The Core of Care Ethics

The ethics of care has flourished in recent decades yet we remain without a succinct statement of its core theoretical commitment. This study argues for a simple care ethical slogan: dependency relationships generate responsibilities. It uses this slogan to unify, specify and justify the wide range of views found within the care ethical literature.

“The Core of Care Ethics is an original and insightful book. Collins offers rigorous and detailed analyses of many of the core concepts of care ethics and in the process brings greater analytical precision to them. Care theorists will benefit immensely from engaging with Collins’s arguments … . her book brings new depth and clarity to the theory while making it more accessible to mainstream analytical philosophers. … it is an extremely valuable contribution to the literature on care ethics.” (Daniel Engster, Hypatia, hypatiaphilosophy.org, January, 2016)

“The Core of Care Ethics provides an insightful and original view of care ethics. … this is an interesting and exciting addition to the care ethics literature. Collins provokes readers to think about the future of care ethics, and forces students of it to ask if the theory should be altered for accessibility and utility. … I would especially recommend this original book for those who know little about care ethics or have previously disregarded it.” (Rebecca Wilson, International Feminist Journal of Politics, Vol. 18 (4), 2016)

“Collins brings a comprehensive knowledge of contemporary care theorists2 to bear in a systematic analysis of the normative claims of care ethics. … The Core of Care Ethics’ goal of bringing analytic philosophers into conversation with care theorists is praiseworthy. … As long as a sense of proportionality is applied to The Core of Care Ethics, Stephanie Collins has brought an important voice to future discussions of care ethics.” (Maurice Hamington, APA Newsletter - Feminism and Philosophy, Vol. 16 (1), 2016)

'Are care ethics a moral theory? Stephanie Collins offers this synthesis to demonstrate its coherence: 'dependency relationships generate responsibilities.' After Collins' reformulation, moral philosophers no longer can ignore care ethics. It is also essential reading for supporters of care ethics. This is a smart and indispensable book.' Joan C. Tronto, University of Minnesota, USA, author of Moral Boundaries: A Political Argument for an Ethic of Care

Stephanie Collins is a Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research is orientated around feminist, collective, and global ethics. Her work has appeared in such places as The Australasian Journal of Philosophy and Ethical Theory and Moral Practice.