Critical Social Science

Feminist Theory
Maxism
Psychoanalysis
Human-Environment Systems
• Aims to uncover surface reality for
improvement/ alter social relations

• Analytical method of investigation

In other words….
• The class will be divide into six groups.
Each group must think of a specific
social inequality and discuss how the
issue should be studied and solved.

Ex: gender inequality

Positivism Critical Social Science
Accepts the notion that Constantly evolving due to
there exists REALITY social, economic and
(static) political factors
Rejects the idea of
alienation
Idea of false consciousness
Critical Social Science

Feminist Theory

Marxism

Psychoanalysis

Human-Environment
Systems
 Feminist Theory

Aims to eliminate gender inequality by analyzing

the status of men and women in society
 Marxism

Aims to eliminate class conflict through class

struggle
 Psychoanalysis

Aims to understand human behavior by making

the unconscious conscious
 Human-Environment Systems

• Aims to promote sustainability by

understanding how human and environmental
systems interact