MACMILLAN Axel Honneth and the Critical Theory of Recognition (Political Philosophy and Public Purpose)

The critical theory of the Frankfurt School has undergone numerous and at times fundamental changes over the last ninety years. Since the late 1960s, it has been characterized primarily by Jürgen Habermas’s “communicative turn” and a focus on normative foundations. Today, that “second generation” exists side-by-side with a “third generation” represented most prominently by Axel Honneth’s turn toward recognition, ethical life, and the normative reconstruction of social institutions. This volume brings together critical voices on the state and direction of Frankfurt School theory today by examining Honneth’s theory in light of both current challenges and the intellectual and political ambitions that have shaped the tradition from its beginning. United in their strong commitment to critical scholarship, the authors collected here approach Honneth’s work from different backgrounds, employ a wide variety of methodologies, and write in different genres, ranging from the sober scholarly analysis to programmatic and political appeals. The collective aim of these reflections is not to reject Honneth’s theory but to build upon his work and incorporate his themes of recognition and social freedom into a new project of critical theory that can prove adequate to the political and social crises of our time. Review “This is an important volume about an important thinker. Axel Honneth is probably the best known among the 'third generation' of the Frankfurt School. These lively essays provide insight into his approach and the beginnings of a critique of critical theory today.” (Stephen Eric Bronner, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University, USA) “Volker Schmitz has put together a fine collection engaging leading Frankfurt School, critical theorist Axel Honneth’s prominent effort to reconstruct and enliven the tradition. The essays by diverse younger and senior critical theorists illuminate strengths and aporia of Honneth’s thought and traverse issues quite pertinent to our times when tensions between democracy and capitalism are manifest.” (Robert J. Antonio, Professor, University of Kansas, USA)   From the Back Cover The critical theory of the Frankfurt School has undergone numerous and at times fundamental changes over the last ninety years. Since the late 1960s, it has been characterized primarily by Jürgen Habermas’s “communicative turn” and a focus on normative foundations. Today, that “second generation” exists side-by-side with a “third generation” represented most prominently by Axel Honneth’s turn toward recognition, ethical life, and the normative reconstruction of social institutions. This volume brings together critical voices on the state and direction of Frankfurt School theory today by examining Honneth’s theory in light of both current challenges and the intellectual and political ambitions that have shaped the tradition from its beginning. United in their strong commitment to critical scholarship, the authors collected here approach Honneth’s work from different backgrounds, employ a wide variety of methodologies, and write in different genres, ranging from the sober scholarly analysis to programmatic and political appeals. The collective aim of these reflections is not to reject Honneth’s theory but to build upon his work and incorporate his themes of recognition and social freedom into a new project of critical theory that can prove adequate to the political and social crises of our time. About the Author Volker Schmitz is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA