Reading Adorno

“Khandizaji has put together a fine volume of essays on the legacy of Theodor W. Adorno. Including some of the best known students of his work, this anthology is provocative, unorthodox, and generates reflection about one of the great figures in the history of philosophy.”— Stephen Eric Bronner, Board of Governors Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University, USA

“This collection reveals the depth and potentialities of Adorno’s critical theory in understanding our present. The contrbutions examine the resources of Adorno’s culture industry theory, his accounts of popular and classical music, and how his theory helps us understand the emergence of the alt-right: a valuable addition to Adorno studies.” —J. M. Bernstein, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, New School for Social Research, USA

“This scintillating collection brings together seasoned and emerging contributors to the international discussion of Adorno’s legacy to demonstrate how muchit has to teach us in our struggle to confront contemporary challenges.”—Martin Jay, Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, USA

This book draws on core concepts coined by Adorno, such as identity thinking, the culture industry, and his critique of the autonomous and rational subject, to address the ills that plague neoliberal capitalist societies today. These ills range from the risk of a return to totalitarian tendencies, to the global rise of the far-right, and anti-feminist conceptions of motherhood. Subsequent chapters outline the ways in which Adorno's thought can also be seen to redress the challenges of modern societies, such as the critical function of artworks, and the subversive potential of slow-food and popular music. The important underlying concern of the book is to highlight the continuing relevance of Adorno, both in dealing with the failures of neo-liberal capitalist societies, and in his applicability to a wide range of disciplines.