Because this is a slightly broad topic, and because the notion of social criticism is often applied, but seldom specified, I feel the need to define it in the terms relevant to this environment.
Ethics are the method to bring about that situation.
I would like this site to cover all these aspects, but I do know the restrictions of the situation. So the main focus here will be on the relation between social criticism in philosophy. Also in this realm, I want to apply a distinction. To understand this distinction, I would like apply a criterion of Herbert Marcuse, namely that the presupposition of any social criticism is that life is worthwhile, can be made better, and that society has the means to make it better. Now, to get back to the distinction, I would like to distinguish between idealistic and materialistic criticism.