Political Responsibility Refocused

By: Loralea Michaelis and Genevieve Johnson

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Synopsis: In our highly globalized and networked society, even our most seemingly local actions can have far-reaching social, political, economic, and environmental consequences. Has this changed our moral and political obligations towards people distant from us in space and time - for instance, to generations who are not yet or no longer living, or towards those beyond the borders of our own nations?Political Responsibility Refocused explores the theoretical foundations and practical implications of individual and collective responsibility towards those who are spatially or temporally separate from us. These essays offer critical assessments of our political responsibilities on topics such as residential schools, sweatshop labour, climate change, and forms of energy generation. Inspired by the final published writings of political and social theorist Iris Marion Young, specifically her outline of a "social connection model" of political responsibility, the contributors assess whether there are practices, policies, and institutions that could meaningfully address these expanded political responsibilities.