This article examines the fundamental role of moral and social imagination in the constitution of political identity, drawing upon the thought of Charles Taylor, one of the most influential contemporary philosophers. In his seminal works, such as Sources of the Self (1989) and Modern Social Imaginaries (2004), Taylor significantly reshaped the understanding of identity, morality, and modernity, providing a crucial response to the identity crisis of late modernity. The central thesis of the article posits an inextricable link between political identity and both moral and social imagination. Identity is perceived not as a rigid, static structure, but as a dynamic, dialogical process of polyphonic narrative, constantly negotiated within specific social and historical contexts. It is formed through interaction with "significant others," implying that interpersonal relationships are fundamental to an individual’s self-definition. Moral imagination provides the individual with an internal value compass, enabling orientation within the "moral universe" and the exercise of "strong evaluations"—qualitative distinctions between what is noble and higher, and what is base or lower.
Concurrently, a key constructive element of political identity is the social imaginary, defined as an intuitive, collectively modulated understanding of how people envision their social existence and mutual relationships. This imaginary, expressed through images, stories, and legends, evolves from a pre-modern order toward a modern one, where individuals imagine themselves as free and equal citizens. Taylor emphasizes that the economy and the public sphere are conceived as existing independently of political power; thus, politics itself is deeply embedded in these collective imaginaries. Consequently, true political change requires a transformation of the entire imaginary, which is a far more daunting task than merely changing the letter of the law.
In the context of identity formation, the article extensively discusses the "politics of recognition." Taylor argues that the state cannot remain neutral toward identity issues, as the non-recognition or misrecognition of an individual’s or a cultural group’s identity becomes an instrument of oppression that undermines the human "being oneself." This leads to the conclusion that politics must move beyond formal neutrality and must not be "difference-blind," a stance that lies at the heart of the tension between the politics of universal dignity and the politics of difference. Political imagination is not merely a reflection of reality but its primary constituent, creating values, norms, and symbols. The strengthening, protection, and transformation of these narratives are crucial in an increasingly complex and multicultural world. Finally, the article notes that Taylor's concepts face criticism regarding the perceived one-sidedness and selectivity of his politics of recognition, an insufficient consideration of power dynamics, and the omission of other dimensions of difference, such as gender, race, or class.
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