In addition to our event "New Perspectives on Social Norms" there will also be two pre-read seminar sessions for those who are interested in a deep dive into the current research.
10:00 – A metanormative perspective on social oughts
Eline Gerritsen (University of Hamburg):
Abstract: Do social norms carry normative force? While they are clearly normative, this does not settle the question: in metanormative debates, it is recognised that norms can prescribe without affecting what we really ought to do. In this paper, I combine insights from the metanormative literature with theories in social ontology to build a better understanding of social oughts. First, I explain the consensus among metanormative theorists that social norms are merely normative in the formal sense. Next, I argue that although theories in social ontology provide a more accurate picture of social oughts as meaningful and important, it must not be taken for granted that they are normative in the authoritative sense. If we can understand theories of the social to account for a form of authoritative normativity, however, this would give us crucial new input for an analysis of normativity. In the third section, I illustrate how metanormative theory and social ontology can enrich each other, by reflecting on Charlotte Witt’s account of social normativity with the formal/authoritative distinction in hand.
11:30 – Ethical problems of governing through social norms
Lina Eriksson (University of Gothenburg)
Abstract: Policy makers increasingly make use of social norms to influence people’s behaviour. Various social norms campaigns inform citizens about what others do, what others think people should do, etc. But these strategies give rise to some ethical concerns. Firstly, the lack of control over sanctions against norm violators: there is no process for judging what counts as non-compliance or what sanctions are appropriate, and no process for appealing sanctions. Secondly, people’s autonomy might be undermined, for example through manipulation and fear tactics. Thirdly, the strategy might distribute the burdens of behavioural change unfairly. Finally, some social norms campaigns target already vulnerable groups in problematic ways. Policy makers attracted to the prospect of using social norms to influence people’s behaviour should also pay close to attention to the particular ways in which this can be ethically problematic.