ABOUT THIS BOOK
Public debates tend to see social inequality as resulting from individual decisions people make, for instance with respect to their education or lifestyle. Solutions are often sought in supporting individuals to make better choices. This neglects the importance of social groups and communities in determining individual outcomes. A moral perspective on social inequality questions the fairness of insisting on individual responsibilities, when members of some groups systematically receive fewer opportunities than others. The essays in this book have been prepared by experts from different disciplines, ranging from philosophy to engineering, and from economics to epidemiology. On the basis of recent scientific insights, World of Difference examines how group memberships impact on individual outcomes in four key domains: health, education and work, migration, and the environment. This offers a new moral perspective on social inequality, which policy makers tend to neglect.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Naomi Ellemers is a social psychologist. She has published extensively on social inequality in a range of outlets, including Science. She is Distinguished University Professor at Utrecht University, and a member of the Supervisory Board of PWC in the Netherlands. Ellemers is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy. Her work has attracted various honors, including the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands, the Spinoza award.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AcknowledgmentsAuthorsChapter 1: Social inequality: Myths and facts - Naomi Ellemers1.1 Rawls' veil of ignoranceGwen Van Eijk and Sabine Roeser1.2 Common rootsRichard Wilkinson 1.3 Moral reasoning: For better or worseFrank Hindriks1.4 Mainstream economics is not value-neutralIrene Van Staveren1.5 Convincing people to change their moral behaviorNaomi Ellemers and Félice Van Nunspeet1.6 Identity threats and the stability of social hierarchiesDaan Scheepers1.7 Morality and unjust inequalityNeelke Doorn and Pauline KleingeldChapter 2: Education and work - Jojanneke van der Toorn2.1 Pay differencesIrene Van Staveren2.2 Myth of equal opportunitiesGwen Van Eijk2.3 Equal opportunities in markets is dynamicIrene Van Staveren2.4 Early childhood interventionsKate Pickett2.5 Group-based stereotypes restrict opportunities of individualsBelle Derks2.6 Gendered preferences: A matter of nature and nurture Sabine RoeserChapter 3: Health - Félice Van Nunspeet3.1 Lifestyle driftKate Pickett3.2 The responsibility paradoxFrank Hindriks 3.3 The social gradient in healthKate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson3.4 From social stigma to healthBelle Derks and Daan Scheepers3.5 Benefits of social inclusionNaomi Ellemers3.6 Group-density effectKate Pickett and Madeleine PowerChapter 4: Migration - Daan Scheepers4.1 The birthright lotteryJoseph Heath4.2 Motivations to justify inequalityJojanneke Van der Toorn4.3 Inequality, migration and moral dutiesPauline Kleingeld4.4 Social identityNaomi EllemersChapter 5: Climate change - Belle Derks5.1 Climate justiceNeelke Doorn5.2 Drawbacks of carbon emission rights tradingServaas Storm5.3 Carbon responsibilityServaas Storm5.4 Environmental Justice, emotions and motivationSabine Roeser`StatisticsFigure 1: GPD per capita and wellbeingFigure 2: Inequality and social problemsFigure 3: Relative likelihood of unemploymentFigure 4: Equality vs. EquityFigure 5: Inequality and health outcomesFigure 6: Net migrationFigure 7: Explaining attitudes towards migrationFigure 8: Inequality in climate changeReferences and further reading