We live in a time of counter-revolution. Since the 1980s, the richer part of western societies has kept accumulating revenues and possessions, thus reversing a century-old trend towards fewer inequalities.

The economic and social roots of this situation are well-known. But the complete break-down of the very idea of equality has also played a major role, having gone hand in hand with the insidious undermining of the tax system and other redistributive measures. Inequalities that are seen as unacceptable are denounced; but denunciation does not prevent resignation and a feeling of helplessness. To end today’s stalemate, nothing is more urgently needed than a refoundation of the idea of equality.

This lecture wants to contribute to this refoundation in two ways. It first will briefly retrace past debates and struggles around the idea of equality to shed new light on today’s situation. It then will propose to go beyond dominant theories of justice, from John Rawls’s to Amartya Sen’s, all based on different interpretations of the concept of equality of opportunity, to outline a theory of equality as social relation. It will show that refounding a society built on principles of singularity, reciprocity, and community is the necessary condition for more active solidarity in our contemporary world.

Pierre Rosanvallon, Professor für neuere und neueste politische Geschichte am Collège de France und Studiendirektor an der École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)

Einführung und Moderation: PD Dr. Ulrich Bielefeld, Soziologe am Hamburger Institut für Sozialforschung


Öffentlicher Vortrag im Rahmen der nicht öffentlichen Tagung "Soziale Ungleichheiten und soziale Ungerechtigkeit in Europa", 28.-30. November im HIS.

Beginn: 19 Uhr (Einlass ab 18.30 Uhr)

Quelle: www.his-online.de