Odcudzená práca: dedičstvo klasického konceptu a možnosti jeho revitalizácie
Alienated Work: A Legacy of Classical Concept and Possibilities for its Revitalization

Summary/Abstract: The paper focuses on alienated work, a classical sociological concept which attracted a lot of attention. It discusses its roots in Marx’s works, its dimensions, and issues of essentialism and human nature. Against the background of the great variety of approaches to alienated work in the 20th century, attention is paid to systematization and review of main arguments both in theoretical and empirical studies, with the emphasis on the Marxist interpretations. High level of abstraction, difficulty with empirical validation on the one hand and loss of critical power and normativity through use in empirical surveys on the other hand belonged to the most frequent challenges discussed so far. The article explores a possibility how critical social theory could contribute to the revitalization of the concept of alienated work. It focuses on the arguments of Axel Honneth regarding work, including his early critique of Habermas and his later treatment of work within the theory of recognition.

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