Reconstructive critique of neoliberalism: Considerations on a model of criticism

• Autor(a) principal: Souza, Luiz Gustavo da Cunha de
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/41969
• topic: Critical Theory; Reconstruction; Critique of neoliberalism; Teoria Crítica; Reconstrucción; Critica del neoliberalismo; Teoria Crítica; Método reconstrutivo; Crítica do neoliberalismo

Since the publication of Axel Honneth’s last lengthy studies, critical theorists have been discussing if his “normative reconstruction” is able to connect with the traditional aims of Critical Theory, namely, criticizing society. This paper aims to take part in the discussion about the implications of social reconstruction, highlighting its strengths. In a second step, it discusses if reconstruction can work out as a criticism of neoliberalism, and to do that, the paper critically compares reconstruction with the alternative approach of analysing neoliberalism as a “normative order”, as proposed by Wendy Brown, mainly. In conclusion, the paper claims that reconstruction connects with elements of a political economy of the present, and therefore is a more solid method for critique than the analysis of neoliberalism’s political discourse.