Teaching and the dialectic of recognition

Abstract

In this article, the processes of recognition within education are discussed. Frequently, recognition is reduced to polite behaviour or etiquette. Another narrow view of recognition is, behaviouristically speaking, to regard it as mere feedback. We claim that authentic recognition is a different matter. Receiving recognition, as Charles Taylor has put it, is ‘a vital human need’. Educational practices are in many ways associated with the processes of recognition. In this article, we develop Axel Honneth's three-level theory of struggle for recognition. Subsequently, we introduce our ideas of positive and negative circles of recognition. At the level of the community, a positive circle of recognition creates a sense of solidarity and satisfaction with one's job. A negative circle of recognition, in contrast, destabilises the working community. Lack of solidarity undermines individuals' motivation for teamwork and, consequently, compromises its results. In education, a positive circle of recognition can promote extraordinary performance by both students and teachers. Under optimal circumstances, work is a source of enjoyment and can even become a flow experience. A positive circle of reciprocal recognition establishes a strong sense of solidarity, allowing individuals to feel that they are important and respected members of their community. We illustrate the processes of recognition with autobiographical narratives (for narratives in identity formation, see Huttunen et al, 2002).