Adorno's Heirs: From Frankfurt to the World - A new book discovered!

Adorno's Heirs: From Frankfurt to the World - A new book discovered!

On June 3, 2025, a significant event will take place at the Goethe University Frankfurt that will focus on the Frankfurt School and its influence. The focus is on the presentation of the book “Adorno's Heirs: A History from the Federal Republic” by historian Jörg Later. This publication deals with the metamorphoses of the Frankfurt School between the post-war period and reunification and will be presented on June 11, 2025 at 6:15 p.m. in Casino 1.812 on the Westend Campus. Admission to this event is free.

Jörg Later, who was born in 1966 and has a doctorate in historians and is associated with the “Contemporary History Research Group” at the University of Freiburg, chose twelve of Adorno’s colleagues as protagonists in his book. After Adorno's death in 1969, these figures dispersed to different cities, leaving their footprint in science, politics and social movements. This work will be presented in a conversation moderated by history professor Til van Rahden, who was born in 1967 and researches at the Université de Montréal.

Historical roots of the Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt School, which is based at the Institute for Social Research (IfS), was founded in Frankfurt am Main in 1923. To this day, it has an international influence on social debates about freedom and equality. The method of critical theory is used to analyze contradictions and grievances in the modern way of life. The most important representatives include Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Jürgen Habermas, Axel Honneth and Rahel Jaeggi, who represent four generations of the institute.

Max Horkheimer took over the management of the IfS in 1931 and relied on an interdisciplinary approach. This combines the disciplines of philosophy, sociology, economics, history and psychology. During this time, Adorno worked closely with Horkheimer before the institute was closed by the National Socialists in 1933. Both Horkheimer and Adorno emigrated to the USA, where they wrote The Dialectic of Enlightenment, an important analysis of National Socialism and modern mass culture.

Influence and current debates

Critical theory has found wide application in the present, examining, for example, the pathological forms of reason under capitalism. She questions the extent to which the promises of freedom and justice are kept in democracies. Critics such as Amy Allen have hinted at the Eurocentrism of critical theory and called for a contextual approach to progress. In addition, scholars such as Gayatri Spivak address a decolonization of critical theory in order to make marginalized groups understand the importance of education.

Current discussions within critical theory also address the relationship to the student movement of the 1960s. While some representatives strive for close collaboration with social movements, others, such as Stephan Lessenich, director of the IfS since July 2021, warn of their potentially regressive aspects. The perspectives and approaches of critical theory are therefore as diverse as the challenges of current society.

In this context, Jörg Later's book launch is seen as an opportunity to reflect on the remnants of Adorno's legacy and to reassess its relevance for today's discussions. Further information about the “Book Talks” event series and the research center can be found on the website Goethe University.

The Frankfurt School has established itself over the decades as one of the most influential movements in social science. Their legacy continues to be kept alive through 100 years of research and debate.

For more about the 100-year history of the Frankfurt School and its international influence on social debates about freedom and equality, read the detailed article on Deutschlandfunk culture.