Between cosmopolitanism and political realism: Habermas, Honneth, and the English School of International Relations

Abstract

This article recasts the discussion on cosmopolitanism in the critical theory of Habermas and Honneth, based on the former’s notion of “constitutional patriotism” and the latter’s problematic theory of recognition between States, resorting to some premises of the English School of International Relations, with emphasis on the interlocution between pluralism and solidarity, so as to move forward in the cosmopolitan debate beyond a normatively Eurocentric proposal and as an alternative to utopian and state-centered models. Starting from a conjuncture of a political reality that is directed towards cosmopolitanism, Habermas uses the identity question and the respective awareness of society while being able to self-regulate as a sine qua non condition of legitimacy for a supranational political practice. However, in presenting his panorama, the Sternberg philosopher can be accused of falling into normative Westernism. Honneth remains skeptical about the idea of extending his theory of recognition to international relations between states or as something to be intuitively inferred from a robust philosophy of law, such as that which he himself sought to update by the normative reconstruction of the Hegelian theory of law. It is our contention that the English School may enable new directions in relation to a post-national reality in which it is possible to enforce principles such as global justice and human rights, while respecting the normative cleavages between peoples in the process of not suppressing different moral and cultural valuations.