RT Article
T1 W.E.B. Du Bois’s Constructivist Theory of Justice
JF Journal of moral philosophy
VO 19
IS 2
SP 170
OP 195
A1 Basevich, Elvira
LA English
YR 2022
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1800325533
AB This essay presents the normative foundation of W.E.B. Du Bois’s constructivist theory of justice in three steps. First, I show that for Du Bois the public sphere in Anglo-European modern states consists of a dialectical interplay between reasonable persons and illiberal rogues. Second, under these nonideal circumstances, the democratic ideal of autonomy grounds reasonable persons’ deliberative openness, an attitude of public moral regard for others which is necessary to construct the terms of political rule. Though deliberative openness is the essential vehicle of construction, reasonable persons only have a pragmatic political obligation to forge ties of deliberative reciprocity with likeminded persons whom they trust will listen and not harm them. Finally, I present Du Bois’s defense of black suffragists’ support of the 19th Amendment to illustrate pragmatic political obligation in action. I sketch successful democratic engagement that reconstitutes a nonideal public sphere.
K1 Kant
K1 Rawls
K1 Gender
K1 Race
K1 Autonomy
K1 Democratic theory
K1 public reason
K1 Justice
DO 10.1163/17455243-20213461