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Towards a relational approach to social justice - liberals, radicals, and Brazil's 'new social contract'

Lyon, Christopher Paul

[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2018.

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Abstract

Recent literature in various practical fields calls for a â€Â˜relational approachâ€Â™ to social justice, as a theoretical alternative that transcends limitations with liberal contractarianism to offer more penetrating analysis of social justice. I critically engage literature from radical intellectual-political traditions such as Marxism, feminism, and critical race theory to propose what can â€Â“ and can't â€Â“ form the basis of a cogent relational critique of liberalism and an alternative positive account. I hone this through dialogue with Rawlsian â€Â˜justice as fairnessâ€Â™, as well as more recent developments such as relational egalitarianism. The most distinguishing feature of a relational approach is ontological: its social-theoretic account of injustice comprises supra-individual phenomena â€Â“ relations, social groups, structure, historical causality â€Â“ as opposed to individual locations hosting portions of a distribuend. Moreover, I define an intermediate position in the ideal vs non-ideal theory debate, arguing that a persuasive relational approach would â€Â˜start from injusticeâ€Â™; it would identify the primary desideratum incumbent on social justice theory as being that it enhances understanding of real injustice and thereby informs counteraction. One upshot is a closer relationship between political philosophy and social theory; in turn this reflects how a relational approach to social justice can enjoy symbiosis with the broader â€Â˜relational turnâ€Â™ in humanities and social sciences. The argument is furthered through exemplificatory reference to the empirical context of Brazil's post-redemocratisation experimentation with participatory democracy in the social assistance sector, as an aspect of the country's putative 'new social contract'.

Bibliographic metadata

Type of resource:
Content type:
Administered thesis
Form of thesis:
Traditional
Type of submission:
Doctoral level ETD - final
Thesis title:
Towards a relational approach to social justice - liberals, radicals, and Brazil's 'new social contract'
Degree type:
Doctor of Philosophy
Degree programme:
Research Programme: Development Policy & Management
Publication date:
2018-01-16T11:39:14
Institution:
The University of Manchester
Location:
Manchester, UK
Total pages:
253
Abstract:
Recent literature in various practical fields calls for a â€Â˜relational approachâ€Â™ to social justice, as a theoretical alternative that transcends limitations with liberal contractarianism to offer more penetrating analysis of social justice. I critically engage literature from radical intellectual-political traditions such as Marxism, feminism, and critical race theory to propose what can â€Â“ and can't â€Â“ form the basis of a cogent relational critique of liberalism and an alternative positive account. I hone this through dialogue with Rawlsian â€Â˜justice as fairnessâ€Â™, as well as more recent developments such as relational egalitarianism. The most distinguishing feature of a relational approach is ontological: its social-theoretic account of injustice comprises supra-individual phenomena â€Â“ relations, social groups, structure, historical causality â€Â“ as opposed to individual locations hosting portions of a distribuend. Moreover, I define an intermediate position in the ideal vs non-ideal theory debate, arguing that a persuasive relational approach would â€Â˜start from injusticeâ€Â™; it would identify the primary desideratum incumbent on social justice theory as being that it enhances understanding of real injustice and thereby informs counteraction. One upshot is a closer relationship between political philosophy and social theory; in turn this reflects how a relational approach to social justice can enjoy symbiosis with the broader â€Â˜relational turnâ€Â™ in humanities and social sciences. The argument is furthered through exemplificatory reference to the empirical context of Brazil's post-redemocratisation experimentation with participatory democracy in the social assistance sector, as an aspect of the country's putative 'new social contract'.
Keyword(s):
Thesis main supervisor(s):
Thesis co-supervisor(s):
Degree grantor:
Language:
en

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:312983
Created by:
Lyon, Christopher
Created:
16th January, 2018, 11:39:14
Last modified by:
Lyon, Christopher
Last modified:
9th January, 2019, 09:52:47

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