The Engagement of Social Theory: The relationship between critical social theory and daily life

This paper explores possibilities for critical engagement of social theory with everyday life and processes of social change. This paper starts by detailing presumption that social theory is stuck in some way between two positions vis-a-vis the real - politics/science divide posited by Weber, wherein social scientists and theorists are not supposed to be actively involved in political processes of change; and postmodern position, in which social theory has effectively abandoned processes of change and, put bluntly, ends up screaming at skies for fear of actually finding real, intentional systems of oppression. Neither position, this paper will argue, is acceptable in a world characterized by increasing power of global capitalism, quashing of dissent in any form, and a developing anomie. Beginning with Schalk's (1991) concept of engagement - theoretically and practically based participation of social theorists in political affairs - this paper will explore ways in which current forms of critical social theory can resume this engagement. Three case studies of engage social theorists - Jean-Paul Sartre, Pierre Bourdieu, and Vaclav Havel - are examined in order to find both social-theoretical dynamic that might allow for engagement and proper relationship between social theorist and members of society with whom they wish to speak and act. Finally, this paper will argue that proper place of social theory and social theorists is bonded to those who would act for social change; in other words, we should neither speak for nor at people actively working for improvement of society, but rather speak with and lend our theoretical analyses and tools to those on the front lines.