Respect, Plurality and Prejudice

(12.02.08) Hannah Arendt and Richard Sennett are both concerned with the conditions of possibility for the realization of plurality and appreciation of differences respectively. Sennett's question, in Respect in a World of Inequality , of why people in modern society generally fail to convey mutual regard across boundaries of inequality, provides a starting point for my discussion.

Lene Auestad

Hannah Arendt and Richard Sennett are both concerned with the conditions of possibility for the realization of plurality and appreciation of differences respectively. Sennett's question, in Respect in a World of Inequality , of why people in modern society generally fail to convey mutual regard across boundaries of inequality, provides a starting point for my discussion. I shall argue that, pace Sennett, respecting people who differ significantly from oneself is not necessarily without costs, as evaluations of issues and ideals and of oneself and others are interwoven in a more complex way than his theory suggests. Given the assumption that other social groups and persons serve as containers for unwanted, as well as idealized, qualities as part of the process of others' self-definitions, I shall look into the dynamics of this process. Rather than starting from the theoretical premise that a wide range of perceived qualities are irrelevant when the ascription of dignity to their bearer is concerned, my suggestion is to investigate into the symbolic and emotional meaning which is ascribed to some of these and the role they play in situations in which inclusion and exclusion is at stake. I shall use the concept of projective identification as developed by the British school of object-relations theory to develop a theory of the psychological aspects of respect and its opposites. Furthermore, I shall argue that social prejudice and a lack of respect can be fought by promoting integration of the self-conceptions of individuals as simultaneously actors and sufferers, subjects and objects, as beings who are creative interpreters and initiators of action as well as vulnerable to its consequences.

Publikasjoner:

Hovedoppgave /Cand. Philol. Thesis:
Arendt's Concept of Plurality, A Kleinian Perspective Hovedoppgave, Institutt for filosofi, Universitetet i Oslo, 2001.

Artikler i bøker /articles in books
Who is the Philosopher Speaking With? On Persons, Language and Feelings in Conversation i Henning Herrestad, Anders Holt, Helge Svare (red.) Philosophy in Society, Unipub forlag, Oslo, 2002.

Bidrag ved internasjonale konferanser / contributions at international conferences
Emotions and the Value of Object-attachments. Nussbaum and Klein on Emotions and the Human Good, Emotions, Others and the Self, Åbo University, Finland, 2005.

Who is the Philosopher Speaking With? On Persons, Language and Feelings in Conversation, The Sixth International Conference on Philosophy in Practice, Oslo, 2001.

Artikler i internasjonale tidsskrifter / articles in international journals
"Plurality and Human Dignity" Nordic Journal of Human Rights nr. 3 2005

Under vurdering for trykking (internasjonale tidsskrifter)/ currently being reviewed(international journals)
"The Relation of Thinking to Conscience" The Philosophical Quarterly"
Emotions and the Value of Object-attachments. Nussbaum and Klein on Emotions and the Human Good" Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

Furnishing People. An Interview with Maureen Baird, Scottish Painter and Psychologist" (With G. Ognjenovic) Dictum nr. 2 2005

"Holocaust i kontekst" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"The Holocaust in Context" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"Om død og verdighet. Mar adentro" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"On Death and Dignity. Mar adentro" Dictum nr. 1 2005

Artikler i dictum tidsskrift/ articles in dictum journal
"Emotions, Attachment and the Human Good. "Upheavals of Thought" by Martha Nussbaum" (Book essay) Dictum nr. 2 2005

"Et radikalt prosjekt. Et intervju med Cathrine Holst om feminisme" (Med G. Ognjenovic) Dictum nr. 2 2005
"A Radical Project. An interview with Cathrine Holst on feminism" (With G. Ognjenovic) Dictum nr. 2 2005"

Furnishing People. An Interview with Maureen Baird, Scottish Painter and Psychologist" (With G. Ognjenovic) Dictum nr. 2 2005

"Holocaust i kontekst" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"The Holocaust in Context" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"Om død og verdighet. Mar adentro" Dictum nr. 1 2005

"On Death and Dignity. Mar adentro" Dictum nr. 1 2005

Artikler i norske tidsskrifter /articles in norwegian journals

"Det var ikke mulig å overlate de østeuropeiske landene til sin egen skjebne" i Paneuropa Norge nr. 4 2003

"Uten en all-europeisk offentlighet, ingen europeisk identitet" i Paneuropa Norge nr. 4 2003

"Om hvordan mennesker er møblert" (Om Maureen Baird) i BarokkMinimalist årg. 1 nr. 10 2002

""Jeg har en barnslig fascinasjon for ansikter"" (Om Kathinka Vivendel) i BarokkMinimalist årg. 1 nr. 10 2002

"Hva er dødt i Galleri Wang?" (Om Morten Viskum) i BarokkMinimalist årg. 1 nr. 8 2002

Avisartikler og -innlegg /articles in newspapers

"Opprør er ofte et gode" i Aftenposten 16.12 2003

"Menneskeforakt i reklamen" i Aftenposten 12.07. 1998



Lene Auestad

Cand. Philol. (filosofi)

Doktorgradsstipendiat (august 2005-), Etikkprogrammet, tilsatt ved IFIKK, (filosofi). PhD-programmet ved filosofi, UiO/ HL Senteret (Senter for studier av Holocaust og livssynsminoriteters stilling i Norge).

Veileder: Prof. Arne Johan Vetlesen

Adresse: HL Senteret,
Huk aveny 56, 0287 Oslo

E-post: lene.auestad@ifikk.uio.no/ auestad@chello.no

Tlf. (arbeid): 22 84 21 04

Tidligere stipend fra Etikkprogrammet: Nei.