Abstract

This is a dissertation in social theory. The central task is the development and elaboration of a 'theory of recognition,' which has its origins in the work of G. W. F. Hegel. The point of departure is a reconstruction of the theory of recognition in Hegel's early work. The interpretation of Hegel presented in this study focuses on Hegel as a social theorist. His emphasis on the social conflict generated out of the 'struggle for recognition' helps us understand the relationship between the self-identity and social transformation. ;The study then focuses critically on Jurgen Habermas's Discourse Ethics. The goal is to demonstrate how Habermas's abandonment of the Hegelian themes, especially the struggle for recognition, has weakened the normative potential of his of Discourse Ethics. The work of Axel Honneth, a student of Habermas who has reinterpreted Hegel's theory of recognition with the intention of developing new directions in Critical Theory, is introduced and analyzed, with some criticisms, as an antidote to the weaknesses in Habermas's Discourse Ethics. Honneth's theory of recognition is then further developed as a useful theoretical tool for the analysis of contemporary social problems. The theory of recognition is then subjected to a meta-sociological scrutiny. ;To this end, a presentation of findings from Object Relations Theory is used to provide evidence that recognition from others has, as Charles Taylor puts it, the status of a basic human need. Object Relations Theory is chosen for its intersubjective character and its similarities to Hegel's philosophical ideas. ;The study concludes with a consideration of the importance of the concept of recognition for sociological theory