Re-thinking ideology

Abstract

The text supports the possibility of revitalization of criticism of ideology as a form of social criticism, thus opens a new theoretical-practical field. Therefore it updates the concept of ideology and develops a redefinition of criticism of ideology that should be compatible with the contemporary requirements and problems. First of all the author explains what makes the specific character of criticism of ideology; then she treats two paradoxes which in her view are characteristic for the method of criticism of ideology: ideologies are, as Adorno said, “simultaneous true and false”, and they seem to be both normative and not prescriptive. From this, the criticism of ideology is presented as a process of immanent criticism that develops its own standards and criteria and contributes to see other phenomena in the reality and to look differently at the same reality. It is not extern to social reality, but an instance which confronts us with the problems and contradictions of this social reality in such a manner, that it is also the catalyst of the transformation of given reality. Keywords: Ideology; Marxismo; Critical theory