Iris Marion Young Justice and the Politics of Difference extract

Classic notions of liberation from group based oppression have typically involved the elimination of group based differences. This ties into ideas about universal humanity and notions that individuals should be free to develop themselves without norms and expectations determined by their group belonging. Such ideas have been very important for emancipatory politics. Many groups have rejected these ideas, criticising them for requiring the oppressed to assimilate with the dominant group. Instead, these groups have created positive group identities based on their own cultural and social experiences. Insisting on ignoring group difference has three oppressive consequences: The privileged group implicitly defines the standards according to which others are measured. These standards are culturally and experientially specific, however they are portrayed as universal and neutral. This perpetuates the oppression of other groups who struggle to meet these standards. The ideal of a universal humanity allows privileged groups to ignore their own group specificity. Against this neutral ideal, only oppressed groups are marked as Other. The denigration of groups that deviate from the neutral standard causes an internalized devaluation by members of those groups.

A politics of difference removes double consciousness from oppressed groups, allowing them to celebrate their identity. This can also cause the revitalisation of the dominant culture. Oppressed groups may have cultural practises and perspectives that are superior to those of the dominant group. These groups provide a standpoint from which to criticise the dominant culture. Their struggle for a positive identity also pressures the dominant group to question the idea that their norms are universal and neutral. A politics of difference promotes a notion of group solidarity. Unlike the atomistic nature of liberal humanism, it insists on the liberation of groups. It also requires separate self-organization. Members of oppressed groups need separate organizations to reinforce the positivity of their own experience and to collapse double consciousness (though coalition is still allowed). There is some valid concern that admission of difference from oppressed groups will reinforce their oppression. Young argues that a politics of difference can overcome this however. Instead of seeing group difference as essentialising, it aims for an understanding of group difference as ambiguous, relational and shifting, with neither amorphous unity nor pure individuality. Groups are not comprised of people with a set of fixed attributes, but rather bring together those with a particular affinity, who share a similar social situations and perspectives. They will also acknowledge the differences within groups.