The Experience of Injustice

"Emmanuel Renault's book opens an important new chapter in critical theory that goes well beyond the model it takes its inspiration from, Axel Honneth's "ethics of recognition." Renault argues that a radicalized theory of recognition, inspired by the work of Honneth, can provide a systematic alternative to the liberal-democratic projects of such thinkers as Rawls and Habermas. It places social suffering at the heart of a critical theory of justice and utilizes as its foundation a complex, psychoanalytically rich account of suffering and identity. Renault's book draws on a variety of theoretical sources and a wide range of critical-theoretical paradigms, including Habermasian and post-Habermasian critical theory (Habermas, Honneth, Fraser), communitarianism (Taylor), and French critical theory (Foucault, Ranciere, Bourdieu). It also brings the recognition paradigm into a sustained conversation with social movement theory, psychoanalysis, and socialist political thought"--