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Aesthetic Theory is Adorno's last major work, left unfinished at his death, but in an advanced state of final revision. The book represents perhaps the most important socially-grounded examination of aesthetics produced in the last century. Adorno's single largest work, it is written without chapter divisions of any kind. Notoriously difficult, it is nonetheless intellectually stunning and provocatively rich on the relation of aesthetics to society, the subject, subjectivity, and modernity generally. Following three weeks of introductory material, the seminar will be organized as a patient and careful read of this single text.

Theodor W. Adorno (1903-1969), one of the principal figures associated with the Frankfurt School and the "founding" of Critical Theory, wrote extensively on culture, society, the Enlightenment, modernity, aesthetics, and the arts--music in particular (classical, popular, jazz, film music, etc.), but also extensively on literature. Together with his colleague Max Horkheimer, he formulated one of the first and most influential sustained critiques on the social transformations wrought by mass culture and modern communications media. He was a philosopher, sociologist, musicologist, composer, and a quite talented pianist. Not least, Adorno was a prominent public intellectual in postwar Germany up to the time of his death, writing for the popular press and giving 160 radio lectures on topics that included education, music, and contemporary politics.