Abstract

AVILA HERNANDEZ, Flor María  and  MARTINEZ DE CORREA, Luz María. Recognition and Identity: Intercultural Dialog. Utopìa y Praxis Latinoamericana [online]. 2009, vol.14, n.45, pp.45-64. ISSN 1315-5216.

Taylor y Honneth have emphasized the importance of the inter-subjective recognition of cultural identity as an integrating part of the development of moral conscience in individuals in current societies. Multiculturalism, through the key category of «recognition», has sought foundations in the new political legitimation, based on the recognition of cultural rights. In this way, multiculturalism has reached two important objectives: on the one hand, the universal and equal socio-cultural dignity of cultures, and on the other, recognition of the tutelage of the sole identity of a particular ethnic-cultural group. Nevertheless, intercultural philosophy has overcome the limits of multiculturalism, and this has led Panikkar to define dialog as the art of knowing one’s self and the other, as awareness that both knowings are incomplete.  Our western culture has been dominated by diverse myths, which are more difficult to change than ideas. Panikkar indicates that mythos has a longer life and deeper, more subtle roots than logos in individuals.  He teaches how some collective myths have been dangerous in the forms of racism or nationallism (Aryan, Hebrew, Japanese, white, black) or anti-terrorism, among others. According to Panikkar, no man is above his own culture and a «cultural contract» similar to a «social contract» is impossible. Horizontal and vertical confines exist among cultures. According to Panikkar, dialog leads us to transcendence and the overcoming of our cultural and horizontal limits. Evidently, from his perspective, this dialog includes inter-religious dialog, because the soul of culture is religion.

Keywords : intercultural dialog; multiculturalism; culture; social contract; interreligious dialog.