Robeyns, Ingrid. Ideal Theory in Theory and Practice
2008, Social Theory and Practice 34 (3):341-362.
Added by: Chris Blake-Turner, Contributed by: Jojanneke Vanderveen
Abstract: In recent year a growing number of political philosophers have expressed worries about the nature of ideal theory and its dominance in the literature on social justice. Differently, in the post-Rawlsian literature on theories of justice, most of the work done by mainstream political theorists and philosophers is part of what is known as 'ideal theory'.
Comment: Very influential article about the use of idealizations in theories of justice, and about the use of partial theories of justice. Cited a lot. Very good resource in a justice class.