Lecture prepared for presentation at the Conference Potere Negato a pprocci de genere al tema della diseguaglianze Genoa 25 October 2013 jctrontoumnedu Introductory comments ID: 360675
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Slide1
Caring Democracy: The Paradigm Change
Lecture prepared for presentation at the Conference “
Potere
Negato
:
a
pprocci
de
genere
al
tema
della
diseguaglianze
” Genoa 25 October 2013
jctronto@umn.eduSlide2
Introductory comments
After a generation of care studies, care is still ignored by “high politics” and social analysis
Gender, for example: the solution is for women to become more attached to the labor market
But why? Shows little intelligence about the larger forces at work
It is time to switch the frame of analysisSlide3
“Limits”
Capitalism is premised on unlimited economic development
As capitalism advances further, it results in greater inequality
Capitalism is unable to focus on “reproduction” as well as “production”
Consequences for the globe are irreversibleSlide4
There must be another way…
What would happen if we put the focus on
care
first, and production later?
This is the premise of
caring democracy
Plan of lecture: problems of democracy, problems of care, can be addressed by understanding democracy in terms of care and care in terms of democracySlide5
I. Problems of Democracy
1. Inclusion. Gender
2. Inequality. Unequal wealth, but unequal care as well.
3. Disengagement of citizensSlide6
II. Problems of care
1. Power: “paternalism”
2. Scope: parochialism
3. Inequality:
A. Unequal burdens of care (“get out of care” passes)
B. Care is only about dependent, vulnerable, and unequal people
C. Not everyone can care, so leave it to those who are good at it; i.e., women, servants, etc…Slide7
III. Caring democracy
Care defined
On the most general level, we suggest that caring be viewed as
a species activity that includes everything that we do to maintain, continue, and repair our 'world' so that we can live in it as well as possible.
That world includes our bodies, our selves, and our environment, all of which we seek to interweave in a complex, life-sustaining web. (Fisher and Tronto 1990: 40) Tronto 1993, 103Slide8
Defining caring democracy
Not the individual, but caring relations, are the basic units in political life
(not a pre-political “care” followed by autonomous citizenship)
Governing is best defined as the way for distributing caring responsibilities
Caring democracy distributes care responsibilities through complete and equal voice in defining, describing, and allocating careSlide9
Redefining equality, freedom, solidarity
Equality: equal needs for care
Freedom: caring relationships without domination or interference
Solidarity: Trust that care exists in society and needs will be met by public concern for themSlide10
IV. Caring Democracy solves the problems of care and democracy
A. Solving the democratic problems:
Inclusion through all care roles
Inequality of care addressed and solved
Disinterest addressed by transforming concrete political concerns into real concerns of daily life (e.g., schedules of days for school, work, family…)Slide11
Caring Democracy solves care problems
A. Paternalism solved by inclusion of all—care givers, care receivers, and others, in addressing care
B. Parochialism solved—not all will care for all, but through solidarity and trust, recognize that others’ needs are also being met
C. Inequality—over one’s life, care is given and received with gratitudeSlide12
Is this too utopian?
What alternatives do we have?
Contains a “feedback loop” to resolve emerging problems
Democratic caring is
better
caring
Greatest challenge facing humans: care for the global environment is better met
this way