Acknowledgements
The present book is a revised and expanded version of my doctoral disertation with the same title “The Conception of Recognition in Ethics and Political Philosophy” which was submitted to the University of Münster on 10 April 2024. The oral examination (public defense) was held on 31 January 2025. This project was carried out as part of the international interdisciplinary program titled “Democracy, Human Rights, and Religion” (DHR), which was a collaborative effort between Ilia State University (Tbilisi) and the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (Münster). The project was generously funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.
I would like to express my gratitude to all those who contributed to the realization of this project and worked diligently to ensure its successful realization. I am particularly thankful to the program directors and my project supervisors, Prof. Michael Quante, Prof. Thomas Gutmann, and Prof. Giga Zedania. Their valuable feedback, comments, and guidance played a pivotal role in accomplishing this project. I am deeply appreciative of their generous and unwavering support throughout the entire duration of my work on this dissertation. The initial phases of this project posed significant challenges for me, and I wish to convey my heartfelt appreciation to each of them personally for their trust, patience, and belief in my ability to complete this dissertation successfully.
I have been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to personally meet with Prof. Arto Laitinen, Prof. Kristina Lepold, and Prof. Heikki Ikaheimo. I extend my gratitude to Arto Laitinen for his invitation and hospitality at the University of Tampere and for consistently being available to assist me in navigating challenging moments in structuring my arguments. His precise and direct feedback served as a guiding force when I faced difficulties in choosing the right direction. Kristina Lepold’s contributions to this thesis have been equally significant. Firstly, I want to express my appreciation for her openness and for inviting me to the Chair of Social Philosophy and Critical Theory at the University of Humboldt. I had the privilege of meeting Kristina on several occasions, and I am thankful for her numerous valuable suggestions and comments on the ideas I developed in my dissertation. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Heikki Ikaheimo, not only for providing me with invaluable insights but also for inspiring me over the past few years. His work and ideas have consistently illuminated my path as I worked on my dissertation.
It was a great honor for me to meet Prof. Axel Honneth at Columbia University in March 2024. His thoughts and ideas have been a source of inspiration for me for almost a decade now. I want to thank him for the nice and fruitful conversation that helped me to see the contemporary relevance of recognition once again. Prof. Honneth’s insightful comments were extremely helpful during the final phase of my project to structure some of my arguments more effectively.
Special thanks to Prof. Anna Stilz for her generous invitation that gave me a unique opportunity to finalize my dissertation at the Department of Politics at Princeton University. I have received a great deal of feedback and advice from her that helped me in revising some marginal parts of the project. The time spent in Princeton, engaging in discussions about my thesis with esteemed faculty members, played a pivotal role in shaping the final version of this dissertation.
I hold deep appreciation for the entire DHR team and for their consistent willingness to assist with various challenges and issues that arose over the years. Their ongoing support has meant a great deal to me. I would like to thank Dr. Simon Derpmann, Dr. Armando Manchisi, and Dr. Nicolas Koj for engaging in insightful discussions and providing feedback on my initial drafts during our colloquiums. They have always been ready to explore topics related to my dissertation, and their constructive suggestions significantly contributed to enhancing the structure of my arguments in a more clear and sophisticated manner. Additionally, I’d like to extend my gratitude to Tiko Kadagishvili for her support in various aspects of my Ph.D. journey. She exhibited remarkable dedication to this project and ensured that every aspect was as close to perfection as possible.
I would also like to express my gratitude to all my professors during my undergraduate and master’s studies. I am particularly thankful to Prof. Giga Zedania, Prof. Tamar Tskhadadze, Prof. Claudia Serban, and Prof. Marc Maesschalck for imparting the approach of philosophical inquiry as a process of discovery. Much of my understanding of the philosophical tradition and philosophical way of thinking has been influenced by the professors I encountered during my Master’s in EuroPhilosophie, spanning across Prague, Louvain-la-Neuve, and Toulouse. My commitment to expanding my knowledge in philosophy and social sciences, which has spanned over a decade, began in 2012 when I embarked on my undergraduate journey at Ilia State University. All the encounters, seminars, discussions, and personal conversations since then have played a significant role in equipping me to embark on the challenging path of writing a dissertation. Without these experiences, this dissertation would have taken an entirely different form, if it had come into existence at all.
I completed working on my dissertation in March 2024 – 30 years after the publication of the two seminal works in the contemporary recognition debates: Charles Taylor’s The Politics of Recognition and the German original version of Axel Honneth’s The Struggle for Recognition. I am deeply indebted to both of these authors and hope that the research in the theory of recognition will continue to provide inspirational perspectives about matters that concern our social lifeworld.
Thanks finally to my family and friends for their unwavering belief in me. Throughout these years, their emotional support has been crucial in maintaining my motivation and recognizing the significance of my work. Their positive reactions to every small step of progress as well as their overwhelming support during hard times kept me focused and empowered me to find inner strength. Words cannot describe the gratitude I feel for them.
Tbilisi, Georgia
April 2025