Regards croisés sur la vulnérabilité. « Anthropologie conjonctive » et épistémologie du dialogue

Abstract

In the past twenty years, the concept of vulnerability has become central in sociology and in moral and political philosophy, where it serves a critique of liberal theories of justice. In this paper, we argue that a satisfying conception of vulnerability cannot be achieved without a dialogue between philosophy and sociology. We start by introducing the philosophical conceptions of vulnerability developed by Martha Nussbaum and Axel Honneth and their limits. Then we show that the questions they leave unsolved can be answered through an examination of the sociological works of Robert Castel and Serge Paugam, who use the category of vulnerability. Finally, we highlight the respective roles that philosophy and sociology can play in the development of a satisfying conception of vulnerability.

Keywords

• recognition
• vulnerabillity
• interdisciplinarity
• capabilities
• disaffiliation
• social disqualification