Publishing together with former UCR colleague Tom Theuns, Prof. Dr. Bert van den Brink presents the traditional framework used by philosophers to think about justice. They also set out how this then relates to the messy reality of justice in Europe. Prof. Dr. Barbara Oomen, in her contribution to the book, focuses on the way in which different conceptions of justice were negotiated in post-War Europe. Taking Franklin Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech as a point of departure she argues, together with Alexandra Timmer, how in post-War Europe the emphasis came to lie on liberal freedoms, their protection by means of supranationalism, and peace. Other understanding of justice (such as the freedom from want, or the freedom from fear) were relegated to a second plane.
The book as a whole concludes that Europe is falling short of its ideals and justice-related ambitions, in particular by repeatedly failing its most vulnerable populations.
Justice and Vulnerability in Europe can be accessed online.