Philosophy and Poverty – serie

This book offers a broad and diverse reflection of the ways in which child poverty could be conceptualised, and the ways in which it is intertwined with childhood as a specific social condition. Furthermore, the responsibilities towards children and the possible mechanisms required for dealing with this condition will be analysed and clarified. This is the first volume on philosophy and child poverty. Despite the increasing number of publications on poverty, the particular phenomenon of poverty during childhood has not received much philosophical attention. This is surprising, given the severity and depth of child poverty around the globe.This volume brings together various philosophical approaches and how they understand and tackle child poverty. This is an important addition to the philosophical literature, which is also of wider interest to scholars working in the social sciences and with an interest in child poverty.

This book offers a broad and diverse reflection of the ways in which child poverty could be conceptualised, and the ways in which it is intertwined with childhood as a specific social condition. Furthermore, the responsibilities towards children and the possible mechanisms required for dealing with this condition will be analysed and clarified. This is the first volume on philosophy and child poverty. Despite the increasing number of publications on poverty, the particular phenomenon of poverty during childhood has not received much philosophical attention. This is surprising, given the severity and depth of child poverty around the globe.This volume brings together various philosophical approaches and how they understand and tackle child poverty. This is an important addition to the philosophical literature, which is also of wider interest to scholars working in the social sciences and with an interest in child poverty.

This anthology constitutes an important contribution to the interdisciplinary debate on poverty measurement and alleviation. Absolute and relative poverty—both within and across state boundaries—are standardly measured and evaluated in monetary terms. However, poverty researchers have highlighted the shortfalls of one-dimensional monetary metrics. A new consensus is emerging that effectively addressing poverty requires a nuanced understanding of poverty as a relational phenomenon involving deprivations in multiple dimensions, including health, standard of living, education and political participation. This volume advances the debate on poverty by providing a forum for philosophers and empirical researchers. It combines philosophically sound analysis and genuinely global research on poverty's social embeddedness. Next to an introduction to this interdisciplinary field—which links Practical Philosophy, Development Economics, Political Science, and Sociology—it contains articles by leading international experts and early career scholars. The contributors analyse the concept of poverty, detail its  multiple dimensions, reveal epistemic injustices in poverty research, and reflect on the challenges of poverty-related social activism. The unifying theme connecting this volume's contributions is that poverty must be understood as a multidimensional and socially relational phenomenon, and that this insight can enhance our efforts to measure and alleviate poverty.

This anthology constitutes an important contribution to the interdisciplinary debate on poverty measurement and alleviation. Absolute and relative poverty—both within and across state boundaries—are standardly measured and evaluated in monetary terms. However, poverty researchers have highlighted the shortfalls of one-dimensional monetary metrics. A new consensus is emerging that effectively addressing poverty requires a nuanced understanding of poverty as a relational phenomenon involving deprivations in multiple dimensions, including health, standard of living, education and political participation. This volume advances the debate on poverty by providing a forum for philosophers and empirical researchers. It combines philosophically sound analysis and genuinely global research on poverty's social embeddedness. Next to an introduction to this interdisciplinary field—which links Practical Philosophy, Development Economics, Political Science, and Sociology—it contains articles by leading international experts and early career scholars. The contributors analyse the concept of poverty, detail its  multiple dimensions, reveal epistemic injustices in poverty research, and reflect on the challenges of poverty-related social activism. The unifying theme connecting this volume's contributions is that poverty must be understood as a multidimensional and socially relational phenomenon, and that this insight can enhance our efforts to measure and alleviate poverty.

This book brings together philosophical approaches to explore the relation of recognition and poverty. This volume examines how critical theories of recognition can be utilized to enhance our understanding, evaluation and critique of poverty and social inequalities. Furthermore, chapters in this book explore anti-poverty policies, development aid and duties towards the (global) poor. This book includes critical examinations of reflections on poverty and related issues in the work of past and present philosophers of recognition. This book hopes to contribute to the ongoing and expanding debate on recognition in ethics, political and social philosophy by focusing on poverty, which is one highly important social and global challenge.“If one believed that the theme of “recognition” had been theoretically exhausted over the last couple of years, this book sets the record straight. The central point of all the studies collected here is that poverty is best understood in its socialcauses, psychic   consequences and moral injustice when studied within the framework of recognition theory. Regardless of how recognition is defined in detail, poverty is best captured as the absence of all material and cultural conditions for being recognized as a human being. Whoever is interested in the many facets of poverty is well advised to consult this path-breaking book.”  Axel Honneth, Columbia University.

