Outlining a New Politics of Recognition: The Significance of the everyday dimension

The multicultural nature of contemporary societies has sparked much debate around classical concepts such as toleration, respect and recognition as suitable analytical and political tools when it comes to defining normative principles to regulate multicultural societies, engaging with the collective identities of marginalized and oppressed groups, and analysing the everyday co-existence of different cultures. Specifically focused on the concept of recognition – here conceived as including toleration and respect - the article aims to offer a critical outline of a new politics of recognition, more grounded in everyday, lived experience of difference, with less of a focus on the normative elements of co-existing with diversity. Starting from some critical elements of Taylor’s politics of recognition – a significant proposal within the multiculturalism debate, despite the way it risks reifying culture and identity – the article proposing examining both everyday practices of recognition, and the ambivalent nature of late modern institutions, in order to gain insight into the key elements that a new politics of recognition should take into account