Ambivalent Recognition: The Harmful Social Consequences of an Ethical Good

by Kristina Lepold, Ciaran Cronin (Translator), Martin Saar (Foreword)

Recognition has become one of the key concepts of contemporary critical theory, heralded by thinkers such as Axel Honneth and Charles Taylor. It is widely claimed that a person must be recognized by others in order to realize their own identity and that the lack of recognition constitutes a form of oppression or injustice. Is recognition always a good thing?

In this ambitious and compelling book, Kristina Lepold challenges the common assumption that recognition is positive, emphasizing its ambivalent role in social life. She offers a systematic account of the complex nature of recognition, showing how it can implicate us in oppressive or otherwise problematic arrangements. Lepold engages with different approaches for thinking about recognition—including Axel Honneth’s influential theory, as well as arguments made by Louis Althusser, Pierre Bourdieu, and Judith Butler—which she reconstructs in a nuanced and accessible fashion.

By one of the most original voices in the new generation of critical theorists, Ambivalent Recognition is a must-read for anyone interested in not only one of critical theory’s key concepts but also the larger question of why unjust social arrangements often prove so stubborn and difficult to change.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 12, 2026

About the author

Kristina Lepold is junior professor of social philosophy and critical theory at Humboldt University Berlin.