Principles and Political Order: The Challenge of Diversity (Routledge Innovations in Political Theory)

An ideal new multi-disciplinary volume for students and scholars of philosophy, contemporary political theory, and international relations. This volume offers key insights into the work of the chief figures in the contemporary debate surrounding thin universalism and presents a usefully themed contribution to the secondary literature on the work of Onora O’Neill, John Rawls, Michael Walzer, Martha Nussbaum, Stuart Hampshire and others as well as a commentary on contemporary debates surrounding human rights and distributive justice. This new book enables the reader to strongly grasp all the core debates in contemporary normative theory. The liberal and democratic political order is underpinned by universal principles of justice. However, the universality of these principles is now being questioned and undermined by challenges from postmodernism, communitarianism, multiculturalism and other forms of anti-foundationalism. These challenges highlight the sheer diversity of cultures and values, treating liberal values and democratic political culture as one idea of social organization amongst many. While social and political orders are capable of almost endless variation, it may be that not every diverse order is legitimate and we can justifiably regard some forms of social organization as beyond the pale and a 'thin' form of universalism has been developed to support this contention. The core idea behind 'thin universalism' is that it is possible to rehabilitate the universalist aspirations of normative theory while acknowledging the force of many antifoundationalist and multiculturalist criticisms of universalism. This book brings together prominent international political theorists to explain and discuss this contested concept and explore how we can stand up for and act upon principles in a world characterized by cultural difference, moral skepticism, and political division. The authors present a variety of perspectives: some chapters are sympathetic to the idea of a thin universalist account of justification, some are reluctant advocates and others are skeptical about its success or even desirability. Opening out core debates in contemporary normative theory, this volume will be of great interest to researchers and scholars working in the fields of contemporary political theory, political philosophy and IR theory Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Notes on contributors......Page 9 Introduction......Page 10 1 Nation and universe......Page 19 2 Thin universalism: moral authority and contemporary political theory......Page 51 3 Thin universalism as weak foundationalism......Page 69 4 Thin universalism and the ‘limits’ of justification......Page 85 5 How do principles work?......Page 106 6 Why thin universalism needs conceptions of society and person......Page 120 7 Proceduralism as thin universalism: Stuart Hampshire’s ‘procedural justice’......Page 137 8 Gender equality and cultural justice: how thin is Nussbaum’s universalism?......Page 156 9 Thin universalism and cultural identity: The case of welsh nationalism......Page 169 10 Thin universalism and distributive justice......Page 185 11 Rawls on human rights: liberal or universal?......Page 201 Index......Page 222 Introduction -- Nation And Universe / Michael Walzer -- Thin Universalism : Moral Authority And Contemporary Political Theory / Peter Sutch -- Thin Universalism As Weak Foundationalism / Bruce Haddock -- Thin Universalism And The Limits Of Justification / Mark Evans -- How Do Principles Work? / Axel Kaehne -- Why Thin Universalism Needs Conceptions Of Society And Person / Peri Roberts -- Proceduralism As Thin Universalism : Stuart Hampshire's Procedural Justice / John Horton -- Gender Equality And Cultural Justice : How Thin Is Nussbaum's Universalism? / Andrea Baumeister -- Thin Universalism And Cultural Identity : The Case Of Welsh Nationalism / Gwenllian Lansdown -- Thin Universalism And Distributive Justice / David Boucher -- Rawls On Human Rights : Liberal Or Universal? / Rex Martin. Edited By Bruce Haddock, Peri Roberts And Peter Sutch. Includes Bibliographical References. Introduction Nation and universe / Michael Walzer Thin universalism : moral authority and contemporary political theory / Peter Sutch Thin universalism as weak foundationalism / Bruce Haddock Thin universalism and the "limits" of justification / Mark Evans How do principles work? / Axel Kaehne Why thin universalism needs conceptions of society and person / Peri Roberts Proceduralism as thin universalism : Stuart Hampshire's "procedural justice" / John Horton Gender equality and cultural justice : how thin is Nussbaum's universalism? / Andrea Baumeister Thin universalism and cultural identity : the case of Welsh nationalism / Gwenllian Lansdown Thin universalism and distributive justice / David Boucher Rex Martin Rawls on human rights : liberal or universal? Humanities Book Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 8 Notes on contributors 9 Introduction 10 1 Nation and universe 19 2 Thin universalism: moral authority and contemporary political theory 51 3 Thin universalism as weak foundationalism 69 4 Thin universalism and the ‘limits’ of justification 85 5 How do principles work? 106 6 Why thin universalism needs conceptions of society and person 120 7 Proceduralism as thin universalism: Stuart Hampshire’s ‘procedural justice’ 137 8 Gender equality and cultural justice: how thin is Nussbaum’s universalism? 156 9 Thin universalism and cultural identity: The case of welsh nationalism 169 10 Thin universalism and distributive justice 185 11 Rawls on human rights: liberal or universal? 201 Index 222 An ideal new multi-disciplinary volume for students and scholars of philosophy, contemporary political theory, and international relations. This volume offers key insights into the work of the chief figures in the contemporary debate surrounding thin universalism and presents a usefully themed contribution to the secondary literature on the work of Onora O' Neill, John Rawls, Michael Walzer, Martha Nussbaum, Stuart Hampshire and others as well as a commentary on contemporary debates surrounding human rights and distributive justice. This new .. Each chapter explores the limits and possibilities of effective ethical reasoning in the current political and intellectual climate. This entire volume is driven by the thought that we need to develop an ethical vocabulary that can make critical judgement