Philosopher's Zone Structural injustice and individual responsibility
Jan 2, 2022
In this discussion, Robin Zhang, an assistant professor at Yale-NUS College specializing in social and political philosophy, delves into the complex web of structural injustice. She highlights that nearly everyone bears some responsibility, yet emphasizes the need to avoid blame. Zhang introduces Iris Marion Young's social connection model, advocating for shared burdens in rectifying systems of injustice. Through examples like university divestment, she shows how individuals can leverage their roles for positive change while navigating the challenges of accountability and guilt.
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What Structural Injustice Is
- Structural injustice arises when ordinary, ethically defensible actions combine to produce systemic harm.
- This harm persists even if no individual intends it, because of interlocking social, economic, and cultural forces.
Responsibility Without Blame
- Iris Marion Young's social connection model reframes responsibility away from blame and toward shared burdens of change.
- It assigns people duties to help repair injustices without treating them as individually blameworthy.
Attribution Versus Accountability
- Distinguish attributability (agency) from accountability (repairing harm) for clearer responsibility claims.
- You can be accountable to address harms even when you are not blameworthy for causing them.