Does meritocracy threaten social equality? How norms and myths shape our view of the good society Professor Fabian Schuppert, University of Potsdam
Event details
Department of Philosophy open lecture
Hosted by the Department of Philosophy at the University of York with the Royal Institute of Philosophy (TRIP).
The idea that hard work and social contributions should pay off and be rewarded is one that many people share, no matter which other political beliefs they might hold. In fact, surveys repeatedly have shown that most people believe in meritocracy. But what exactly is meant by meritocracy or the idea that hard work should be rewarded? And what does championing meritocracy and related ideas mean for other widely shared values, such as social equality? In this talk, Fabian will carefully question the idea of meritocracy and that its supposed normative appeal, arguing that if we care about social equality we should be very careful what kind of norms of success and merit we endorse.
About the speaker
Fabian Schuppert is Professor of Political Theory at the University of Potsdam. Fabian's primary research interests lie in two areas. First, theories of social (in)equality and how the political economy of a just society ought to look like. Second, the ethics of a just climate transition. Prior to coming to Potsdam, Fabian spent seven years at Queen's University Belfast.