Culture, Identity, and the Politics of Recognition : From Multiculturalism towards Plural Democracy

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Other Title
  • 文化、アイデンティティ、承認の政治 : 多文化主義から複数性の民主主義へ
  • ブンカ アイデンティティ ショウニン ノ セイジ タブンンカ シュギ カラ フクスウセイ ノ ミンシュ シュギエ
  • ブンカ アイデンティティ ショウニン ノ セイジ タ ブンカ シュギ カラ フ

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Abstract

It is a problem of multicultural studies in Japan that social theorists do not recognize plural personal identities but regard them as a unified cultural identity instead. In this essay, we think of culture as the component system which collects and organizes modules of units of symbols and their meanings, that is, the system of knowledge for interpreting the world. According to Peter Berger's theory, identity is internalized in the dialogical or dialectical processes between a person and the cultural groups of which he or she is a member. An 'identity crisis' means that 'anomy' (Berger) is imposed on cultural minorities. In that case, a person's identity and life style are not recognized, hence the person cannot construct the dialogical relationships to his or her significant others. The person is denied his or her own order of meanings and compelled to internalize another order. As we think such 'imposed anomy' is not just, we find how important 'the politics of recognition' (Charles Taylor) is. But if we essentialistically restrict personal identities to a unified cultural identity, the politics of recognition will reach an impass. The politics of recognition will be realized as democracy and it must be the democracy that premises plurality of culture and identity. It is the most important theme of social theories today to reconsider multiculturalism. from the viewpoint of democracy based on plurality.

Journal

  • 年報人間科学

    年報人間科学 18 183-196, 1997

    大阪大学人間科学部社会学・人間学・人類学研究室

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