This book brings together philosophical approaches to explore the relation of recognition and poverty. This volume examines how critical theories of recognition can be utilized to enhance our understanding, evaluation and critique of poverty and social inequalities. Furthermore, chapters in this book explore anti-poverty policies, development aid and duties towards the (global) poor. This book includes critical examinations of reflections on poverty and related issues in the work of past and present philosophers of recognition. This book hopes to contribute to the ongoing and expanding debate on recognition in ethics, political and social philosophy by focusing on poverty, which is one highly important social and global challenge.“If one believed that the theme of “recognition” had been theoretically exhausted over the last couple of years, this book sets the record straight. The central point of all the studies collected here is that poverty is best understood in its socialcauses, psychic   consequences and moral injustice when studied within the framework of recognition theory. Regardless of how recognition is defined in detail, poverty is best captured as the absence of all material and cultural conditions for being recognized as a human being. Whoever is interested in the many facets of poverty is well advised to consult this path-breaking book.”  Axel Honneth, Columbia University.

This book provides a profound exploration of the concept of a "human minimum" as articulated by the renowned African philosopher H. Odera Oruka. It delves into the pressing issue of global inequality and examines how basic rights such as access to food, shelter, education, and healthcare are fundamental to human dignity and should be accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status. In a world where the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen, Oruka’s philosophical framework is a blueprint for addressing this divide. Through a critical analysis of Oruka’s work, this book presents the philosophy of a "human minimum" and describes why basic rights are essential to ensuring justice, equity, and sustainable development. It contextualizes these ideas within contemporary challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and the global disparities exacerbated by economic systems that favor wealth accumulation by the few.This exploration pushes beyond abstract theory, offering practical insights into policy solutions and societal structures that can uphold the dignity of every individual. It argues that achieving this requires not only ethical responsibility but systemic change in political and economic structures. By rethinking development, governance, and social justice through the lens of Oruka’s philosophy, the book presents a compelling case for policies and actions that guarantee the human minimum for all. This book is of interest to scholars of philosophy, social justice advocates, policymakers, and anyone committed to addressing global inequality. It provides a roadmap for how societies can move toward a more equitable future.

This book provides a profound exploration of the concept of a "human minimum" as articulated by the renowned African philosopher H. Odera Oruka. It delves into the pressing issue of global inequality and examines how basic rights such as access to food, shelter, education, and healthcare are fundamental to human dignity and should be accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status. In a world where the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen, Oruka’s philosophical framework is a blueprint for addressing this divide. Through a critical analysis of Oruka’s work, this book presents the philosophy of a "human minimum" and describes why basic rights are essential to ensuring justice, equity, and sustainable development. It contextualizes these ideas within contemporary challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and the global disparities exacerbated by economic systems that favor wealth accumulation by the few.This exploration pushes beyond abstract theory, offering practical insights into policy solutions and societal structures that can uphold the dignity of every individual. It argues that achieving this requires not only ethical responsibility but systemic change in political and economic structures. By rethinking development, governance, and social justice through the lens of Oruka’s philosophy, the book presents a compelling case for policies and actions that guarantee the human minimum for all. This book is of interest to scholars of philosophy, social justice advocates, policymakers, and anyone committed to addressing global inequality. It provides a roadmap for how societies can move toward a more equitable future.

This book presents an innovative and thought-provoking argument regarding the foundations of politics and its ethical implications, exploring the difference between what politics is (and/or can be) and what it is not (and/or cannot be). It distinguishes between two fundamental forms of political poverty, namely ontological poverty and theoretical poverty. Ontological poverty depicts the negative foundation upon which the political relies—an absence that, paradoxically, underpins the political existence. In contrast, theoretical poverty emerges when this ontological datum is self-delusively denied by politics itself, leading to the loss of political properties of politics, or political poverty, and the resulting dehumanisation of the political subject. Drawing on Aristotelian logic, the volume discloses the aporetic condition of political ontology, deploying phenomenological inquiry through deconstruction. Through close readings of Kafka, Agamben, Derrida, Levinas, and Schmitt among others, it maps the porous threshold between the political and the non-political, illuminating how this tension—between being and becoming—is conditional to politics itself and simultaneously the site of its potential impoverishment. In this context, theoretical poverty is recognised as the prodromic moment when politics ceases to carry its own name, severing its ties to the ethical and ontological relations that sustain it. This work makes a significant contribution to contemporary debates in political philosophy, political theory, political ontology, and ethics. It will particularly appeal to scholars engaged with continental philosophy and literary theory. It opens a new avenue of inquiry into the political foundations by questioning what politics is and what it risks not becoming.