Feminist Vulnerability Politics: Judith Butler on Autonomy and the Pursuit of a "Livable Life"

Abstract:This article contributes to ongoing feminist debates about the politics of vulnerability by attempting to clarify vulnerability's relationship to autonomy. Building from Judith Butler's recent work—specifically her precariousness/precarity distinction—I argue that vulnerability can both enable and limit autonomy, depending on the type of vulnerability in question. Specifically, precariousness accentuates the positive and generative dimensions of vulnerability on autonomy, while precarity indicates unjust constraints on one's ability to exercise some degree of self-determination. My hope is that this clarification can be of assistance in discerning whether vulnerability can be of practical value for feminist social justice movements. If we think about respect for persons as autonomous agents as a core feminist value, then the aim of political responses to vulnerability must be developed in a way that enables autonomy, lest the discourse of vulnerability be co-opted to legitimize and sanction reactionary politics.