Recognition and Ambivalence: Axel Honneth, Judith Butler and Beyond

"Recognition is one of the most debated concepts in contemporary social and political thought.

Its proponents, such as Axel Honneth, hold that to be recognized by others is a basic human need that is central to forming an identity, and the denial of recognition deprives individuals and communities of something essential for their flourishing.

Yet critics including Judith Butler have questioned whether recognition is implicated in structures of domination, arguing that the desire to be recognized can motivative individuals to accept their assigned place in the social order by conforming to oppressive norms or obeying repressive institutions.

Is there a way to break this impasse? Recognition and Ambivalence brings together leading scholars in social and political philosophy to develop new perspectives on recognition and its role in social life.

It begins with a debate between Honneth and Butler, the first sustained engagement between thes