Justifications as a Linkage Mechanism

Abstract

This chapter discusses the challenges of conceptualizing links and connections in the political system, and conceives the practice of reason-giving as a means of dealing with these challenges. Offering reasons is seen as a social practice that provides a mechanism for assessing justifications that attach or divide actors across a set of institutions or social places. The chapter explores Habermas’ concept of “the binding force of reasons” and provides methodological guidelines and practical strategies for mapping the substantive content of reasons. It also highlights the benefits of this analytical framework in pragmatic and epistemic terms. In conclusion, we draw attention to the theoretical relevance of assessing substantive justifications, in addition to procedural measurements. Doing so can help move from micro to macro levels of analysis, or vice versa, and can improve empirical research in the fields of deliberative democracy and political communication.