La cura tra giustizia e diritti

The present contribution begins with a preliminary analysis of the concept of “care”, before considering the dynamics of misrecognition of this fundamental dimension of the human condition. Peculiar attention will be devoted to the modalities in which this misrecognition has been translated into specific cultural, legal and social norms. Potentialities and limits of the so-called “Ethics of care” will be evaluated, along with some of the main criticisms to the contractualist theories with the regard to their inadequacy in reflecting the complexity of the relations they pretend to regulate. Finally, the interactions between the ethics of care and the liberal vision of justice and rights are regarded as the ground for a universal right to care, by integrating the most promising theoretical elaborations on these issues. Some extremely actual questions such as the migrant care market and the rights of homosexual couples and their children will be also considered.