Equality: Multidisciplinary Perspectives

✍ Scribed by François Levrau, Noel Clycq

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2020
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 367
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

‘Equality’ as an ideal has a long history, and while some progress has obviously been made, the persistence of certain inequalities is remarkable.

In order to draw a detailed picture of equality’s nature, value, relevance, and scope, this book provides a multidisciplinary analysis. Using a classic three part framework, the book looks at the macro level (broader systemic, historical, conceptual, societal and European level), the meso level (concrete social institutions such as the labour market and the welfare state) and the micro level of the individuals and their relations and thoughts about equality (psychological reactions, cultural depictions and sociological analyses).

The chapters not only provide an overview of the state of equality, but also identify promising areas of future research, and will be of interest to students and scholars across a number of fields including European studies, history, law, political philosophy, psychology, sociology and economics.

✦ Table of Contents

Preface
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Part I Introduction
1 Introduction: Equality as a Multifaceted Concept
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Moral Equality: An Enlightened and Spiritual Ideal
1.3 Why Enlightened Politics Were/Are Not Always so Enlightened
1.4 Current Challenges on the Socioeconomic Level
1.5 Challenges on the Sociocultural Level
1.6 Why and When Is Inequality Is Morally Wrong?
1.7 Politics of Equality
1.8 Enduring Equality
1.9 Egalitarian and Skeptical Voices
1.10 Outline of the Book
References
Part II Theories & Histories
2 Egalitarianism: A Tour d’horizon
2.1 Introduction: Treating People with Equal Concern and Respect
2.2 Equality and Liberty
2.3 Equality of What? What Needs to Be Distributed Equally?
Resource Theories
Welfare Theories
Capability Theories
2.4 What Is the Role of Individual Responsibility in Egalitarian Theories?
Dworkin’s Luck Egalitarian Critique to Rawls
Expensive Tastes: Dworkin vs. Cohen
A Plethora of Visions
2.5 Which Redistribution Principle?
Strict Egalitarianism
Prioritarianism
Sufficientarism
Limitarianism
2.6 Social Egalitarianism
No Status Hierarchy and Domination
No Oppression
An Egalitarian Social Ethos
Redistribution and Recognition
2.7 Conclusion
References
3 Equality, Rights and Community: A Long Term Perspective
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Equality Before Redistribution and Universal Rights
3.3 The Waning of Communal Ideologies in the Early Modern Period
3.4 Universal Rights and Its Challenges
3.5 Towards Redistribution Based on Labour and Merit
3.6 Conclusion
References
4 Multiculturalism Today: Difference, Equality and Interculturalism
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Multicultural Accommodation of Difference
4.3 How Does Multiculturalism Relate to Interculturalism?
4.4 Multiculturalism Today
4.5 Equal Dignity and Equal Respect
4.6 Multiculturalism, Difference and Inequality
References
Part III Institutions & Policies
5 Religion and Equality in the Workplace: A Legal-Philosophical Analysis
5.1 Introduction
5.2 A Difference-Blind Approach
5.3 A Difference-Sensitive Approach
5.4 Reasonable Accommodation
5.5 Reasonable Accommodation and Religion: European Case Law
5.6 ECJ-EU Case Law
Bougnaoui & ADDH v. Micropole SA (ECLI: EU: C: 2017: 204)
Achbita & Center for Equality of Opportunity and Opposition to Racism v. G4S Secure Solutions NV (ECLI: EU: C: 2017: 203)
5.7 ECHR Case Law
Neutral Organizations: Eweida and Chaplin
Religiously Affiliated Organizations: Obst and Schüth
5.8 Conceptual Vagueness: Context Matters
Neutrality
Religion
Reasonableness
Discrimination
5.9 Conclusion
References
6 Economic Equality and the Welfare State
6.1 Introduction
6.2 A Brief History of Welfare State Evolution
6.3 Risk Smoothing Over the Life Course
6.4 Classification of Welfare States
6.5 Economic Equality in the Welfare State
6.6 The Future of the Welfare State
6.7 Conclusion
References
7 Gender, Anti-discrimination and Diversity: The EU’s Role in Promoting Equality
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Legal Basis of Equality, Non-discrimination and Diversity
7.3 A Strong Focus on Gender Equality
7.4 Combatting Discrimination and Racism
7.5 A Multi-pronged Policy Framework: Key Tools and Their Challenges
7.6 The Importance of Fairness in the Current Context
References
Part IV Experiences & Impressions
8 How Do People React to (In)Equality and (In)Justice? A Psychological Approach
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Inequality and Injustice
8.3 (In)Equality and Distributive Injustice
8.4 Psychological Reactions to Unfair Distributions
Reactions to Unfair Distributions in Education
Reactions to Unfair Distributions in the Workplace
Reactions to Unfair Distributions in the Family
8.5 Future Directions: Reactions to Unfair Distributions with Regard to Environmental Issues
8.6 Conclusion
References
9 What Welfare Principles Do Europeans Prefer? An Analysis of Their Attitudes Towards Old Age Pensions and Unemployment Benefits
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Principles of Welfare Redistribution
9.3 Which Principle Prevails?
9.4 Who Prefers What Principle?
9.5 On Cross-National Variation
9.6 Conclusion
References
10 A Transdisciplinary Cultural Studies’ Approach to Inequality: What Can We Learn from Precarity Studies and Why Does Art Matter?
10.1 Introduction
10.2 A Cultural Studies’ Approach to Society
10.3 A Cultural Studies’ Approach to Socioeconomic Inequality
10.4 The Importance of Precarity Studies
10.5 Conclusion
References
Index