1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 – Project “Relational Equality and Social Class”
The main aim of this project is to write a book, provisionally entitled “Living With Class”. There will also be public activities related to the project, details of which to be published here.
Here is the project abstract:
In mainstream political philosophy of equality, class has taken a backseat. This is surprising, as relational egalitarian views have recently gained ground over economics-inspired theories focusing on the just distribution of resources and welfare. These argue that equality is a value focusing on the quality of social relations, and predominantly directed against hierarchies of respect, power, and status. Class should play a major role for them. So far it does not. This project connects theories of relational equality to sociological accounts of class, with a particular focus on Bourdieusian approaches to class inequality. According to these, we all tend to possess a class habitus: a deeply ingrained way of interacting and relating to others, based on our social position and origin. The project investigates how interacting based on our differential habitus, or failing to, impedes our capacity to live autonomous lives as social equals, and inquires whether and how we can develop an egalitarian habitus in response.