Dominanz als Kategorie in der interkulturellen Philosophie | Dominance as a category of intercultural philosophy
Globalisation of world economy leads to an increase of transnational dependencies. Since the problems of world economy have grown into global dimensions and the consequences affect the whole globe, also the effects on the cultural side (not only the economic ones) have to be taken into consideration. The asymmetrical superiority of the western concept of economy often is rejected with the argument the market would not know cultural differences and control/ adjust itself.
Considering the historical development of western economy and concerning the inequalities and their possible reasons, philosophy and also economy cannot leave this argument, but have to acknowledge the inequalities and ask for their reasons. Furthermore economic ethics then operates with this analysis and tries to elope programmes of compensation for the global economic problems. This article deals with a demand for dominance as a category in intercultural philosophy, since dominance – in philosophy as well as in economics – and its legitimation is supposed to be one of the central aspects of the issue of international justice.
Without an appropriate consideration of regional factors, the different sociocultural conditions of societies and a reflection of the required category of dominance, a distribution of cultural imperialistic notions won't be prevented in future.
Intercultural philosophy within this system can be and has to be anti colonial and post colonial philosophy of liberation, to develop its emancipatory forces and its meaning for the intermediation in this process.
Now it urges to think about an approach to the pressing global challenges without being culturally imperialistic or dominant in any way. The difficulty or challenge lies within the task of finding a way without being dominant and also without being morally unbinding. It is necessary to find a way to overcome monocultural centrism and achieve tolerance, mutual respect and appreciation.
Above all within times of globalising economies, the awareness of cultural common grounds should be strengthened and refrain from colonial thinkings and overcome the stereotypes.
One method of intercultural philosophy is deconstructing ethnocentrism and ending the monopoly of knowledge of one culture. The deconstruction fosters interaction and cooperation, dialogue and transfer of knowledge. Universal principles cannot be legitimated by power, but there should be a quest for a universal ethical criteria.
In the end, there has to be created an awareness for social, political and cultural reality and its influence on the regional boundedness of thinking. This reality does not determine the goals, but influences the ways of achievement a lot. The questioning of aspects we usually take for granted challenges the concept of the world and everything a person has learned before. But dominance and not legitimised power are factors which restrict the thinking and impede finding a handling with plurality which allows an open and unbiased discussion of different approaches and ways of thinking.
Hence one of the claims of intercultural philosophy should be a discourse which internalises dominance and power relations of the history of ideas and rethinks historical conditions as well as current economic terms.
Jessica Dömotör ist eine Referentin für die Bewertung internationaler Studienbewerbungen bei uni-assist e.V., Zuständig für die Länderbereiche Nordafrika und Naher Osten.