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The Struggle for Recognition and Moral Sentiments
Symposium on Human Dignity and Moral
Sentiments Jyväskylä, 5.4. 2006
Rauno Huttunen Hannu L.T. Heikkinen University
of Joensuu University of Jyväskylä This
presentation is based on article Teaching and the
Dialectic of Recognition which has been
published in Pedagogy, Culture Society 2/2004
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The Circles of Recognition
Positive circle Trust and spirit are
constructed through reciprocal
recognition Sittliche (decent) community
gt strong solidarity
Negative circle Parties are trying to diminish,
humiliate, insult etc. each others Recognition
is a zero-sum game tragedy of recognition
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The Three Levels of Recognition
1. Family Love -gt self-confidence
(Selbstvertauen) - right to exist as the kind of
person one is - feelings of love, trust and
frienship 2. Civil Society Rights -gt
self-respect (Selbstachtung) - to be recognized
as adult person (Mündigkeit), free citizen 3.
State Esteem -gt self-esteem (Selbstschätzung)
-gt solidarity - one sees ones work being
acknowledged and recognized
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The Dialectic of Recognition

• - reciprocal circle of recognition
• self-image is build up in these intersubjective
  relations of recognition
• persons identity is constructed socially in the
  struggle for recognition
• -gt struggle can be light effort or bloody battle
  

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The 11th September attack is an example of the
extreme form of the struggle for
recognitionAxel Honneth
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The Structure of Intersybjective Relations of
Recognition