An Intersectional Feminist Theory of Moral Responsibility

This book develops an intersectional feminist approach to moral responsibility, critiquing prevailing philosophical theories and offering a compatible account that emphasizes the experiences of marginalized groups. It critiques culturally normative responsibility practices and promotes communicative and functionalist approaches to blame and praise.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book develops an intersectional feminist approach to moral responsibility, achieving four main goals. Firstly, it outlines a concise list of the main principles of intersectional feminism, providing a foundation for understanding the approach. Secondly, it critiques prevailing philosophical theories of moral responsibility, highlighting their limitations and biases. Thirdly, it offers an account of moral responsibility that is compatible with the ethos of intersectional feminism, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and addressing the intersecting forms of oppression experienced by individuals and groups. Finally, it uses intersectional feminist principles to critique culturally normative responsibility practices, challenging the perpetuation of harmful norms and stereotypes.

The book begins by identifying the five principles central to intersectional feminism: recognition, resistance, redistribution, representation, and responsibility. These principles serve as a framework for understanding the complex ways in which social identities, such as race, gender, class, sexuality, and ability, intersect and shape moral responsibility. The author then demonstrates how influential theories of responsibility, such as agent-based theories, virtue ethics, and deontological theories, are incompatible with these principles. For example, agent-based theories focus on the actions and intentions of individuals, while intersectional feminism emphasizes the systemic and structural factors that contribute to oppression and adversity.

The author argues that a normatively adequate theory of blame should not be preoccupied with the agency or traits of wrongdoers but should instead underscore, and seek to ameliorate, oppression and adversity as experienced by the marginalized. Apt blame and praise, according to the intersectional feminist account, are both communicative and functionalist. They serve as a means of expressing solidarity and support for marginalized individuals and groups, as well as a tool for promoting social change.

The book concludes with an extensive discussion of culturally embedded responsibility practices, including asymmetrically structured conversations and gender- and racially biased social spaces. The author argues that these practices perpetuate oppression and marginalization and that it is essential to challenge and dismantle them. She suggests that individuals and groups can work towards creating more inclusive and equitable social spaces by recognizing and challenging their own biases and assumptions, as well as by advocating for policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion.

In conclusion, An Intersectional Feminist Approach to Moral Responsibility is a groundbreaking and essential book for anyone interested in the intersection of moral responsibility, feminist philosophy, and social justice. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced account of moral responsibility that recognizes the complex ways in which social identities intersect and shape our moral judgments and actions. By challenging prevailing philosophical theories and promoting a more inclusive and equitable understanding of moral responsibility, this book contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the importance of social justice and equality.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032337463