Iris M. Young論差異政治、民主與社會正義

The central purpose of this thesis is to explore the political philosophy of Iris M. Young, one of the most influential contemporary American philosophers, and to point out that her main idea and core concern were quite different from identity politics or multiculturalism. Young’s political philosophy concerned about improving the situation of disadvantaged groups from a critical perspective on social structures. To remedy the structural injustice, Young conceived and advocated politics of difference, inclusive democracy and responsibility for justice, and thereby constructed the image of ideal social relationships. These remedies requested to attend and affirm group differences which had been ignored even suppressed by the ruling norms. By contrast, identity politics and multiculturalism were focus on cultural injustice issues, and claimed for recognizing group identities and minority cultures. However, recent studies tend to confuse the distinction between Young’s political philosophy and identity politics or multiculturalism, which brings about many misunderstandings and incorrect criticisms. Therefore, this thesis attempts not only to reinterpret Young’s political philosophy but also to clarify certain misunderstandings.