| Recent social changes -aging and the changing nature of parenthood and gender roles- are prompting a reform of the welfare state. This project aims to study the normative foundations of the reform of the welfare state institutions and policies that these social changes necessitate. In other words, what does social justice require from this new welfare state? It has been acknowledged that such explicit normative foundations are often lacking in welfare state analyses. Unfortunately, the social justice literature in ethics/political philosophy offers little guidance for analysing these social changes. It is crucial to take a life course perspective, which focuses on the systematic links between children, adult working life, old age, and the particular problems of working mothers. This project focuses on social justice with respect to three dimensions of such a life course perspective: parenthood, old age, and gender. Each project will analyse the principles of justice that should be met for that particular dimension, and examine which social institutions and policies are most suited to advance justice in that area. In addition, the entire Vidi-group will collaborate to examine which social institutions and policies advance justice on all three fronts, rather than only addressing justice related to one dimension of the life course. The importance of this project lies on two fronts. On the scientific front, the project will (1) advance knowledge that is currently virtually non-existing, (2) complement the predominantly socio-economic literature on the new welfare state with insights from political theory, (3) cross-fertilise insights from the social sciences and ethics/political philosophy and (4) introduce a life-course perspective in social justice studies. In addition, the project is also important on the policy front, since it is addressing a pressing social issue that will only become more important and urgent in coming years. |
