Final answer:
Critical theory is a broad framework developed by German philosophers known as the Frankfurt School. It aims to address structural issues causing inequality by explaining what's wrong in current social reality, identifying agents of change, and outlining practical goals for social transformation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Critical theory is a broad framework developed by German philosophers known as the Frankfurt School in the 1930s and 1940s. It is an expansion of conflict theory and incorporates other social sciences and philosophy. Critical theory aims to address structural issues causing inequality by explaining what's wrong in current social reality, identifying agents of change, and outlining practical goals for social transformation.