Description
IN THE SHADOWS OF TRADITION
Book Summary
This collective work proposes a necessary and profound revision of the history of the Frankfurt School, the renowned Institute for Social Research (IfS). Far from the traditional narrative centered on iconic male figures, the book rescues the fundamental role of the women who, as wives, assistants, librarians, and secretaries, were an active part of its construction and development, yet remained hidden on the margins of official history. Building on this act of recovery, a second movement is carried out: a feminist reading of the Institute's trajectory, in tune with the critical revisions that the IfS itself promoted on its centenary. The result is a work that not only expands the historical narrative but also proposes a refoundation of theoretical practice from anti-colonial, feminist, and ecological perspectives.
What is it about?
The book addresses the history of the Institute for Social Research (IfS), known as the Frankfurt School, since its founding in 1923. The work is structured into two complementary movements. First, it is dedicated to making visible the women who, at different times, contributed to the Institute from roles often considered secondary or supportive, such as wives, assistants, librarians, stenographers, or secretaries. This is an exercise in historical archaeology that unearths names and trajectories silenced by the dominant narrative, which has privileged the figure of the "solitary genius." Second, the book goes a step further by proposing a feminist reading of the history/histories of the Institute. This perspective is not limited to adding a subject area, but, as Verónica Gago argues, implies an epistemic shift: moving from a history centered on individualities to one that recognizes broader constellations of cooperation. This approach aligns with the program of "futurizing" the Institute, announced on its 2023 centenary, which seeks to take seriously the critical theories of feminisms, anti-colonialisms, and ecologisms as intellectual and political sources for refounding theoretical practice.
Main themes
- History of the Frankfurt School and the Institute for Social Research (IfS).
- Feminist genealogy and recovery of female figures made invisible in intellectual history.
- Critique of the historical narrative of the "solitary genius" and proposal of a history based on cooperation.
- Revision and updating of critical theory from anti-colonial, feminist, and ecological perspectives.
- Feminist epistemology and the displacement of the sources of theoretical knowledge.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the history of ideas, contemporary philosophy, and critical theory. It is especially relevant for those seeking a more complete and nuanced understanding of the Frankfurt School, beyond the canonical names. It will also be of great interest to students and researchers of gender studies, feminisms, intellectual history, and social sciences, as well as anyone who wishes to explore how feminist revisions can transform our understanding of critical thought and its institutions.
What this book offers
- An unprecedented perspective that rescues the role of women in the construction of one of the most influential schools of thought of the 20th century.
- A rigorous analysis that connects the history of the Frankfurt Institute with the most current debates in feminist, anti-colonial, and ecological critical theory.
- A methodological proposal for a feminist reading of intellectual history, shifting the focus from the individual to collective cooperation.
- An original contribution to the "futurization" program of the Institute for Social Research, offering keys to refounding its theoretical practice.
Technical specifications
- Author: AA.VV
- Publisher: Eterna Cadencia SL
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: HUMANITIES, PHILOSOPHY
- Collection: ESSAY
- Binding: Paperback
- Date of publication: October 2025
- Number of pages: 320
- Weight: 788 g
Editorial review
This is a collective work of great value for those who wish to delve into the history of critical theory from a renewing angle. Its main achievement lies in not limiting itself to a mere task of historical rescue, but in using that recovery as a platform for profound epistemological reflection. By connecting the past of the Frankfurt Institute with the theoretical and political demands of the present (feminisms, anti-colonialisms, ecologisms), the book offers a reading that is at once a critical tribute and a roadmap for the future of critical thought. It is, therefore, a recommended acquisition for those readers looking for works that combine academic rigor with a clear transformative vocation.