Description
Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be disadvantaged? Is it possible to compare different disadvantages? What should governments do to move their societies in the direction of equality, where equality is to be understood both in distributional and social terms? Linking rigorous analytical philosophical theory with broad empirical studies, including interviews conducted for the purpose of this book, Wolff and de-Shalit show how taking theory and practice together is essential if the theory is to be rich enough to be applied to the real world, and policy systematic enough to have purpose and justification.The book is in three parts. Part 1 presents a pluralist analysis of disadvantage, modifying the capability theory of Sen and Nussbaum to produce the ''genuine opportunity for secure functioning'' view. This emphasises risk and insecurity as a central component of disadvantage. Part 2 shows how to identify the least advantaged in society even on a pluralist view. The authors suggest that disadvantage '
Trade ReviewReview from previous edition A book for those who ask what we should do about the gross injustices that face us here and now * Serena Olsaretti, Times Literary Supplement *
an extremely engaging book ... their aim of providing a link between philosophy and public policy is one of the most attractive features of this volume. Without a doubt, Disadvantage constitutes an important contribution to the egalitarian debate about social justice. * Cristian Perez Muñoz, Political Studies Review *
Table of ContentsPART 1: THE SECURE FUNCTIONINGS APPROACH ; 1. The pluralism of disadvantage ; 2. Functionings ; 3. Risk ; 4. Opportunity and responsibility ; PART 2: APPLYING THEORY TO PRACTICE ; 5. The indexing problem ; 6. Measuring functionings ; 7. Clustering of disadvantage and empirical research ; PART 3: PUBLIC POLICY ; 8. Declustering disadvantage ; 9. Priority to the least advantaged ; 10. Addressing disadvantage while respecting people ; Appendix 1: Details of the interviews ; Index
