Recognition as Representative Claim

Justice as equality of political rights, not just civil liberties, is at the heart of Elisabetta Galeotti’s theory of recognition, a component of liberalism and a “positive” form of toleration. However, recognition is an eminently political issue, a claim of representation. Placing it within the liberal model of toleration involves asking liberalism more than it can give and recognition less than it can provide. Toleration is a liberal policy of non-interference and containment of political power. However, recognition demands more politics and, in this sense, is more inclined toward democratic participation and, as a claim of representation, is primed to generate rather than sedate conflicts.