Nussbaum, cosmopolitanism and contemporary political problems
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to be a critical engagement with the ideas of Martha Nussbaum, as expressed in her recent book Creating Capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The author's discussion focuses on the relationship which exists between Nussbaum's capabilities approach and cosmopolitan political thought. It follows Nussbaum in making a distinction between “strong” and “weak” cosmopolitanism.
Findings
The paper maintains that, despite Nussbaum's claim that she is not a cosmopolitan thinker, it is arguable that she can be associated with a weak form of cosmopolitanism.
Originality/value
This is an original piece of work which sheds new light on the relationship which exists between the ideas of Martha Nussbaum and the cosmopolitan tradition.
Keywords
Citation
Burns, A. (2013), "Nussbaum, cosmopolitanism and contemporary political problems", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 40 No. 7, pp. 648-662. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-2012-0175
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited