Towards a critical theory of care

Abstract

Care is existential - without it human beings do not live. Good care is indispensable to the flourishing, wellbeing and prosperity of individuals and societies. The better the care, the greater the prospects for human development. Yet, there is a persistent disjunction between the existential significance of care and the attention given to it. Many people habitually overlook care in everyday life and pay scant attention to it intellectually. Perhaps this is because they have normalised its efficacy, or have received notions about care. The price for such neglect is flawed care practices, unsound care policies, and discordant care arrangements. On closer inspection, what might initially seem like a mere oversight turns out to be, to some extent, strategic disregard. Often, the significance of care is not only conveniently overlooked, but strategically repressed. This has wide-ranging effects: care needs can go unattended and caregiving can go unacknowledged.