Critical theory and social justice

Abstract

The article deals with the following questions: (1) wherefrom does critical theory speak? Which position does the social critic assume with respect to his or her object? Is critical theory critique of ideology or something different, e. g. critique of the legitimating and justifying models of a society? (2) Which is the method of critical theory? Finally (3) it shall point at a possible application of the answers to these questions to what can be considered to be the main problem of Brazilian society: poverty.