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Repositioning the Ethical Imperative

Critical Theory Recht, and Tempered Radicals in Public Service

University of Missouri-Columbia

This article explores the dimensions of an ethical framework for administrators based on the philosophical premises of critical theory. The goal of critical theory is to view the world dialectically and have a practical intent—to participate in revealing the socially constructed nature of the world, to help affirm that reified social constructs are not immutable, and then to work to transform society as the expression of an emancipatory vision. An important component of this view is the refusal to be bound by Recht, the system of law constructed by the status quo to serve dominant interests. The author examines the critical theories of Horkheimer, Habermas, Benhabib and the ethical theory of Margaret Urban Walker to begin construction of a critical-ethical guideline for administrators and introduces the idea of critical theory-based practitioners as "tempered radicals."

Key Words: critical theory • ethics • theory and practice • social change

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