, Penn.: Susquehanna University Press, 1985.

The ?theory-praxis nexus? in Marcuse's critical theory

Writers who deal with the critical theory of the Frankfurt School inevitably present the central problem as the attempt (generally seen as unsuccessful) to relate "theory" and "prax? is." Elaboration on their concept of theory critical as opposed to "traditional" theory is usually straightforward given the fact that the Frankfurt theorists themselves were relatively clear in their definition. The difficulty with such discussions, however, is that they usually fail to deal with the ambiguous concept of praxis. In this context, I wish to deal with the "theory-praxis nexus" by emphasizing that there are at least two levels of meaning for the term "praxis" operating in the writings of the Frankfurt School and its critics: (1) praxis as revolutionary organization and activity; and (2) praxis as an anthropological/ontological con? ception of human potentiality. This is certainly no new or startling insight to those familiar with critical theory. Nevertheless, this crucial distinction is often neglected by those who write of the attempt, or failure, of the Frank? furt School to "unite theory and practice." Of the "first generation" Frankfurt theorists, it was Herbert Marcuse who was most consistent? ly concerned with developing a theory of prax? is in both of the above senses. Thus, I will focus primarily on Marcuse's work in this area below, noting the implications for the political project of critical theory.

A Note on the Aesthetic Dimension in Marcuse's Social Theory

0 REFLECT ONCE MORE on Herbert Marcuse and to think about his relevance for contemporary socialists, is to be struck by two contrasts between his work and the most recent socialist writing. First, there is Marcuse's focus on revolution. Marcuse thought differently at different times about the origins, character, and prospects of revolution, but he never wavered from the view that all understanding derives from a practice that is ultimately revolutionary, that everything else is ideology, and that consequently all problems must be comprehended by reference to their bearing on revolution. Even during his most pessimistic periods, it was the absence or failure or suppression of revolution that was revealed as the most palpable and essential property of things. At other times, the present reality of revolution provided the central theme. A striking feature of such diverse Marxist studies as Bertell Ollman's Alienation and John Holloway and Sol Picciotto's interesting collection of pieces from current German debates about State and Capital is the absence of orientation to revolution: the word is not even in the index. This contrast in starting points and emphases cannot be explained simply by differences in circumstances. A second contrast has to do with the way Marcuse treats theory. Marcuse himself always insisted on the philosophical, rational, and even materialist character of his dialectical method. But reading over the texts, the most striking feature of his writings is their dependence on complex literary strategies, rather than stringent logical development, to advance his case. Especially evident are the prominent place given

Attenuation in thin film optical waveguides due to roughness-induced mode coupling

Marcuse's mode-coupling theory for symmetrical planar optical waveguides was extended to cover the asymmetrical case. Computer programs were written to study the particular case of coupling between the zeroth order guided transverse electric (TE) mode and the radiation modes as a function of interface roughness. It is shown that a simple expression proposed by Tien gives results which correspond to the most pessimistic results obtained by the mode-coupling theory. R.f. sputtered thin film planar optical waveguides were prepared. The zeroth order TE guided mode having a vacuum wavelength of 0.6328 μm was excited in the thin film by means of a prism coupler. The attenuation of this mode was inferred from the reduction in intensity of the radiation modes which was measured with a photomultiplier. A Talystep was used to obtain the film thickness and also profiles of the roughness of the film-substrate and film-superstrate interfaces. The roughness profiles were computer-processed to determine the r.m.s. amplitude and the correlation length of the interface roughness. The refractive index was determined from the film thickness and the synchronous coupling angle using the reduced SYNCANG method. These data were used to compute the attenuation of the zeroth order guided TE mode from the mode-coupling theory. The correlation coefficient between the theoretical and experimental results was 0.96.

Introduction to Marcuse's "On the Problem of the Dialectic"

Abstract Since a comprehensive exposition of the dialectic in Marcuse's social theory cannot be undertaken here—in fact, such a project would require a dialectical analysis of the development of Marcuse's work in relation to changing socio-historical conditions—the following will focus on a central problem confronting critical theory: the coordination of all modes of discourse with the dynamic of advanced industrial society which has eliminated all forms of negation of the prevailing social order. Their ideological conformity reduces all cultural dimensions to expressions of a totally reified universe of discourse. Alienation and objectification do not merely “overlap phenomenologically” as they had during the premonopolistic stages of capitalism, but an apparent identity has been forged between them, its temporary status notwithstanding.

Optical Fibers with Coupled Dispersive Modes

Marcuse's coupled-power theory incorporates the effect of different modal group velocities as the only mechanism responsible for pulse broadening in multimode, imperfect, optical fibers. In this paper the earlier theory is generalized to include the bandwidth-dependent effects: material dispersion and the waveguide dispersion that occurs within each mode. It is predicted that the latter two effects may partially cancel one another, the degree of cancellation depending on the shape of the fiber's refractive-index profile. Whether this effect causes a significant reduction in the calculated pulsewidth is shown to depend on the amount of mode coupling.

Marcuse's Theory of Toleration

Professor Wolff's explication of Herbert Marcuse's theory of toleration is especially helpful in its clarification of the concept of "surplus repression," that is, Marcuse's development of Freudian analysis of the unconscious to facilitate political analysis. The fantasy of complete freedom is the necessary means to arouse people to struggle against the surplus, unnecessary repression with which they are burdened. Repressive tolerance accepts the oppositional act easily but leaves the surplus repression untouched, and thus "robs the psychic forces of liberation of the means by which they can be tapped and translated into politically effective energies." This leads to the Marcusian argument for quite limited tolerance where limitation serves liberation, but Wolff ends with a distinctly personal, if unphilosophical, commitment to toleration.

Marxism and Form

Abstract Marxism and Form is a collection of several self-contained but intimately related essays in aesthetic theory written between 1967 and 1970 on Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse, Bloch, Lukács, and Sartre, and Jameson's own theory of dialectical literary criticism, three of which were published during that period in Salmagundi. The essays on these theorists include valuable excursions into Schiller and Hegel's Aesthetik; and a short and unsystematic bibliography is appended. As Jameson notes in a very interesting preface, these thinkers and the critical Marxist tradition which each in some sense advanced form a germinal and generally inaccessible area of literary critical interest.