Interrogating the evolutionary morality of maternal care with its historical use in maternal colonialism
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2022-08-30
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en
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This article specifically examines Nel Noddings' theory of natural caring which argues that mothers have an instinct to care derived from evolutionary development. It does so in order to challenge certain central assumptions, such as what the practice of maternal colonialism brings to light. The practices that occur in the name of caring and motherhood demonstrate that the maternal voice is not necessarily positive in every form of a caring relationship, and that there appear to be oppressive elements to the settler-colonial actions taken by settler mothers who intended to care for the indigenous children. This historical use of care and motherhood challenges the assumptions of the theory central to care ethics. In such a theory where the natural factor is assumed to be "good" and to be "present [the] same as in everybody " can be a constitutive element for violence as in the case of maternal colonialism. As such, this article concludes that Nel Noddings’ evolutionary morality idealizes a particular form of care. That is, her theory rather obscures the possible ambivalence of mother/child dyad and the structural oppression that care is involved.
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Faculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappen