Communication, recognition and social work: Aligning the ethical theories of Habermas and Honneth

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32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The modern world is replete with ethical challenges of Orwellian proportions. The violation of human rights and misrecognition of identities are two of the most pressing examples. In this paper, the ethical theories of Habermas and Honneth are aligned as a way of addressing these specific challenges within social work. It is suggested that these theories are complementary, mutually rectifying and concordant at the meta-ethical level of analysis. The alignment is also justified, pargmatically, through the construction of three hypothetical vignettes demonstrating different kinds of practice dilemmas. The need for egalitarian communication and the imperative to recognise human identity in all its dimensions subsequently emerge as the two foundation stones for ethical deliberation in social work.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1274-1290
Number of pages17
JournalBritish Journal of Social Work
Volume39
Issue number7
Early online date11 Apr 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Health(social science)

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