The methodology of critical theories forms the core of woke activism. In 1937, the sociologist Max Horkheimer defined a “critical theory” as the opposite of a traditional theory: while a traditional theory is to describe how and why a phenomenon works, a critical theory is to start from an ideal vision of society.257 Based on the ideal vision of society, a critical theory is to describe how the previous society fails in comparison. With their approach, critical theorists want to contribute to making false assumptions of society visible.258
Critical theories are not scientific theories, as they do not primarily deal with truth or systematic falsification.259 Critical approaches have little to do with critical thinking and a sceptical view of reality.260
As a rule, a phenomenon is problematised with a critical methodology in order to change it for a utopia. Often, in this utopian criticism, theses are also put forward that are empirically refutable. The designation “critical” refers to the Marxist maxim that the study of society must be about changing society, not about understanding it.261 This leads to the fact that a factual description of reality is largely abandoned. Often, everything that contradicts the ideal vision and must be changed is considered problematic (see Social Constructivism and Conflict).262
Academic theorists have now applied their further developed critical theories to numerous societal areas (see New Left). In recent decades, a wealth of literature has been developed at universities using critical methods. Particularly influential today are the following directions of critical theory: postcolonial theory, queer theory, Critical Race Theory (CRT), critical pedagogy, degrowth theory, climate justice, critical whiteness, and intersectional feminism. The new-left, cultural hegemony concept developed by the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci underlies most critical theories.263