Discussions about equality and inequality often founder because different people have different ideas about what equality means. This seminar will examine three broad conceptions of equality discussed in recent work in political philosophy: 1) Distributive equality obtained when everyone has the same amount of resources, 2) Relational equality obtained when no one is in a position to dominate or arbitrarily rule over others, 3) Equality as an intersubjective practice that requires that we treat one another with equal regard and respect. We will discuss how each of these conceptions can shape our thinking about equality, inequality, and various political questions, how adopting one or another conception of equality shapes what we notice as unjust, and how we might teach our students not only how to think about equality but how to engage with each other and the world as equals.
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