Generalized other

Seyla Benhabib argues that contemporary theories of justice are dependent on a generalized perspective that does not adequately encompass the concrete interests and needs of individuals. The phrase “generalized other” has been considered in the sense that George Mead used it, to refer to the views and beliefs of groups or communities that individuals are connected within. For Benhabib, the generalized perspective has been abstracted from some groups and applied to all, and does not recognize the particular differences within or between groups. In particular, it does not recognize the perspective of women, race, and class, except in a negative sense, as it is based primarily on that of white, middle‐class men.