Axel Honneth’s Recognition Theory
Introduction
With Axel Honneth’s moral language of social conflict, three spheres of recognition are posited: the private sphere, which we know from the family and friendship; the legal sphere, encompassing legal rights and liberties granted to the individual; and the solidarity sphere, relating to solidarity within cultural, political, and work settings. Honneth’s theoretical framework allows for understanding and identifying social pathologies based on a clear methodological approach, rather than relying on intuitive notions of justice.
The Practical Use of Honneth’s Theory
By comprehending Honneth’s theory of recognition, we can more precisely analyse the formal conditions necessary for human actualization. Honneth argues that human beings are inherently driven by the pursuit of recognition, and in order to achieve self-actualization, we must be acknowledged by others. In contrast to Hobbes and Machiavelli, who viewed society as a battleground for individual power struggles, Honneth presents a social philosophy that regards society as a collection of interconnected actors who rely on mutual recognition. Recognition is not an individualistic inclination, nor is it a fragmented phenomenon-it only materialises reciprocally.
The Private Sphere: Love and Intimacy
Honneth’s first sphere of recognition is the private sphere, which pertains to the private realm. Through interactions with family, friends, and other intimate connections, this mode of recognition manifests within the context of interpersonal relationships, such as romantic partnerships, well-established friendships, and family interactions. Recognition in this sphere can foster feelings of self-confidence, while violations of the private sphere can lead to self-doubt and mistrust.
Such violations may involve bodily transgressions, physical abuse, or neglect. Private and emotional recognition is fundamental to cultivating self-assurance, enabling individuals to express themselves and become functioning members of society. The recognition we receive from our parents, friends, or partners is an essential component in building mental resilience and instilling the belief that we can fulfil personal and social objectives.
The Legal Sphere: Why Rights and Justice Matters
The second form of recognition occurs in the legal sphere, where the subject’s legal rights are acknowledged and upheld, granting individuals the formal capacity for autonomous moral actions. By virtue of the rights bestowed upon citizens within a society, individuals can develop self-respect, being regarded as equal members of the community. Recognition in this sphere materialises through legally secured rights, with equal access to state-provided benefits ensuring that everyone can avail themselves of these goods.
The origins of the legal sphere lie within the state, wherein individuals must be recognized as bearers of rights, equal among their fellow citizens, and granted the same rights. Consequently, individuals are also subject to certain responsibilities as citizens. Recognition in this sphere builds self-respect, as individuals are granted a set of inalienable rights. Violations in this sphere entail the denial of rights, such as the absence of voting rights for women or the unequal legal rights between Afro-Americans and their European-descended counterparts.
Even today, questions may arise regarding when an immigrant obtains the right to citizenship, granting them access to democratic participation, and endowing them with specific legal liberties and obligations within a given society. Hence, when the state recognizes someone as an equal citizen, providing access to certain state goods and legal liberties, that individual is recognized within the legal sphere.
The Solidarity Sphere: Being Part of the Group
The third sphere, the solidarity sphere, materialises concerning the group or community. Here, an individual’s participation is recognized, signifying their meaningful contribution to the group. By participating in community, work, education, or other organisational settings, whether formal or informal, the individual builds self-esteem.
Recognition through solidarity engenders a sense of communal belonging, affirming one’s status as a socially valued member within a group setting. Although each group member may possess different capabilities, recognition is based on their contribution within the realm of possibility. Despite individual shortcomings, someone can still be recognized as a valued participant in the group.
Making a meaningful contribution to the group by assisting local children in their soccer practice, organising a union, or collaborating with colleagues allows individuals to be recognized in the solidarity sphere. Social recognition often transpires effortlessly, as mere presence within a communal setting can suffice.
Conversely, exclusion violates this mode of recognition, debasing an individual by diminishing their value. Bullying a student in the classroom or purposefully excluding group members from social events are examples of violations in this sphere. Exclusion from a peer group or among coworkers makes a person feel undervalued, while recognition within the group can be based on their performance, experience, functions, or actions.
Misrecognition and the Risk of Ideological Extremism
By applying Honneth’s moral framework, we can comprehend the various modes of recognition, which are essential for social integration. Each sphere is interdependent, necessitating recognition in all spheres for an individual to be validated.
The love a child receives during their upbringing is often a prerequisite for successfully engaging with the external world, just as legal rights facilitate participation in group settings. Consequently, if a person is not recognized in all three spheres-the private sphere, the legal sphere, and the solidarity sphere — they will encounter significant challenges in obtaining emotional attention, personal respect, and social agency.
The risk here is that the individual loses a positive connection to oneself and society, leading to alienation. Extremist and radical groups are highly toxic and violent “communities” that compensate for the absence of recognition, substituting the missing modes of recognition resulting from poor family relationships or structural issues in the job market.
Fascism and Religious Terror
The emergence of extremist groups represents the most dire consequence of individuals going unrecognised in one or more spheres. The formation of unhealthy “recognition communities,” such as fascist or religious terrorist groups, constructs a pseudo-experience of belonging, whereby individuals may attain self-esteem and self-confidence on the condition that they adhere to a toxic or violent belief system.
This is not to imply that lack of recognition inevitably breeds extremism-many individuals whose spheres of recognition have been violated still develop self-esteem and become functioning members of society. However, the violation of these spheres increases the likelihood of individuals feeling alienated. It should also be noted that misrecognition can lead to less alarming social deviations, as subcultures can serve as forms of resistance, satisfying individuals’ desire to participate in alternative recognition communities not prevalent in the dominant culture. Nevertheless, when modes of recognition are left unaddressed, society as a whole tends to experience an increase in social ills, such as homelessness, crime, or terrorism.
Hence, Honneth demonstrates the significance of recognizing all individuals in all spheres. Struggles for recognition arise when there are unmet expectations of love, solidarity, and rights, or when the spheres of recognition are violated. According to Honneth, human beings possess an inherent need for recognition. Emotional recognition, legal recognition, and social recognition are therefore crucial factors in shaping one’s sense of self, as these forms of recognition are interdependent components.
Bibliography
Honneth, A. (2006). Kamp om anerkendelse. Hans Reitzels Forlag
Originally published at https://resonanz.substack.com.
