Comparison without Othering: A Meta-Viewpoint Model

Zakład Badań nad Religią IFiS PAN zaprasza 10 czerwca (wtorek) o godzinie 11ej na wykład profesora Raivo Vetika z Uniwersytetu Tallińskiego.

Raivo Vetik wygłosi wykład pt: “Comparison without Othering: A Meta-Viewpoint Model”

Wykład będzie miał miejsce w pokoju nr 236 na drugim piętrze w Pałacu Staszica

Abstract wykładu:

This presentation addresses a central methodological challenge in comparative research on political agency and citizenship: how to establish equivalence between dominant and marginalized actors in asymmetric social fields without reproducing exclusionary assumptions. Through a critical analysis of Max Weber’s ideal-typical method and Engin Isin’s genealogical and phenomenological approach, the study demonstrates how each framework shapes the relationship between empirical observation and theoretical abstraction, and how each frames agency, structure, and the scope of citizenship. Building on Isin’s critique of mainstream comparative strategies, the article proposes a Meta-Viewpoint Model (MVM) grounded in meta-level reflexivity. The MVM integrates Kantian and Rawlsian procedural principles to level the analytical playing field, embedding reflexivity at micro, meso, macro, and meta levels. The practical implications of the MVM are illustrated through a case study of Estonian national identity, which demonstrates how multi-level reflexivity and context-sensitive operationalization can capture the complexities of interethnic relations and citizenship claims. The article argues that a truly reflexive comparative approach requires researchers to interrogate their own positionality, theoretical assumptions, and the broader power dynamics that shape knowledge production. By embedding dialogical reflexivity throughout the research process, the MVM offers a robust and actionable framework for advancing the study of political agency and citizenship in polarized and asymmetric contexts. This approach not only enhances empirical robustness and normative fairness but also contributes to a broader project of epistemic justice.

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