Alexander Motchoulski Speaks on Reparations, Recognition, and Relational Equality (Photo courtesy of Alexander Motchoulski) Alexander Motchoulski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Virginia, will give a talk with the title “Reparations, Recognition, and the Restoration of Relational Equality.” The talk will take place on February 12, 2025, from 4-5:30pm [CANCELED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER] in the Multipurpose Room of the Graduate Life Center. The talk is tailored to appeal to both faculty and students, with plenty of time for discussion and interaction with the guest speaker. The talk will be followed by a public reception. You are cordially invited to attend. Here is the abstract of the talk: I argue for the relational egalitarian theory of reparations for historical injustice, which holds that 1) reparations are owed to persons who are public social inferiors in part because they are members of a group that has been subject to injustice in the past, and 2) reparations are to be such that a) they ameliorate and undo position of public inferiority and b) members of the relevant group are assured of their recognition as moral equals. That argument proceeds by laying out two basic desiderata of theories of reparations, explaining the notions of social inferiority and assurance of recognition, and showing that the relational egalitarian view satisfies the two desiderata. In the course of that argument, I consider alternative grounds for reparations based in considerations of harm or inheritance, and the implications of the relational egalitarian view for the supersession of reparative claims. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact ppe@nullvt.edu at least ten business days before the event.Share this post: Posted on February 3, 2025