This paper is double-coded POLS402/510
What does justice mean in the increasingly plural societies that characterise most Western states? Do we need to accommodate and affirm cultural differences through public recognition, or is it sufficient to leave people to pursue their own ends within the limits of a common legal framework? These questions have been centre-stage in recent political theory, with various attempts to accommodate cultural differences. Yet this new orthodoxy is increasingly under attack in both public debates and political theory. Issues we address in this paper include the validity of human rights and universal values; liberal multiculturalism and nationalism; indigenous co-sovereignty; and the conflict between cultural and gender claims.
Teaching Staff
Associated Professor Vicki Spencer: vicki.spencer@otago.ac.nz