Between Activism and Apathy: Global Structural Injustice and Ordinary Citizens

The literature on global structural injustice demands that ordinary citizens take political responsibility for the global structural injustices in which they are implicated. In order to do so, it is argued that they join relevant political movements and engage in activism aimed at addressing unjust global structures. This paper argues that there is a limit to how much political participation can be expected from ordinary citizens. Not everyone can be an activist. This is not just for well-rehearsed demandingness concerns, but also due to individuals’ legitimate claims on their discretionary time, respect for pluralism, and the need for a division of labour within society and politics. In response to these concerns, the paper examines alternative ways in which ordinary citizens can fulfil their political responsibility to address global structural injustice, and recommends a novel account of scaffolding responsibilities.