This article, the final part of the series, will focus on genocide. To understand the argument we need to start with some definitions. Rapheal Lemkin invented the term and promoted its adoption. As Samantha Power explains in her introduction to his primary work: “In Axis Rule he wrote that ‘genocide’ meant ‘a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the -/- aim of annihilating the groups themselves’. The perpetrators (...) of genocide would attempt to destroy the political and social institutions, the culture, language, national feelings, religion, and economic existence of national groups. They would hope to eradicate the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and lives of individual members of the targeted group. (shrink)

In this article I attempt to show that a theory of redistribution can be derived from Walzer’s political theory as presented in his Spheres of justice. I argue that this theory shows in which areas of South Africa’s public life redistribution is required, and which patterns of redistribution should be followed. Walzer’s political theory leans heavily on the notion of shared understandings. In South Africa there are many areas of public life in which interpretations of these understandings are in conflict. (...) I attempt to identify these areas and to show which premisses underly the conflicting interpretations. (shrink)

This article examines the importance of Žižek's work for political theory, particularly for thinking through the deadlocks of contemporary left thought.