Justice as Right Actions

An Original Theory of Justice in Conversation with Major Contemporary Accounts

Young S Kim

Justice as Right Actions presents an original theory of justice anchored in the analytical philosophical tradition. In contrast to many contemporary approaches, the theory provides normative guidance, rather than focusing solely on political structures and institutions, as the question of justice is seen to comprise both a moral inquiry concerned with questions of good and bad, right and wrong, and a political inquiry, concerned with the nature of the polity and how individuals relate to it.
Presenting a relational account of justice, rather than a distributive account – the latter, so much more prevalent in current studies – communications are seen as the key to the theory, both in the substantive sense as a discursive method of resolving disputes, as well as instrumentally, in the transmission of concepts, especially values through time.
Rule-oriented in approach, justice as right actions attempts to be value-neutral, acknowledging, however, an underlying thin theory of the good, including concepts of rationality, autonomous moral agency, equal concern and respect for others, as well as plurality of values. Its political context is liberalism, with components of negative liberty and equality of concern and respect, while underscoring as well, the concepts of tolerance and social diversity.
In this study, the original theory of Justice as Right Actions is also contrasted with and situated among contemporary accounts of justice, including the most important theoretical works on the topic in the past half-century. Thus, the study also serves as a valuable review and critique of such major contemporary accounts of justice.

Lexington Books

Pages: 230 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-1-4985-1651-8 • Hardback • October 2015 • $115.00 • (£88.00)

978-1-4985-1652-5 • eBook • October 2015 • $103.50 • (£80.00)

Subjects: Political Science / General, Political Science / Civics & Citizenship, Political Science / History & Theory, Political Science / Political Process / Political Advocacy, Political Science / Public Policy / Social Services & Welfare

Justice as Right Actions

An Original Theory of Justice in Conversation with Major Contemporary Accounts

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Justice as Right Actions presents an original theory of justice anchored in the analytical philosophical tradition. In contrast to many contemporary approaches, the theory provides normative guidance, rather than focusing solely on political structures and institutions, as the question of justice is seen to comprise both a moral inquiry concerned with questions of good and bad, right and wrong, and a political inquiry, concerned with the nature of the polity and how individuals relate to it.
Presenting a relational account of justice, rather than a distributive account – the latter, so much more prevalent in current studies – communications are seen as the key to the theory, both in the substantive sense as a discursive method of resolving disputes, as well as instrumentally, in the transmission of concepts, especially values through time.
Rule-oriented in approach, justice as right actions attempts to be value-neutral, acknowledging, however, an underlying thin theory of the good, including concepts of rationality, autonomous moral agency, equal concern and respect for others, as well as plurality of values. Its political context is liberalism, with components of negative liberty and equality of concern and respect, while underscoring as well, the concepts of tolerance and social diversity.
In this study, the original theory of Justice as Right Actions is also contrasted with and situated among contemporary accounts of justice, including the most important theoretical works on the topic in the past half-century. Thus, the study also serves as a valuable review and critique of such major contemporary accounts of justice.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 230 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼

978-1-4985-1651-8 • Hardback • October 2015 • $115.00 • (£88.00)

978-1-4985-1652-5 • eBook • October 2015 • $103.50 • (£80.00)

Subjects: Political Science / General, Political Science / Civics & Citizenship, Political Science / History & Theory, Political Science / Political Process / Political Advocacy, Political Science / Public Policy / Social Services & Welfare

Author

Young Kim is adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law and a practicing lawyer.

Table of Contents

Part One: The Theory of Justice as Right Actions
Chapter 1Introduction: The Theory and How it Operates
Part Two: Moral Dimensions
Chapter 2Agency and Responsibility: Action-Guiding Principles
Chapter 3Moral-Decision-Making and Relational Justice
Part Three: Political Liberalism
Chapter 4Values and Liberalism
Chapter 5Utility and the Harm Principle
Chapter 6Liberty
Chapter 7Equality
Part Four: The Reach of the Theory
Chapter 8Global Justice
Chapter 9Future Obligations of Justice
Part Five: Contemporary Disputes: The Power of Groups
Chapter 10Group Rights
Chapter 11Communities
Chapter 12Multiculturalism and the Limits of Liberalism
Conclusion
Works Cited
About the Author
Index

Reviews

Young Kim provides a new theory of justice as right action, based on a grand synthesis of some of the most important contemporary moral and political philosophers. He insists that justice is first and foremost a moral concept but one that has political dimensions. This classical view runs counter to many contemporary attempts to separate the right from the good or to define justice as a political virtue and value. His conception of justice as right action shifts attention back to specifying the nature of morally right action within diverse moral contexts. In working through his argument students and scholars will confront some of the most important questions of moral and political philosophy. This an ambitious and thought provoking book.
— Paul Kelly, London School of Economics