The Heart of Justice proposes a new framework of political justice based upon the practice of caring. Integrating the insights of earlier care theorists with the concerns of traditional justice theorists, Engster forges a new synthesis between care and justice, and further argues that the institutional and policy commitments of care theory must be recognized as central to any adequate theory of justice. Engster begins by offering a practice-based account of caring and a theory of obligation that explains why individuals should care for others. He then systematically demonstrates the implications of this account of caring for domestic politics, economics, international relations, and culture. In each of these areas, he reviews the contributions of earlier care theorists and then extends their arguments to provide a more complete description of the institutions and policies of a caring society. Care ethics is further put in dialogue with diverse cultural and religious traditions and used to address the challenges of multicultural justice, cultural relativism, and international human rights. More fully than other works on care theory, this book provides an over-arching account of the institutions and policies of a caring society. The Heart of Justice provides the first full account of a theory of justice based upon care ethics, and should be of interest to anyone interested in thinking about the nature of our moral obligations and the institutions of a just society.

About the Author
Daniel Engster received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1996). He is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is the author of Divine Sovereignty: The Origins of Modern State Power (2001), and has published articles on Michel de Montaigne, Mary Wollstonecraft, and care ethics and animal welfare.

Reviews
Engsters political theory of care is expansively farsighted and compelling, with myriad timely applications, and represents a major advancement in care ethics literature. * SIGNS *
...well written book can be recommended to academics and policy makers... * Eszter Kiss-Deak Political Studies Review *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199214358
Author Daniel Engster
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 584g
Dimensions(mm) 242mm * 162mm * 22mm