I—The Lonely Heart Breaks: On the Right to Be a Social Contributor

Abstract

This paper uncovers a distinctively social type of injustice that lies in the kinds of wrongs we can do to each other specifically as social beings. In this paper, social injustice is not principally about unfair distributions of socioeconomic goods among citizens. Instead, it is about the ways we can violate each other's fundamental rights to lead socially integrated lives in close proximity and relationship with other people. This paper homes in on a particular type of social injustice, which we can call social contribution injustice. The paper identifies two distinct forms of social contribution injustice. The first form involves compromising a person's social resources so as to deny her adequate scope to contribute socially. The second form involves unjustly misvaluing a person as a social contributor, usually by not taking her seriously as a social contributor.

“… but if you're afraid of things, how are you meant to belong?” What belonging means to people with intellectual disabilities?

“…The contribution an individual makes to society is seen by some writers as an important aspect of belonging (Brownlee, ; Hall, ). While paid work has been emphasized as an indicator of social belonging in many of the policies relating to social inclusion (Hall, ; National Disability Insurance Scheme Act, ), contributing may not involve paid employment.…”

“…While paid work has been emphasized as an indicator of social belonging in many of the policies relating to social inclusion (Hall, ; National Disability Insurance Scheme Act, ), contributing may not involve paid employment. Caring for others and involvement in an activity perceived by the individual as meaningful and recognized by others are seen by Brownlee () as a right from which many people with disability are excluded.…”

What makes a response to schoolroom wrongs permissible?

“…Care ethics normalises needs and individual limits, which requires recognising relationships and interdependence . Even independent adults rely on others for essential collective goods such as social connection, the giving and receiving of which Brownlee argues should be considered strong enough to ground a right (Brownlee, 2016). External support is a part of everyday life, particularly for children in schools.…”

Inclusive education, the dilemma of identity and the common good

“…To see inclusion's distinctive social flavour starts from the assumption that human lives are structured by social needs and interests that include ordinary decent human interactions, general, respectful social inclusion, communal associations such as clubs or sports teams and intimate associations like friendships (Brownlee, 2016b). This shared, common need for social connections does not only lay bases for positive rights to social inclusion, -more on that in the next section -the assumption that these needs are commonly shared also enables institutions like schools to address it as a common (and not an individual and ultimately atomistic) good.…”

“…We can use Kimberley Brownlee's reflections on sociability and the need for having rights to be a social contributor to gain more insight into this issue. According to Brownlee (2016b), to participate in the world of such social connection, human beings first need social resources -that range from abilities to offer and receive social connections, the opportunities to form and maintain those, and actual connections with the potential to form other social connections. Second, human beings need others to recognise their importance and the importance of their contributions.…”