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II. Alienation and Creativity in the Sphere of Work
Alienation and »Productive Orientation« in Work A Contribution to Erich Fromm’s Critical Analysis of Society Sünje Lorenzen
Abstract: Erich Fromm had developed a dialectical approach on alienation phenomena in work. On the one side he criticizes today’s poor working conditions and on the other side he shows productive orientation in work. In my essay I will discuss empirical and theoretical contributions of social-psychological research in this Frommian perspective. Keywords: Erich Fromm, alienation, productive orientation, social-psychology, communities of work, democratization of work.
E
rich Fromm had developed an independent critical social theory in which he combines psychoanalytical, sociological, social-psychological, political-economic, philosophical and cultural perspectives. Fromm’s theory opposes the idea of the division of labor both in theory and practice, as it is being advanced in psychology and social research today. Fromm is one of those scientists and theoreticians who, guided by psychoanalysis, develops the critical impulse in research and thought. Many social science studies rightly criticize today’s poor working conditions. Fromm describes it as an expression of social alienation. In this perspective, I would like to discuss empirical and theoretical contributions from social psychological research. Furthermore, I would examine the »productive orientation« in work which can be seen as resistance against alienation. I will discuss empirical research and social psychological approaches in this Frommian perspective. in: Fromm Forum (English Edition – ISSN 1437-1189), 23 / 2019 (Special Edition, ed. by R. Funk and Th. Kühn), Tuebingen (Selbstverlag).