Reconstructive criticism and social ontology: On the emancipatory potential in the ontology of institutions

Commonly, the critical analysis of institutions has focused on investigating how they build and reproduce relationships of domination. However, this seems to be a unilateral perspective. Therefore, taking into consideration the ontology of institutions proposed by Searle from a reconstructive perspective of criticism, this article argues that there is emancipatory potential within the ontological structure of institutions. The emancipatory processes do not necessarily take the form of interrupted or discontinuous institutional changes, but can develop into oppressive institutional complexes. In concrete terms, according to Boltanski, it is argued that excesses of validity and semantic contradictions lay the foundation for criticism of institutions from an institutional complex. Conversely, it is argued that a reconstruction of ratings and capabilities which leads to the emergence of institutional complexes can also provide a basis for criticism.