Women’s struggle for recognition

This thesis explores how Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition can be translated in terms of gender, to explain why women are less engaged than men in the public sphere. As we all know, there is a gap between men and women’s participation in the public sphere, a gap that is first due to the past exclusion of women from the public space and to their relegation in the private domain. Honneth defines recognition as the necessary condition of self-realization. According to him, recognition allows one to acquire the necessary self-confidence, self-respect and self-esteem to participate in public life. Therefore, if we use this theory, women’s low engagement is owed to the gendered denials of recognition – such as rape, sexual harassment or discrimination - women are victim of in the sphere of primary relationships, the legal sphere and the sphere of esteem. In addition, thanks to his idea that experiences of disrespect can trigger the necessary negative feelings to engage in political struggles, Honneth’s theory provides indications as for women’s emancipation and perspectives for social change.