What can Critical Theory do for society? Can Critical Theory be made fruitful for a better life? How can a critical public opinion manifest itself in the 21st century? Is criticism even worthwhile in late capitalist society?

Our international network, based at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Graz, is dedicated to all these and other questions. The immense global social, ecological, economic and technological challenges affect everyone! They require a sustained effort to link Critical Theory and innovative practice in a way that is effective for the public and spans disciplines and generations. In view of the multiple and serious crises in the world, the critical theory of the Frankfurt School in particular is of unbroken topicality.

For us, a close connection between academic theory and social practice is both a personal motivation and the central theme. The first phase of the long-term network is structured in three stages. Three project stages, coordinated in terms of content, each link a conference event with a subsequent book publication: The kick-off event in June 2023 with a focus on "Dimensions and Potentials of Critical Theory" will be followed in 2025 by a conference with a focus on "Theories and Concepts of Critical Theory", which is intended to appeal in particular to young academics. This will be followed in 2027 by an event on the topic of "Visions for a Critical Theory of Society".