Hegel, Cosmopolitanism, and Contemporary Recognition Theory

Abstract

In this chapter, I shall assume that the terms ‘global justice’ and ‘cosmopolitanism’ are synonymous in meaning, and I will employ the latter term throughout. I will also assume that the concept of cosmopolitanism encompasses both distributive and non-distributive issues, focusing my attention on the latter. The title of my paper, with its reference to the philosophy of Hegel, to cosmopolitan political thought, and to contemporary recognition theory (by which I mean especially the thought of Axel Honneth and Nancy Fraser), sets up the structure of the discussion to follow. It invites an exploration of the triangular framework of relationships which it generates. Thus, in the first section, I shall discuss the relationship between Hegel’s thought and recognition theory today; in the second section, I shall consider the relationship between Hegel’s political thought and cosmopolitanism; and finally, in the third section, I shall examine the relationship which exists between cosmopolitan political thought and contemporary recognition theory. Given the primary concern of the present volume, I shall devote more time and attention to the issues addressed in Sections 2 and 3 than to those addressed in Section 1.