Reconceiving Recognition: Towards a Cumulative Politics of Recognition

In: The journal of political philosophy, Band 22, Heft 4, S. 416-437

Abstract

The politics of recognition asks us to make a 'presumption of equal worth' when encountering cultures other than our own. It seeks to reconcile a western, liberal belief in the importance of equal dignity with the increasing heterogeneity of the modern world, through an openness to seeing the value in others' modes of living. Yet the politics of recognition have been variously critiqued: as too abstract; as too detached from the material conditions of daily life; as a distraction from efforts to ameliorate injustice through redistribution; as being focused on remedies that are mostly symbolic; as being dependent on oversimplications of structures of power; as being destined to create irresolvable struggles for sovereignty; as essentializing; as potentially condescending; as too heavily dependent on collective identities; and as somehow inauthentic. Recognition remains an attractive end for those interested in multiculturalism, feminism, democracy, and the possibility of living a just life in an ever-expanding world. Adapted from the source document.