A Comparative Study: Ibn Khaldun's Asabiyah and Habermas' Life-World

Abstract

This study will generally examine the theory of Habermas' life-world and Ibn Khaldun's asabiyah, comparatively. After Derrida’s death, Habermas is known as one of the greatest philosophers and sociologists living in our age. He established a very comprehensive 'life-world' theory by taking sociological materials from numerous philosophers and sociologists. Ibn Khaldun is considered to be the founding father of modern sociology. He is famous for analysing historical events in a deterministic way, with a cause-effect relationship. I think it would be a very productive study to compare the concepts and ideas he developed with certain theories of Habermas, especially in socio-economic terms. In this study, I will first investigate cultural reproduction and its functions such as social integration, the formation of belonging, socialization, responsibility awareness, solidarity, and social legitimacy, in the theory of Habermas. Then I will study their correspondents with regard to Ibn Khaldun’s asabiyah theory.