I diversi lati del riconoscimento politico

Axel Honneth's philosophical work following Kampf um Anerkennung is characterised by a confrontation with Hegel's Elements of the Philosophy of Right, a mature work that had not been considered in previous elaborations of his theory of recognition. The comparison with the Hegelian Philosophy of Right leads Honneth to reform his proposal of a critical social theory. The paper aims to consider these new elements in the light of two indicators: the problem of the foundation of the critique's point of view and the valorisation of the political dimension of recognition. If the first problem is not satisfactorily resolved within Honneth's mature production, which oscillates between a position of radical contextualism and an extra-contextual position, the comparison with Hegel leads Honneth to highlight the political dimension of recognition understimated in Kampf um Anerkennung. Even in this regard, however, the insufficient reception of the Hegelian thought prevents Honneth from adequately valorising this aspect.