A Call to (Caring) Arms: A Response to The Care Manifesto: The Politics of Interdependence

Abstract

Abstract The Care Manifesto: The Politics of Interdependence calls for the reorganization of personal relationships, communities, economies, and institutions around the principle of care. Arguing that carelessness is endemic to modern societies, the authors offer numerous practical ideas for action and policy to counter this lack of care. The Manifesto has many strengths and is likely to inform, motivate and energise its readers. Given the broad ambition of the authors, it is disappointing however that they barely glance beyond Europe, the UK and the USA. In taking such a narrow perspective, they miss whole worlds of scholarship, analysis and practical examples. The lack of acknowledgment of feminist social policy is another remarkable omission. Despite its limits, The Care Manifesto conveys a profound sense of urgency about the economic, social, and ecological perils facing the world while suggesting constructive and practical alternatives so that readers are not left feeling pessimistic and powerless. It calls for a new politics based around care and a new ideal of citizenship that recognises multiple sites ranging from the personal to the planetary.