From Redistribution to Recognition?

Dilemmas of Justice in a Postsocialist Age

Nancy Fraser, 1997
Tesa C. de Vela Miriam College September 2011

 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

 Critical Theory of Recognition

Redistribution Recognition Dilemma

Identity-based claims predominate prospects for redistribution with little programmatic coherence

Propose two analytical understandings of injustice

Social-economic injustice rooted in political-economic structures of society exploitation, marginalization, deprivation

Cultural & symbolic injustice based on social patterns of representation, interpretation, & communication cultural domination, non-recognition / invisibilized, disrespect

 Critical Theory of Recognition

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

 Critical Theory of Recognition

Interference between recognition and redistribution remedies

Recognition claims call for specificity & its valuing - GROUP DIFFERENTIATION - Focused on cultural-valuation structures

Redistribution claims call for sameness - DEMOLISH GROUP DIFFERENTIATION - Focused on political economic structures

 Critical Theory of Recognition

Proposed Remedy

RECOGNITION aimed at remedying CULTURAL INJUSTICE REDISTRIBUTION aimed at remedying ECONOMIC INJUSTICE

Bivalent collectivities as a key concept

e.g. race & gender

 Critical Theory of Recognition

The question of Remedy Affirmation or/and Transformation

Affirmative remedies

Correcting inequitable outcomes of social arrangements without disturbing the underlying framework that generate them

Transformative remedies

Correcting inequitable outcomes precisely by restructuring the underlying generative framework

 Critical Theory of Recognition

Examples cited

Lesbian & Gay Identity Politics vs Queer Politics Liberal Politics vs. Socialist Politics See Matrix

Affirmative Strategies promote group Differences said to lead to Stigmatization

Transformative Strategies blur Differences said to lead to Solidarity

Affirmation Redistribution Liberal welfare state Surface reallocations goods; - Supports group differentiation - Can lead to misrecognition
-

Transformation Socialism Deep restructuring of relations of production; - Blurs group differentiation - Can lead to remedy misrecognition
-

Recognition

Mainstream multiculturalism

Deconstruction
-

Deep restructuring of - Surface reallocations of relations of recognition; respect - Destablizes group - Supports group differentiation differentiation

 Using Frasers Critical Theory of Recognition for group presentation on:

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:

Group report = 50% of finals

Components of group report: Brief background / salient features of topic assigned Application of Redistribution Recognition Matrix Discussion / implications Pose 3 key questions

Presentations 10-15 minutes per group on Sept. 28

Individual submissions of one page paper = 50% of finals

Attendance at RH Bill forum on September 15, 9am-12nn, U.P. College of Law

Submission of papers Sept. 28