Disadvantage (Oxford Political Theory) [Hardcover]

Jonathan Wolff (Author), Avner de-Shalit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0199278261 | ISBN-13: 978-0199278268

What does it mean to be disadvantaged? Is it possible to compare different disadvantages? What should governments do to move their societies in the direction of equality, where equality is to be understood both in distributional and social terms? Linking rigorous analytical philosophical theory with broad empirical studies, including interviews conducted for the purpose of this book, Wolff and de-Shalit show how taking theory and practice together is essential if the theory is to be rich enough to be applied to the real world, and policy systematic enough to have purpose and justification.

The book is in three parts. Part 1 presents a pluralist analysis of disadvantage, modifying the capability theory of Sen and Nussbaum to produce the 'genuine opportunity for secure functioning' view. This emphasizes risk and insecurity as a central component of disadvantage. Part 2 shows how to identify the least advantaged in society even on a pluralist view. The authors suggest that disadvantage 'clusters' in the sense that some people are disadvantaged in several different respects. Thus identifying the least advantaged is not as problematic as it appears to be. Conversely, a society which has 'declustered disadvantaged'--in the sense that no group lacks secure functioning on a range of functionings--has made considerable progress in the direction of equality. Part 3 explores how to decluster disadvantage, by paying special attention to 'corrosive disadvantages'--those disadvantages which cause further disadvantages--and 'fertile functionings'--those which are likely to secure other functionings.

In sum this books presents a refreshing new analysis of disadvantage, and puts forward proposals to help governments improve the lives of the least advantaged in their societies, thereby moving in the direction of equality.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An idealistic book that is extraordinarily practical, it also is masterfully clear, analytically precise, and much needed in the policy arena. Everyone concerned about poverty and inequality should read this book."--Kristin Shrader-Frechette, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

"Disadvantage is a timely contribution to the literature on social justice and on the relationship between philosophy and public policy."--Claire Grant, Ethics

About the Author

Jonathan Wolff is Professor of Philosophy at University College London. He is the author of Robert Nozick (1991), An Introduction to Political Philosophy (1996), and Why Read Marx Today (2002) and, editor, with Michael Rosen, of Political Thought (1999) and with Martin Stone The Proper Ambition of Science, as well as papers on many topics within contemporary political philosophy. He works as a consultant on the ethics of risk for the railway industry, and has sat on public committees looking into the ethics of animal experimentation, the regulation of gambling, the law of homicide and the regulation of drugs. His present research concerns a number of issues connecting philosophical theory and practice, including safety, disability, health and crime. His works have been translated into over ten languages.
Avner de-Shalit is the Max Kampelman Professor of Democracy and Human Rights at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of Why posterity Matters? (1995), Socialism (in Hebrew, 1997), The Environment: Between Theory and Practice (2000) and Power to the People: Teaching Political Philosophy in Skeptical Times (2006), and co-editor, with Daniel Bell, of Forms of Justice (2003). He has published numerous articles, mostly in the field of environmental political theory. de-Shalit is chairperson of the Public Council on Environment and Society in Israel.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199278261
• ISBN-13: 978-0199278268
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,563,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Too Disadvantaged to Afford This Book, December 14, 2011

By 

Sally Adler "techne" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Disadvantage (Oxford Political Theory) (Kindle Edition)

I'd love to read this book on my kindle, but I'm not even going to sample it because I can't afford it. The author must be completely academic in his interest not to contemplate the possibility of making it available at a reasonable price in digital. His thesis and analysis may be terrific, but it won't be very useful - except to the privileged few.

5.0 out of 5 stars An enriching book to help us all think more about the Capabilities Approach., May 3, 2011

By 

Dean P. (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Disadvantage (Oxford Political Theory) (Hardcover)

This book has definitely enriched my understanding of Sen and Nussbaum's Capability Approach with its considerations about functionings being secure or insecure for persons. Before this book, it was rarely addressed that the Capabilities Approach needed to sustain functionings for persons; such a notion was merely assumed but never justified. What Wolff and De-Shalit bring to the table is this: that such capabilities should allow persons to reach certain functionings in a society and persons should be able to sustain functionings for long periods of time without unnecessarily risking them by being placed in 'forced' situations. If persons must place themselves in predicaments that endanger their functionings more so than others, then it is evident they are disadvantaged.

The examples in this book were accessible and the book has an overall feel to it that can be appreciated by both a casual reader and an academic reader. The book reads like a progressive narrative with a "plot" or main idea of what it means to be disadvantaged, problematizing disadvantage, then reaching a "climax" where some solutions are suggested in trying to address issues of functionings being insecure due to not so carefully planned public policies, which later on Wolff and De-Shalit argue, should become inhumane and never be legislated. Though later on in the book, Wolff and De-Shalit give careful attention that fertile functionings are not known as well by policymakers as corrosive disadvantage.

The strategy and argumentation in the book is also noteworthy. Wolff and De-Shalit commit to argue the existence of what they call fertile functioning and corrosive disadvantage where acquisition of some functionings naturally lead to other functionings while some insecurity of functionings cause loss or risk of loss to other functionings. The major thrust in their argument is this: prove the existence of these fertile functionings and corrosive disadvantages and society/government cannot help but to agree with their existence. Let their existence influence public policy where society will ensure that only fertile functionings are promoted.

If you're looking for a book that has concrete, exact, universal answers for legislation, you will be disappointed because it is not that kind of book. It is more a book that evokes persuasion to accept the existence of disadvantage, then through justification, show that disadvantage should not be perpetuated by public policies.

This book has influenced the work of Martha Nussbaum in her new book Creating Capabilities. But ultimately I feel that reading this book has given me more respect for Nussbaum's book because I read Nussbaum's book initially expecting witty suggestions to create specific laws that would universally transcend cultural norms. Instead, Wolff and De-Shalit have shown me that the best way for democratic liberalism and policy change to take place is to simply prove the existence of injustices and benefits to society, then with education of these existential claims, legislators cannot help but to make laws that conform to this justification. Wolff and De-Shalit's strategy was the same as Nussbaum's and I find merit in this form of argumentation now. Great work and I hope to see this discourse continue in future books and conferences.