panel 6
Caring Democracies?
Women Wage Peace as Theory and Praxis of Care Ethics
Anat Langer-Gal
With challenges of neoliberalism eroding the foundations of democracies around the world, this presentation showcases my research of political activism in contemporary Israel as it was implemented in the Women Wage Peace (WWP) movement (2014-2018). This investigation exemplifies a praxis of theory and practice of the ethics of care: WWP as a movement contributing to the development of an ethics of care, while simultaneously leaning on the values this theory provides, to draw out the radical democratic potential of the movement. This research is a humble attempt to contribute to the development of the theory of care ethics. My presentation will include a short explanation of research methodology and main findings from my interviews with members of WWP, showcasing how core values of care manifest (or not) by members. It will continue to present a philosophic inquiry on the notion of Xiao as Care and its contribution to the theory of care.
My research shows that in the case of WWP, the realization of Care as Performance suggested by Hamington, was limited and ultimately, the movement did not present a new alternative model to the “politics of game” (Hamington, 2015, p. 273; Engster, 2007, pp. 278-279). This articulates that when care is limited to the concepts of maternal love and reciprocity, it offers no radical revelation. My investigation also supports Fiona Robinson’s claim that “the ethics of care resists charges of being Western-centric or insufficiently intersectional” (2020, p. 20) and suggests that learning from Confucian moral theory supports a reconstructive approach of Care as Performance (Hamington, 2015, p. 286). I contend that a political model of care that employs the notion of Kittay’s nested dependencies (Kittay, 1998, p. 133), and amalgamates the humanistic notions of rén and Xiao as Care, offers a new radical approach and reinforces the foundation for a renewed contemporary viable humanistic theory of care.
ReferencesEngster, D. (2007). The heart of justice: Care ethics and political theory. Oxford University Press.
Hamington, M. (2015). Politics is not a game: The radical potential of care. In D. Engster & M. Hamington (Eds), Care ethics and political theory (pp. 272-292). Oxford University Press.
Kittay, E. F. (1998). Welfare, dependency, and a public ethic of care. Social Justice, 25(1), 123-145.
Robertson, F. (2020). Resisting hierarchies through relationality in the ethics of care. International Journal of Care and Caring, 4(1), 11-23.
Anat Langer-Gal has been working and active in the NGO sector in Israel since 2001 with a strong passion for social change. She is a long-standing feminist and social activist and holds strong knowledge of Israeli civil society, and the Israeli political and public arenas. In 2014, at the height of the war in Gaza, she was one of the founding members of "Women Wage Peace", an Israeli women's movement advocating a political solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Anat has been a partner in writing, together with other feminists in Israel, an action plan for UN resolution 1325, which was endorsed by the Israeli government in 2014. Anat is also co-producer of award-winning feature documentary "Budrus" (2009).
How does the Concept of Caring Democracy Apply to the City of Gwangju, South Korea?
Sangwon Na
Can the concept of caring democracy be applied across time and place (Tronto, 2020)? To answer this question, this paper introduces community care in Gwangju, South Korea. According to care scholars, care is the basis of democracy and involves an equal distribution of power. However, there is a risk that care can be perceived as a form of colonialism, as exemplified by the Trump administration in the US. There are worries that when theories and ideas are put into practice, they may contain unacknowledged assumptions. So, observing how theories and ideas are implemented in practice is essential. In this concern, this paper examines Gwangju’s community care as a case where the concept and idea of caring democracy are well applied.
Gwangju is a symbol of democracy in South Korea and is often called the mecca of democracy in Asia. This is because it was the first city to resist and rebel against the authoritarian military government that ruled South Korea for many years. The “Gwangju Democratic Movement” in 1980 is a well-known example of a pro-democracy movement, and it still serves as a model for similar movements in Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Thailand even after more than 40 years. The “Gwangju Democratic Movement” was crucial in democratizing South Korea in 1987.
The Gwangju community care program has recently received the prestigious “Guangzhou International City Innovation Award” from the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), making it one of the most acclaimed programs in the world. Gwangju’s initiative is based on the concept of caring democracy, rooted in the spirit of solidarity demonstrated by the people of Gwangju during the “Gwangju Democratic Movement” in 1980. Despite being isolated by the military, the citizens of Gwangju supported and cared for one another, which is the essence of caring democracy. This paper explores the case of Gwangju and provides insights into the context and vision of caring democracy in South Korea.
My name is Sangwon Na. I have a PhD in political science with a focus on neo-republicanism and care theory. I am currently a research fellow at Woosuk University and a lecturer. I am involved in social movements related to social services and caring democracy in civil society organizations in South Korea.
Is Care Bad for the Disability Movement? A Case of South Korea
The relationship between disability and care can sometimes seem complicated. Disability studies often view care as a negative concept because it contradicts the idea of individual independence and self-sufficiency that disability studies pursue. On the other hand, care studies emphasize human dependence and the necessity of care. Recent studies, however, suggest that disability and care are interdependent and complement each other. This paper does not aim to advocate for a particular normative relationship between disability and care. Instead, it explores how the concept and principles of care (ethics) have been introduced, transformed, and implemented within the Korean disability movement. It also examines how disabled and non-disabled citizens and organizations have reacted to these introductions and changes. Specifically, this paper delves into how care has been presented and utilized in the context of the independent living movement in South Korea since the 2000s. During this period, many disability-related policies and institutions were actively implemented. For example, in 2003, independent living centers for people with disabilities began to be established nationwide, and in 2006, the “disability activity support service” was expanded to a nationwide project. In 2011, the Law on Activity Support for Persons with Disabilities was enacted, officially introducing a long-term care protection system for persons with disabilities. In conclusion, we hope this paper can provide an opportunity to consider strategies, logic, and normative orientations for the compatibility of care and disability in social movements and policy change.
My name is Hee-Kang Kim. I am a professor in the Department of Public Administration at Korea University. My research and teaching interests include care ethics, justice theory, and normative policy analysis. My publications include Caring Democratic State (in Korean, 2022), Care & Fairness (co-edited in Korean, 2018), and Normative Policy Analysis (in Korean, 2016). My articles appeared in various peer-reviewed, impact-factor journals, including Critical Social Policy, Public Affairs Quarterly, Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, International Journal of Care and Caring, Ethics and Social Welfare, and Women’s Studies International Forum.
Location
23-25 January 2025
Kontakt der Kontinenten, Amersfoortsestraat 20
3769 AS Soesterberg
Online
23-25 January 2025
Kontakt der Kontinenten, Amersfoortsestraat 20
3769 AS Soesterberg
Online
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