Phenomenology of Reification

The article aims at analysing the late modern forms of reification. Firstly, the history of the concept is overviewed based on Marx’s, Lukacs’s, Habermas’ and Honneth’s relevant works. It is argued that reification can be understood as a consequence of several factors (class position, formal rationalization, differentiation of systems, lack of recognition), which are constituting a complex sphere of potentials in late modernity. Therefore, the social suffering caused by reification can be explained as the result of various patterns of causes. In order to illustrate how reification affects late modern agents, a narrative interview is analysed in this article.