Protest, Race and Grievability: What does it mean for lives to matter?

KILBY, Laura (2023). Protest, Race and Grievability: What does it mean for lives to matter? Social and Personality Psychology Compass: e12805.

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Abstract

In this article I bring the political philosophy of Judith Butler to bear on contemporary and inter-related arguments about race and (in)equality. Focusing most directly on the UK context and taking account of recent changes in UK law, I further address the role of social protest in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Starting with a seemingly simple question which echoes the language of contemporary social protest, I ask ‘what does it mean for lives to matter’. In responding to this I pursue the following aims: (i) develop an awareness of human mattering which moves beyond the lens of neoliberal individualism; (ii) generate an understanding of protest as an intensely human and ethical endeavour; (iii) engage Butler’s philosophical arguments in a manner that is accessible to those unfamiliar with their work. I begin with an overview of contemporary social protests and outline recent developments in UK law before introducing key concepts from Butler’s work. I then apply Butler’s arguments to explore the construct and the language of mattering, before expanding on what it means to matter and the role of social protest in the pursuit of grievable lives.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1701 Psychology; 1702 Cognitive Sciences; 5203 Clinical and health psychology; 5205 Social and personality psychology
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12805
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	31 May 2023 17:01
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 14:02
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31960

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