Revitalizing the Critical Imagination: Unleashing the Crouched Tiger

The purpose of this article is to further the "critical imagination project" that we began in 1991. The goal of this project has always been to inspire researchers to engage in action-oriented programs of research aimed at improving society and the lives of consumers. On the basis of a dialogue with Hetrick and Lozada's thoughtful work, we suggest that the critical imagination project can still empower both consumers and consumer researchers. Toward this end, we respond to four important issues: First, what is a reasonable interpretation of critical theory? Second, does an accurate interpretation of critical theory necessarily involve a capitalist critique? Third, what are the core ideas of critical theory? And finally, what kinds of methods will justify a critical theory?