I can't help but feel that Rorty is constructing a straw man on this one, at least if he is attempting to refute Fraser. Perhaps Butler emphasizes a more extreme concept of recognition that asks all people to attempt to understand and appreciate the many facets of all other cultures, but surely what Fraser is asking in her rejoinder is not unreasonable. She advocates a much more limited model of recognition, that she calls "the status model."(24)
I'm unsure of Butler's views on recognittion, but even granting that she may take the more extreme position it seems like too much to say that "recognition" only entails the recognition of differences, as can be inferred from Rorty on page 10, "recognition of culture or of 'cultural differences,'" and elsewhere throughout the reading. Recognition of culture in the extreme would mean to me recognition of both similarities and differences. Perhaps even finding new similarities through honest reflection of what was once thought as differences. And perhaps not, but you at least learn accept that some people do subscribe to these practices. However, if Rorty's descriptions here are representative of someone's views, please let me know. I consider him a pretty on the ball philosopher, I do not want to assume right away that he has done nothing more than tear down a straw man and would be very grateful to hear otherwise.
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This is a little late, but I thought I'd comment anyway...
I think Rorty asked a very serious question that, thus far in my reading, has remained unaddressed. He was writing about the "recognition" of "cultural differences" as you noted (p.10). Recognition, as it were, did not have to be about differences, it could have been about "common humanity" instead and Rorty offers us some possible reasons why it came to be the way it is.
I think commonality is just as easily learned as differences, which leads me to believe there is some deeper point/tactic involved in this form of recognition. We'd probably be better off if we spent more time thinking about what we have in common instead of what makes us different.
Just my 2 cents.
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