Normativity and Power
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Author Description
Humans Are Justificatory Beings—they offer, demand, and require justifications. The rules and institutions they follow rest on justification narratives that have evolved over time and, taken together, constitute a dynamic and tension-laden normative order. In this collection of essays, the first translation into English of the ground-breaking Normativität und Macht (Suhrkamp 2015), Rainer Forst presents a new approach to critical theory. Each essay reflects on the basic principles that guide our normative thinking. Forst's argument goes beyond 'ideal' and 'realist' theories and shows how closely the concepts of normativity and power are interrelated, and how power rests on the capacity to influence, determine, and possibly restrict the space of justifications for others. By combining insights from the disciplines of philosophy, history, and the social sciences, Forst re-evaluates theories of justice, as well as of power, and provides the tools for a critical theory of relations of justification.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This collection investigates the fundamental question of how normative orders are constructed through the human capacity for justification and the inherent power dynamics that shape these processes. Rainer Forst, a prominent figure in contemporary critical theory, synthesizes philosophical, historical, and social scientific perspectives to challenge the traditional dichotomy between ideal and realist political theories. He argues that power is not merely an external force but is deeply embedded in the ability to define, restrict, or influence the justificatory space available to others within a society.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive framework for a critical theory of relations of justification.
- Re-evaluations of classical and modern theories of justice and power.
- Analysis of how normative rules and institutions evolve through justification narratives.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a prescriptive manual for policy implementation.
- It does not focus on empirical case studies of specific contemporary political regimes.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of political philosophy frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the Frankfurt School tradition. Readers often note the high level of academic density, requiring a strong background in critical theory to fully engage with the author's nuanced arguments.
Page Count:
220
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192519697
ISBN-13:
9780192519696
Philosophy
Political Theory
Social Science
Ethics
Critical Theory
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