Contemporary Theories of Injustice
The Work of Iris Marion Young, Charles Mills & Juliana Bidadanure
Phil 510 – WIN 2025
THU 3.30-5.20pm in SAV 408
Facilitator: Carina Fourie (kuh-REE-nah fou-REE), she/her pronouns
Office Hours: TH 9.45-11.45am SAV 389
Email: fourie@uw.edu
In this seminar we will read, interpret and assess three works of 21st century political philosophy, each specifying its own way of theorizing injustice: Iris Marion Young’s Responsibility for Justice, Charles Mills’ Black Rights/White Wrongs, and Juliana Bidadanure’s, Justice Across Ages. To greater or lesser extent, each of these conceptions resist several influential theories of justice in analytic political philosophy, particularly nonideal theories such as John Rawls’ theory of justice-as-fairness and many theories of luck egalitarianism.
Young’s book describes how we should think of responsibility for structural injustice, arguing for a forward-looking notion of responsibility. Mills argues that mainstream accounts of liberalism often have racial injustice built into them but that a radical form of liberalism that promotes racial justice is possible. Bidadanure uses a social egalitarian framework (also known as relational egalitarianism) to indicate how institutions and public policy need to be reformed in order to achieve justice among persons at different stages of their life.
Course Materials
We will read three books in the following order:
- Young, Iris Marion. 2011 (or 2013 reprint edition). Responsibility for Justice. Oxford University Press.
- Mills, Charles W. 2017. Black Rights/White Wrongs: The Critique of Racial Liberalism. Oxford University Press.
- Bidadanure, Juliana. 2021. Justice Across Ages: Treating Young and Old As Equals. Oxford University Press.
Except for Mills’ Black Rights/White Wrongs, all materials are available on Canvas. Please secure your own copy of Mills’ book by Jan. 24.
Course Modules
We will read all three books over 9 weeks, dedicating 3 weeks to each book. In Week 10, we will hold our conference where each of you will deliver a short presentation on your ideas for your final term paper and provide each other with feedback.
Week 1, Jan 9: Young - Responsibility for Justice
Week 2, Jan 16: Young - Responsibility for Justice
Week 3, Jan 23: Young - Responsibility for Justice
Week 4, Jan 30: Mills - Black Rights/White Wrongs
Week 5, Feb 7: Mills - Black Rights/White Wrongs
Week 6, Feb 14: Mills - Black Rights/White Wrongs
Week 7, Feb 20: Bidadanure - Justice Across Ages
Week 8, Feb 27: Bidadanure - Justice Across Ages
Week 9, Mar 6: Bidadanure - Justice Across Ages
Week 10, Mar 13: Conference - Time TBD
Assignments & Grading
Your final grade will be based on points you receive out of 100:
- Participation, Reading Responses and Reflections: 14 points (credit or no-credit). You need only submit 7 of the 9 Reading Responses and 7 of the 9 Reflections.
- Abstract of Presentation (around 500 words): 8 points (credit or no-credit).
- Peer Review of Abstract (around 500 words): 8 points (credit or no-credit).
- Conference Presentation & Comment: 10 points (credit or no-credit).
- Full Paper (around 3250-4000 words): 60 points (due date: Wed Mar 19, 11:59pm).
More details on assignments will become available on Canvas in due course. Consult the “Assignments” Module and the “Discussion Board”. Points will be converted to a grade on the 4.0 scale (I reserve the right to adjust the final grade).
If for some reason you are unable to attend the seminar regularly, please consult me ASAP for alternative arrangements.
Access & Accommodations
Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so you can discuss your needs in this course.
If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but are not limited to: mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 (Voice & Relay) or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
Undocumented students
I am committed to working with and for undocumented students. Resources and further information are available for you here. Please feel free to speak to me about any additional help you may need due to your undocumented status or its implications.
Multilingual learners (MLL)
If you would like to improve your speaking, reading or writing in English, consult the English Department’s webpage for a list of resources.
Health, wellbeing & COVID-19 protocols
For resources on health and well-being, including mental health and possibilities for counseling, please consult the UW’s website Husky Health and Wellbeing . For urgent support such as mental health crisis services, please consult the Urgent Help webpage. Call 911 in an emergency.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, follow this advice:
- If you’re sick, or develop COVID-19 related symptoms, follow the guidelines on the UW COVID-19 public health flowchart.
