The collapse of communism, the rise of identity politics, and struggles over global governance have combined to create new challenges for the Left: How to do justice to legitimate claims for multiculturalism and democratization without abandoning the Left's historic-and still indispensable-commitment to economic equality? How to broaden the understanding of injustice by adding cultural and political insult to economic injury?
Adding Insult to Injury tracks the debate sparked by Nancy Fraser's controversial effort to combine redistribution, recognition, and representation in a new understanding of social justice. The volume showcases Fraser's critical exchanges with leading thinkers, including Judith Butler, Richard Rorty, Iris Marion Young, Anne Phillips, and Rainer Frost. The result is a wide-ranging and at times contentious exploration of varied approaches to rebuilding the Left.
"Even those of us who disagree with Nancy Fraser on substantive questions recognize her ability to illuminate the conflicting demands, hopes and sufferings of our time. With the capacity to learn by dialogue, an analytically sharp mind and a stunning synthetic ability, she is among the very few thinkers in the tradition of critical theory who are capable of redeeming its legacy in the twenty-first
Axel Honneth
"For more than a decade, Nancy Fraser's thought has helped to reframe the agenda of critical theory. Today, when hopes flicker and shine against the background of pervasive repression, Adding Insult to Injury provides a singular stimulation."
