| Abstract | Ova doktorska disertacija bavi se suvremenim pojmom političke korektnosti i pokazuje njezina dva ‘lica’ – pozitivno i negativno. U radu se prikazuju najznačajniji argumenti zagovornika političke korektnosti (– iz reda feminizma i multikulturalizma) koji ističu njezino pozitivno lice poput ispravljanja društvenih nepravdi, inkluzije depriviranih društvenih skupina, smanjenja diskriminacije i rasizma i slično i protivnika političke korektnosti (– iz reda ‘klasičnih liberala’, (neo)konzervativaca i ‘nove’ ljevice) koji ističu njezino negativno lice poput poticanja cenzure i autocenzure, ograničavanja slobode govora, stvaranja većeg animoziteta između različitih društvenih skupina i slično te se objema stranama nastoji dati “pošteno saslušanje” jer obje imaju “validan filozofski temelj” kad brane/napadaju političku korektnost. Problem koji rad pokušava osvijetliti relevantan je za znanstvenu zajednicu, medije, donositelje javnih politika i širu javnost. Disertacija ima pet temeljnih ciljeva: (i) potaknuti akademsku raspravu u Hrvatskoj o ovom važnom suvremenom fenomenu i s njim povezanim novim fenomenima poput politički korektnog kapitalizma; (ii) teorijski prikazati ključne aspekte fenomena političke korektnosti – njegovu pozitivnu i negativnu stranu – kako se on izvorno pojavio u SAD-u te kritički diskutirati literaturu koja se njime bavi; (iii) pokazati kako fenomen u praksi mijenja ekonomsku, političku, pravnu, kulturnu i medijsku sferu prije svega u Europskoj uniji i Hrvatskoj; (iv) ponuditi rješenje za pomirbu između sukobljenih strana za i protiv političke korektnosti uvodeći nove normativne koncepte poput razboritog inženjeringa; i (v) pokazati zašto treba odbaciti neke od pretpostavki zagovornika političke korektnosti i protivnika političke korektnosti koje plastično prikazuju političku korektnost kao isključivo pozitivan ili isključivo negativan fenomen, a koje dominiraju javnim, medijskim i akademskim diskursom te doprinose daljnjem produbljivanju sukoba između suprotstavljenih strana u kulturnoj borbi. Temeljne pretpostavke disertacije su: (i) politička korektnost ima pozitivno i negativno ‘lice’, a postala je konstitutivni element suvremene političke, akademske, pravne, ekonomske, medijske i kulturne sfere zapadnih liberalnih demokracija; (ii) došlo je do prijenosa diskursa političke korektnosti iz zapadnih liberalnih demokracija na tranzicijske države koji, kada je utemeljen na radikalnom inženjeringu, nerijetko ima negativne posljedice; (iii) pomirba suprotstavljenih strana – zagovornika političke korektnosti (– iz reda feminizma i multikulturalizma) i protivnika političke korektnosti (pristaše ‘klasičnog liberalizma’) –moguća je ako se provedba državnih intervencija u izražavanje i ponašanje prema društveno depriviranim skupinama i (re)prezentiranje društveno depriviranih skupinama utemelji na principima razboritog inženjeringa; (iv) politička korektnost u zapadnim liberalnim
demokracijama je u sprezi s kapitalizmom doprinijela stvaranju novog fenomena – politički korektnog kapitalizma, koji u sprezi s radikalnim inženjeringom može potkopati postojeći pravni poredak. |
| Abstract (english) | This thesis explores a notion of political correctness – a popular contemporary phenomenon that has been sparking heated debates in media, culture, law, and politics over recent decades. It investigates the two ‘faces’ of political correctness – positive and negative and presents key arguments of the so-called ‘PC crusaders’ and ‘PC bashers’. ‘PC crusaders’, such as feminists and multiculturalists, are advocates of political correctness who emphasize its positive ‘face’ such as rectification of social injustices, inclusion of socially deprived groups, and reduction of discrimination and racism. ‘PC bashers’, such as ‘classical liberals’, (neo)conservatives, and the ‘radical left’, are opponents of political correctness who emphasize its negative face, such as (self-)censorship, restriction on freedom of speech, and creation of animosity between various social groups. The two groups stand on the opposite sides of the cultural war. One side often has difficulty understanding the arguments of the ‘other side’ and accepting that the arguments of the ‘Other’ can also have a valid theoretical and practical foundation. Therefore, the thesis aims to provide a platform for a ‘fair hearing’ of both sides.
