The Ambivalence of Recognition: Emancipation or Domination? Lepold

The text analyzes the role of recognition as the foundation of human subjectivity, referring to Axel Honneth's theories. The author indicates that although being seen and respected is essential for personality development, this process carries an inherent ambivalence. Based on Kristina Lepold's analysis, the tension between recognition as (liberating) and recognition as (disciplining) is shown. The problem lies in the fact that the desire for acceptance can lead to the internalization of oppressive norms and the adoption of identities shaped by power. Consequently, recognition is not always an act of freedom; it can become a mechanism of control in which the individual is accepted only on the condition of conforming to imposed, socially legible frames and categories.