Recognition and democracy – An introduction

Abstract

This is an introduction to a special issue on recognition and democracy. We outline the constitutive and enabling relations between democracy and recognition. We distinguish between pre-political and political forms of identity and recognition, between horizontal and vertical forms of recognition, and between democratic and other ways or arranging the vertical and horizontal aspects of political life. We also distinguish between the roles of a subject and a co-author of law. The intruduction also includes an overview of the individual articles in this special issue. The issue tries to fill some theoretical gaps in theories of democracy and recognition, with a special emphasis on feminist politics.

Recognitive arguments for workplace democracy

“…The related constitutive claim is that only through respect–recognition can we learn to see ourselves as legal persons and right‐bearers who share “with all other members of one's community the qualities that make participation in discursive will‐formation possible” (Honneth, 1995, p. 120). To foreshadow our argument for workplace democracy, it should be noted here that while recognition as a human need is not necessarily dependent on democracy, democratic societies require their citizens to be respected as co‐authors of norms (Hirvonen & Laitinen, 2016, p. 5). Furthermore, if we are to defend the freedom and autonomy of persons, then we need to take into account the institutional circumstances that enable us to take part in collective self‐rule and make our self‐understanding as autonomous persons possible.…”

“…22See, for example, Honneth (2014; 2017, Chapter 4), Hirvonen (2016), Hirvonen and Laitinen (2016), and Thompson (2006) for discussions on recognition and democracy. Work and recognition are discussed in detail, for example, in Smith (2009) and Smith and Deranty (2012).…”

“…See, for example,Honneth (2014; 2017, Chapter 4),Hirvonen (2016),Hirvonen and Laitinen (2016), andThompson (2006) for discussions on recognition and democracy. Work and recognition are discussed in detail, for example, inSmith (2009) andSmith and Deranty (2012).3 Recent arguments for democracy at work include, amongst others, Breen (2015; 2017), Ferreras (2017), González-Ricoy (2014a; 2014b),Landemore and Ferreras (2016),Néron (2015), and Yeoman (2014).4 On work's contemporary significance, see, for example, Jütten (2017, p. 264) andDejours, Deranty, Renault, and Smith (2018, pp.…”