- When you wear a mask, make sure it is a high-quality one.
- We strongly encourage all members of the UW community to remain up to date on COVID-19 vaccination and get an annual flu shot each fall.
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- Practice good hygiene, washing your hands often and avoiding touching your face.
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- Let's work together to keep each other safe!
Use of plagiarism detection software notice
The University has a license agreement with SimCheck, an educational tool that helps prevent or identify plagiarism from Internet resources. I use this service by requiring that assignments are submitted electronically to be checked by SimCheck. The SimCheck Report will indicate the amount of original text in your work and whether all material that you quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or used from another source is appropriately referenced.
Please consider submitting your essay well before the deadline so that, if needed, you are able to revise your essay taking account of the SimCheck report. I will not grade your paper until it is accompanied by a SimCheck report.
Use of ChatGPT and other AI Tools
Your written work must be produced by you and you alone. You may not use ChatGPT or other AI Tools to generate written work for this course. The course aims to develop and refine your writing and argumentation skills, and your knowledge of the topic. That cannot be achieved by using AI to develop arguments and write essays for you!
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY POLICIES & RESOURCES
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Academic misconduct, including plagiarism, is prohibited by the Student Conduct Code for the University of Washington and is taken very seriously by the UW. According to the student conduct code, academic misconduct includes:
1. "Cheating" which includes, but is not limited to:
a. The use of unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations, or completing assignments;
b. The acquisition, use, or distribution of unpublished materials created by another student without the express permission of the original author(s);
c. Using online sources, such as solution manuals, without the permission of the instructor to complete assignments, exams, tests, or quizzes; or
d. Requesting, hiring, or otherwise encouraging someone to take a course, exam, test, or complete assignments for a student.
2. "Falsification," which is the intentional use or submission of falsified data, records, or other information including, but not limited to, records of internship or practicum experiences or attendance at any required event(s), or scholarly research.
3. "Plagiarism," which is the submission or presentation of someone else's words, composition, research, or expressed ideas, whether published or unpublished, without attribution. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
a. The use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; or
b. The unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or acquired from an entity engaging in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
4. Unauthorized collaboration.
5. Engaging in behavior specifically prohibited by an instructor in the course of class instruction or in a course syllabus.
6. Multiple submissions of the same work in separate courses without the express permission of the instructor(s).
7. Taking deliberate action to destroy or damage another's academic work in order to gain an advantage for oneself or another.
8. The recording of instructional content without the express permission of the instructor(s), unless approved as a disability accommodation, and/or the dissemination or use of such unauthorized records.
(Source: WAC 478-121 - Academic Misconduct)
Plagiarism may lead to disciplinary action by the University against the student who submitted the work. Any student who is uncertain whether his or her use of the work of others constitutes plagiarism should consult the course instructor for guidance before formally submitting the course work involved.
INCOMPLETES
Incomplete grades may only be awarded if a student is doing satisfactory work up until the last two weeks of the quarter and has furnished proof satisfactory to the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. (Sources: Office of the Registrar – Incomplete Grades), UW General Catalog, Student Guide – Grading System)
GRADE APPEAL PROCEDURE
A student who believes that the instructor erred in the assignment of a grade, or who believes a grade recoding error or omission has occurred, shall first discuss the matter with the instructor before the end of the following academic quarter (not including Summer Quarter). If the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s explanation, the student, no later than ten days after their discussion with the instructor, may submit a written appeal to the chair of the Department of Philosophy with a copy of the appeal also sent to the instructor. The chair consults with the instructor to ensure that the evaluation of the student’s performance has not been arbitrary or capricious. Should the chair believe the instructor’s conduct to be arbitrary or capricious and the instructor declines to revise the grade, the chair, with the approval of the voting members of his or her faculty, shall appoint an appropriate member, or members, of the faculty of the Department of Philosophy to evaluate the performance of the student and assign a grade. The Dean and Provost should be informed of this action. Once a student submits a written appeal, this document and all subsequent actions on this appeal are recorded in written form for deposit in a School file. (Source: UW General Catalog, Student Guide – Grading System)
CONCERNS ABOUT A COURSE, AN INSTRUCTOR, OR A TEACHING ASSISTANT
If you have any concerns about a philosophy course or your instructor, please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the chair of the program offering the course (names available from the Department of Philosophy, 361 Savery Hall).
