Equality of Opportunity and Identity Politics
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review
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Equality of Opportunity and Identity Politics. / Holtug, Nils.
Handbook of Equality of Opportunity. ed. / Mitja Sardoc. Springer, 2023.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review
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TY - CHAP
T1 - Equality of Opportunity and Identity Politics
AU - Holtug, Nils
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Identity politics concerns the political recognition of group identities. In some cases, such politics reflects concerns about equal standing and equal opportunities, not least for minority and/or vulnerable groups such as racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, women, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities, and transgender people. It is explained how equality of opportunity may motivate identity politics. Furthermore, two examples of identity politics are discussed in greater detail, namely affirmative action for African Americans and cultural appropriation. As regards affirmative action, such policies have often been justified on the basis of equality of opportunity, emphasizing how affirmative action may limit the impact of various barriers to, for example, education and jobs faced by African Americans. Apart from this argument, various objections to affirmative action are also considered. As regards cultural appropriation, the focus is on “content” appropriation, which consists in taking an intangible cultural item from a cultural out-group. It is explained how such appropriation from cultural minorities has been seen, by some, as a form of exploitation, exacerbating and prolonging inequality between cultural groups. Also, it is considered whether cultural appropriation constitutes a distinct form of inequality or is simply an instance of a more general inequality as regards accessing and capitalizing on culture.
AB - Identity politics concerns the political recognition of group identities. In some cases, such politics reflects concerns about equal standing and equal opportunities, not least for minority and/or vulnerable groups such as racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, women, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities, and transgender people. It is explained how equality of opportunity may motivate identity politics. Furthermore, two examples of identity politics are discussed in greater detail, namely affirmative action for African Americans and cultural appropriation. As regards affirmative action, such policies have often been justified on the basis of equality of opportunity, emphasizing how affirmative action may limit the impact of various barriers to, for example, education and jobs faced by African Americans. Apart from this argument, various objections to affirmative action are also considered. As regards cultural appropriation, the focus is on “content” appropriation, which consists in taking an intangible cultural item from a cultural out-group. It is explained how such appropriation from cultural minorities has been seen, by some, as a form of exploitation, exacerbating and prolonging inequality between cultural groups. Also, it is considered whether cultural appropriation constitutes a distinct form of inequality or is simply an instance of a more general inequality as regards accessing and capitalizing on culture.
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-52269-2_89-1
DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-52269-2_89-1
M3 - Book chapter
BT - Handbook of Equality of Opportunity
A2 - Sardoc, Mitja
PB - Springer
ER -
ID: 368212094