Regina Becker-Schmidt

Regina Becker-Schmidt (6 May 1937 – 14 September 2024) was a German psychologist and sociologist who was professor at the Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology at the Leibniz University Hannover. Her research focused on corporate and subject theory, critical theory, psychoanalytically oriented social psychology and gender studies. She is considered a seminal figure in feminist critical theory. Starting in 1957, Becker-Schmidt studied sociology, philosophy, economics and social psychology at the Goethe University Frankfurt, and at the Sorbonne in Paris. Muharrem Acikgöz situated her in the second generation of the Frankfurt School; she was a student of Adorno's.

In particular, Becker-Schmidt influenced the development of feminist critical theory, especially in German-speaking countries. Her approach was associated with the so-called Hannoverian approach in feminist-oriented sociology.

She criticised the positions of critical theory, especially Adorno and Horkheimer, with regard to their ambivalent attitude to the complex of gender relations and how these critical theorists were oblivious to feminism.

Becker-Schmidt conducted empirical research on female factory workers, developing her own social theory based on her findings.