The Tree, the Cage, and the Mirror: Cultural Reflexivity vs. Tradition and Rationalisation

The paper discusses the concept of cultural reflexivity as a distinct type of social practice. Cultural reflexivity is defined as an open-ended form of using cultural objects to mediate the self, and then compared to other types of practice - traditional and rationalised. The comparison proceeds in three dimensions: the criteria of validity, the mode of meaning, and the attitude of the acting subjects. Subsequently, the media of cultural reflexivity are discussed with a focus on the difference between cognitive and aesthetic reflexivity. Finally, the social conditions for cultural reflexivity are analysed, both at the structural and personal level. Keywords: cultural reflexivity