The “Middle” as a Method: In Search for the Socio-Individual

The article discusses scholarly foundations of social dialogue as a mediative process and as a mode of interaction between the individual and the collective. The author justifies the transition from dualistic to ternary thinking, emphasizing the necessity of a new dominance based on the interaction between the Self and the Other. Classical philosophical ideas from the European Enlightenment and Romanticism gradually lose their relevance, giving way to alternative concepts that advocate a mediative approach to understanding social processes. Central to this research is an analysis and sociological reconstruction of V.A. Lektorsky’s philosophical paradox: the more universal the character of an individual’s activity, the more personally individual it becomes. The author explores the psychological and sociological ontogeny of this paradox, demonstrating its significance for comprehending contemporary social processes. Special attention is given to the concept of a mediative middle as a space for the interpenetration of the individual and the collective, wherein a new type of subjectivity is formed. The article illustrates how mediation mechanisms can overcome sociocultural divides and foster productive social dialogue. It addresses the challenge of finding the appropriate balance of shared understanding in social partnerships as a methodological tool for contemporary social theory. The author introduces the notion of the “non-classical deliberative Self,” contrasting it with traditional syncretic meanings and status roles. A concept of polysubjective partnership “I/We” is proposed, founded on the synthesis of the the socio-individual through personal-individual meanings and the individually-personal content of societal activity. The conclusion formulates the condition for such polysubjective partnership: the more societal activity aligns with individual personal interests, the more this activity becomes personally socio-individual.

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