If you have any concerns about a teaching assistant, please see the teaching assistant about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the teaching assistant or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the instructor in charge of the course. If you are still not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the chair of the program offering the course (names available from the Department of Philosophy, 361 Savery Hall), or the Graduate School at G-1 Communications Building (543-5900).
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran in accordance with University of Washington policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment is defined as the use of one’s authority or power, either explicitly or implicitly, to coerce another into unwanted sexual relations or to punish another for his or her refusal, or as the creation by a member of the University community of an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment through verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
If you believe that you are being harassed, seek help—the earlier the better. You may speak with your instructor, your teaching assistant, the undergraduate advisor (363 Savery Hall), graduate program advisor (366 Savery Hall), or the chair of the philosophy department (364 Savery Hall). In addition, you should be aware that the University has designated special people to help you. For assistance you may contact: SafeCampus; Office of the Ombud (339 HUB, 206-543-6028); Title IX Investigation Office (for complaints that a University student has violated the sexual misconduct provisions of the Student Conduct Code); University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (for complaints concerning the behavior of University employees, including faculty, teaching assistants, and other student employees).
INTEGRITY
The Office of Research Misconduct Proceedings (ORMP) coordinates the University’s handling of allegations of research misconduct against members of the University community, in consultations and cooperation with the University’s schools, colleges, and campuses.
University rules define scientific and scholarly misconduct to include the following forms of inappropriate activity: intentional misrepresentation of credentials; falsification of data; plagiarism; abuse of confidentiality; deliberate violation of regulations applicable to research.
Students can report cases of scientific or scholarly misconduct either to the ORMP, to their faculty adviser, or the department chair. The student should report such problems to whomever he or she feels most comfortable.
(Sources: Executive Order No. 61 – Research Misconduct Policy; Office of Research Misconduct Proceedings; minutes of Grad School Executive Staff and Division Heads meeting, 7/23/98.)
SAFECAMPUS
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If you're concerned, tell someone.
• Always call 911 if you or others may be in danger.
• Call 206-685-SAFE (7233) to report non-urgent threats of violence and for referrals to UW counseling and/or safety resources. TTY or VP callers, please call through your preferred relay service.
• Don't walk alone. Campus safety guards can walk with you on campus after dark. Call Husky NightWalk 206-685-WALK (9255).
• Stay connected in an emergency with UW Alert. Register your mobile number to receive instant notification of campus emergencies via text and voice messaging. Sign up for UW Alert online.
• For more information visit the SafeCampus website.
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).
FOOD INSECURITY AND HARDSHIP
Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the UW Any Hungry Husky Program. Any Hungry Husky provides hunger relief free of judgment or stigma. Go to https://www.washington.edu/anyhungryhusky/ for information about the food pantry and food security grants. In addition, UW offers emergency aid for students experiencing unexpected financial hardships that may disrupt their education or get in the way of completing their degree. Go to https://www.washington.edu/emergencyaid/ for more information about how to apply.
GUIDANCE TO STUDENTS TAKING COURSES OUTSIDE THE U.S.
Faculty members at U.S. universities – including the University of Washington – have the right to academic freedom which includes presenting and exploring topics and content that other governments may consider to be illegal and, therefore, choose to censor. Examples may include topics and content involving religion, gender and sexuality, human rights, democracy and representative government, and historic events.
If, as a UW student, you are living outside of the United States while taking courses remotely, you are subject to the laws of your local jurisdiction. Local authorities may limit your access to course material and take punitive action towards you. Unfortunately, the University of Washington has no authority over the laws in your jurisdictions or how local authorities enforce those laws.
If you are taking UW courses outside of the United States, you have reason to exercise caution when enrolling in courses that cover topics and issues censored in your jurisdiction. If you have concerns regarding a course or courses that you have registered for, please contact your academic advisor who will assist you in exploring options.