Rahel Jaeggi

Solidarity and Indifference

The concept of solidarity is omnipresent, at least in Germany’s public discourse. It has become a slogan that decorates the election campaigns of almost every political party. Unions appeal to the solidarity of the working class. Church representatives call upon us for ‘solidarity with the poor’. References to the value of ‘solidarity’ dominate discussions about the future of the welfare state as well as reflections on the more general question of the social coherence of modern societies. Nevertheless: the more popular the concept, the more ambiguous its meaning. What remains is a wishy-washy concept of solidarity that tries to evoke a vague sense of belonging, a readiness to help, or the value of social responsibility. This is the case not only with the trivialised or everyday use of the concept and its role in political discourse; it also holds for philosophical and sociological debates. Even here we find inconsistencies and a broad variety of implicit meanings attributed to the notion of solidarity.

Repensando a ideologia

The text supports the possibility of revitalization of criticism of ideology as a form of social criticism, thus opens a new theoretical-practical field. Therefore it updates the concept of ideology and develops a redefinition of criticism of ideology that should be compatible with the contemporary requirements and problems. First of all the author explains what makes the specific character of criticism of ideology; then she treats two paradoxes which in her view are characteristic for the method of criticism of ideology: ideologies are, as Adorno said, “simultaneous true and false”, and they seem to be both normative and not prescriptive. From this, the criticism of ideology is presented as a process of immanent criticism that develops its own standards and criteria and contributes to see other phenomena in the reality and to look differently at the same reality. It is not extern to social reality, but an instance which confronts us with the problems and contradictions of this social reality in such a manner, that it is also the catalyst of the transformation of given reality. Keywords: Ideology; Marxismo; Critical theory

The Market's Price

Book reviewed in this article: Elizabeth Anderson, Value in Ethics and Economics Margaret Jane Radin, Contested Commodities

Economy as social practice

In order to understand the economy in a wider sense we should conceive of the economy as a set of social practices. To conceive of a ‘practices-oriented’ foundation for our thinking about economy and its institutions, we should view economic practices as a subset of social practices in general, sharing the features of ‘practices.’ As such they are interrelated with other practices in a variety of ways and (together with them) form part of the socio-cultural fabric of society. To conceive of the economy as a social practice and part of a broader form of life entails:

Crisis, Contradiction, and the Task of a Critical Theory

This chapter explores the connection between critique, conflict, and crisis. This move is indicative of a slight methodological shift within contemporary Critical Theory, where the focus on crises supplements the focus on social struggles. The extent to which Critical Theory should be interested in the struggles and desires of the age can then be qualified as follows: it is part of those struggles of an age which are capable of thematizing and addressing its inherent crises in an emancipatory way. In other words, through its criticism and analysis, Critical Theory contributes to addressing these crises (which clearly also give rise to regressive and non-emancipatory responses) in an emancipatory way.

Philosophie als Kritik

Abstract Michael Hampes Buch ist, als mit Verve vorgebrachter Einspruch gegen das Selbstverstandnis der zeitgenossischen Philosophie, eine hochst willkommene Intervention. Das Buch etabliert aber in der Fulle seiner Themen und Einfalle seinerseits nicht nur eine Kritik an der Philosophie, sondern auch positiv ein bestimmtes Verstandnis von Philosophie, namlich das einer Philosophie als Kritik, einer Kritik, die die gesellschaftlichen Ordnungen im Namen der Erringung semantischer Autonomie uberschreitbar machen soll. Diesem Gegenbild mochte ich im Folgenden nachgehen. Dabei teile ich so viele seiner Positionen und Intuitionen, dass meine Einwande eher als Versuch einer kritischen Aufnahme und Weiterfuhrung der von Hampe ausgehenden Anregungen zu verstehen sind denn als fundamentaler Einspruch.

Reconhecimento e subjugação: da relação entre teorias positivas e negativas da intersubjetividade

O texto se ocupa da relacao entre reconhecimento e subjugacao, das teorias negativas e positivas do reconhecimento. Ponto de partida comum dessas teorias e a percepcao do carater relacional de nossa identidade e a interpretacao desta relacao e dependencia como um acontecimento constitutivo e produtivo. Em minha estrategia argumentativa, procederei de modo “interno”: tomarei a serio a circunstância de que, nos dois casos, tratem-se de teorias da intersubjetividade para avaliar se fazem ou nao justica a percepcao original de que a consciencia de mim mesmo eu so adquiro mediada por outra autoconsciencia. As duas posicoes compartilham da concepcao segundo a qual nao existe um self pre-social e, com isso, compartilham tambem a concepcao de que individualidade e sociabilidade se condicionam reciprocamente. Mas elas se distinguem no modo como interpretam e avaliam esta circunstância.