Norm critique and the dialectics of Hegelian recognition.

This article explores the relevance of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's theory of recognition (Anerkennung) for developing a non-affirmative theory of education, which emphasizes open-ended and critical educational processes rather than affirming fixed identities or predetermined norms. It argues that Hegel’s concept of recognition provides a dynamic, intersubjective framework linking individual identity formation with the social world, highlighting the ongoing, dialectical process of self-development and norm negotiation. The article critiques interpretations of recognition by thinkers like Charles Taylor and Axel Honneth for essentializing identity and overlooking power relations, advocating instead for a strict Hegelian reading that embraces identity as fluid, contradictory, and never fully stable. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of critically assessing social norms within education, recognizing that some norms support social cohesion while others may be oppressive, and that education should foster reflexive engagement with these norms through a process of sublation (Aufhebung) to avoid closure and promote democratic openness.