Critical Adult Education and the Political‐philosophical Debate Between Nancy Fraser and Axel Honneth

Abstract

Critical adult education is inspired by Paulo Freire’s educational writings. For him, the aim of the pedagogy of the oppressed is to emancipate people from social and economic repression. Critical adult education is intellectual work that aims to make the world more just. One might ask what exactly justice and injustice mean here, however. Is the work against social injustice mainly concerned with the redistribution of material goods or recognition and respect? This is the issue debated by Nancy Fraser and Axel Honneth. Honneth claims that in the context of social justice, recognition is a fundamental, overarching moral category and redistribution is derivative. Fraser denies that distribution could be subsumed under recognition and introduces a “perspectival dualist” analysis of social justice that considers the two categories (redistribution and recognition) as equally fundamental, mutually irreducible dimensions of justice. In this essay, Rauno Huttunen reflects on the relation between maldistribution and misrecognition, in order to think through critical adult education’s task in fighting against social injustice.

The Struggle for Recognition and the Professional Identities of Mathematics Teachers

“…Through the experience of such special relationships with significant others, one becomes aware of one's own uniqueness and special characteristics and develops a positive image of one's abilities (Fleming & Finnegan, 2010). This is a precondition for further development; without self-confidence the attainment of the more advanced levels of self-relations, namely self-respect and self-esteem, would be impeded (Honneth, 1995;Huttunen, 2001;Huttunen & Heikkinen, 2004a;Murphy, 2010). Through the experience of unconditional love, one develops the ability to love one-self and others (Fleming & Finnegan, 2010).…”

“…This answers in the professional "need to be recognised as a free and autonomous citizen … as a mature person with mind of her own and right to make legal contracts" (Heikkinen, 2003, p. 1) and is usually articulated in a teacher's diploma that gives the graduate the right to practice as a teacher in certain societies. At this level, the individual is trusted with the responsibility for his or her own actions; as opposed to a paternalising attitude which denies the individual freedom of will, autonomy and the ability to work independently (Huttunen, 2001;Huttunen & Heikkinen, 2004a).…”

“…), for instance, when mentors and colleagues recognise one's successes at work (Heikkinen, 2003). According to Huttunen (2001), individual freedom of will can only be expressed through self-directed, autonomous work, and it is only when that freedom of will is directed towards common good that respect and recognition of the community is earned: "[T]he individual really becomes recognised as a person who has something to give to the community. The reciprocal recognition of each other's work creates a strong feeling of solidarity in the community.…”

Schooling and social justice through the lenses of Nancy Fraser

“…As such it builds on the already expansive body of research and writing across a vast array of educational areas and disciplines that draws on her work (see, e.g., Atweh, 2009;Gilbert, Keddie, Lingard, Mills, & Renshaw, 2011;Huttunen, 2007;Keddie, 2012;Mills, 2012;Power & Frandji, 2010;Tikly & Barrett, 2011). This review begins with an overview of the principles of economic, cultural and political justice as they are reflected in specific examples of Downloaded by [University of South Florida] at 07:50 14 October 2014 266 A. Keddie equity and schooling policy and practice.…”

The Sartre‐Heidegger Controversy on Humanism and the Concept of Man in Education

“…5 5 Here we can find the influence of Hegelian dialectics of recognition. See Huttunen & Heikkinen, 2004; Huttunen 2007, 2009. According to Michel Theunissen, Sartre tries to overcome the Hegelian struggle for recognition between master and slave with his transcendental theory of intersubjectivity and Mitsein‐analysis (Theunissen, 1977, p. 197). …”