Description
Book SynopsisPublic debates tend to see social inequality as resulting from individual decisions people make, for instance with respect to their education or lifestyle. Solutions are often sought in supporting individuals to make better choices. This neglects the importance of social groups and communities in determining individual outcomes. A moral perspective on social inequality questions the fairness of insisting on individual responsibilities, when members of some groups systematically receive fewer opportunities than others.
The essays in this book have been prepared by experts from different disciplines, ranging from philosophy to engineering, and from economics to epidemiology. On the basis of recent scientific insights,
World of Difference examines how group memberships impact on individual outcomes in four key domains: health, education and work, migration, and the environment. This offers a new moral perspective on social inequality, which policy makers tend to neglect.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Authors Chapter 1: Social inequality: Myths and facts - Naomi Ellemers 1.1 Rawls' veil of ignorance Gwen Van Eijk and Sabine Roeser 1.2 Common roots Richard Wilkinson 1.3 Moral reasoning: For better or worse Frank Hindriks 1.4 Mainstream economics is not value-neutral Irene Van Staveren 1.5 Convincing people to change their moral behavior Naomi Ellemers and Félice Van Nunspeet 1.6 Identity threats and the stability of social hierarchies Daan Scheepers 1.7 Morality and unjust inequality Neelke Doorn and Pauline Kleingeld Chapter 2: Education and work - Jojanneke van der Toorn 2.1 Pay differences Irene Van Staveren 2.2 Myth of equal opportunities Gwen Van Eijk 2.3 Equal opportunities in markets is dynamic Irene Van Staveren 2.4 Early childhood interventions Kate Pickett 2.5 Group-based stereotypes restrict opportunities of individuals Belle Derks 2.6 Gendered preferences: A matter of nature and nurture Sabine Roeser Chapter 3: Health - Félice Van Nunspeet 3.1 Lifestyle drift Kate Pickett 3.2 The responsibility paradox Frank Hindriks 3.3 The social gradient in health Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson 3.4 From social stigma to health Belle Derks and Daan Scheepers 3.5 Benefits of social inclusion Naomi Ellemers 3.6 Group-density effect Kate Pickett and Madeleine Power Chapter 4: Migration - Daan Scheepers 4.1 The birthright lottery Joseph Heath 4.2 Motivations to justify inequality Jojanneke Van der Toorn 4.3 Inequality, migration and moral duties Pauline Kleingeld 4.4 Social identity Naomi Ellemers Chapter 5: Climate change - Belle Derks 5.1 Climate justice Neelke Doorn 5.2 Drawbacks of carbon emission rights trading Servaas Storm 5.3 Carbon responsibility Servaas Storm 5.4 Environmental Justice, emotions and motivation Sabine Roeser ` Statistics Figure 1: GPD per capita and wellbeing Figure 2: Inequality and social problems Figure 3: Relative likelihood of unemployment Figure 4: Equality vs. Equity Figure 5: Inequality and health outcomes Figure 6: Net migration Figure 7: Explaining attitudes towards migration Figure 8: Inequality in climate change References and further reading