In the thesis, political correctness is defined as a contemporary phenomenon that arose from a broader social movement that requires an intervention in the expression and behaviour towards socially deprived groups, and in the (re)presentation of socially deprived groups, in order to: (i) rectify injustices towards socially deprived groups (from the past); and/or (ii) protect the dignity of the socially deprived groups (at present); and/or (iii) encourage positive attitudes towards socially deprived groups (for the future).
The dissertation is relevant to the academic community, media, decision-makers, and the general public. It aims to: (i) stimulate academic debate related to political correctness; (ii) present the origins of political correctness and its key positive and negative aspects through critical appraisal of available academic and grey literature; (iii) elucidate how political correctness is changing the legal, economic, political, cultural, and media spheres, focusing on the European Union and Croatia; (iv) offer a solution for reconciliation between the conflicting sides for and against political correctness by introducing a new normative concept – reasonable engineering; and (v) show why some of the propositions of proponents and opponents of political correctness that simplistically portray political correctness as an exclusively positive or exclusively negative phenomenon are contributing to further deepening of the conflicts between opposing sides in the cultural war. The fundamental propositions of the thesis are: (i) political correctness has a positive and negative ‘face’ and it has become a constitutive element of the contemporary political, academic, legal, economic, media, and
cultural spheres of Western liberal democracies; (ii) a transfer of the discourse of political correctness from Western liberal democracies to states in transition can, when based on radical engineering, often have very negative consequences; (iii) reconciliation of opposing sides – proponents of political correctness (feminists and multiculturalists) and opponents of political correctness (supporters of ‘classical liberalism’) – is feasible if the implementation of state interventions related to the expression and behaviour towards socially deprived groups, and the (re)presentation of socially deprived groups, is based on the principles of reasonable engineering; (iv) in Western liberal democracies, political correctness combined with capitalism are responsible for the development of a new phenomenon – politically correct capitalism, which – when merged with radical engineering – has the potential to undermine the existing legal order.
The thesis is divided into six chapters. The first chapter is focused on the review of the key literature necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of academic, legal, and socio-political debates on political correctness. The second chapter is focused on the main theoretical perspectives and arguments of the proponents of political correctness – multiculturalists and feminists. Primarily through analysis of the key arguments presented in the book Justice and the Politics of Difference by Iris Marion Young, the chapter shows how political correctness has a valid theoretical foundation that is based on multiculturalism and feminism. The third chapter is dedicated to the opponents of political correctness. In the first part, the fundamental objections to the phenomenon of political correctness are presented. In the second part, some of the most important authors who represent one of the main paradigms against political correctness – 'classical liberalism', (neo)conservatism, and the 'radical left' – are presented. The fourth chapter argues that the reconciliation of 'PC crusaders' (i.e. feminists and multiculturalists) and ‘PC bashers’ (i.e. 'classical liberals') is feasible if the measures of the politics of recognition and political correctness are based on the principles of reasonable engineering. Additionally, this chapter introduces and defines three new concepts that can further contribute to a more constructive academic and public debate on political correctness – reasonable engineering, radical engineering, and politically correct capitalism. The fifth chapter is dedicated to the popular claim that political correctness and multiculturalism will destroy Europe. The chapter explores whether the discourse of political correctness is present, and to what extent, in the fundamental treaties of the European Union. The sixth chapter is dedicated to Croatia and the analysis of political correctness in the Croatian legal and media sphere. Additionally, this chapter presents key recommendations and a proposal of a normative
protocol aimed at assisting the state bodies and institutions in decision-making related to politically incorrect expressions, behaviours and/or (re)presentations. |
