Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Premises
Increasing political mobilization based on group identity rather class interests, yet increasing material inequality in the world What should we make of the rise of a new political imaginary centered on notions of identity, difference, cultural domination and recognition? Does this shift represent a lapse into false consciousness? Or does it redress the culture blindness of a materialist paradigm?
Critical theory of recognition that defends cultural politics of difference that can be combined with social politics of equality
Premises
Cultural Politics of Difference combined with Social Politics of Equality Cultural recognition supports not undermines social equality
Justice = Recognition + Redristribution
Identity-based claims predominate prospects for redistribution with little programmatic coherence
Both are pervasive, rooted in systematic processes, should be remedied Both injustices are often intertwined
Cultural norms create economic and political bias Economic disadvantages impede equal participation in everyday life
Redistribution claims call for sameness - DEMOLISH GROUP DIFFERENTIATION - Focused on political economic structures
Proposed Remedy
RECOGNITION aimed at remedying CULTURAL INJUSTICE REDISTRIBUTION aimed at remedying ECONOMIC INJUSTICE
Correcting inequitable outcomes of social arrangements without disturbing the underlying framework that generate them
Transformative remedies
Examples cited
Lesbian & Gay Identity Politics vs Queer Politics Liberal Politics vs. Socialist Politics See Matrix
Affirmation Redistribution Liberal welfare state Surface reallocations goods; - Supports group differentiation - Can lead to misrecognition
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Transformation Socialism Deep restructuring of relations of production; - Blurs group differentiation - Can lead to remedy misrecognition
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Recognition
Mainstream multiculturalism
Deconstruction
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Deep restructuring of - Surface reallocations of relations of recognition; respect - Destablizes group - Supports group differentiation differentiation
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Beijing Platform for Action (BFA) International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) UN Resolution of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (SCR 1325) Convention on the Rights of the Child
Final requirements:
Components of group report: Brief background / salient features of topic assigned Application of Redistribution Recognition Matrix Discussion / implications Pose 3 key questions