How Social Class Shapes Us | Lecture and conversation with philosopher Hanno Sauer

Other quotes from Hanno Sauer

We often talk about redistributive justice when we think of class. The problem is that status hierarchy does not work like that. You can't give half your status away and give it to someone else.

Through enormous social cultural upheaval like the French revolution, multiple waves of feminism, general education, the degree to which social economic status is heritable has remained roughly unchanged. Which is troublesome.

Announcement

Social class is one of the core mechanisms behind perpetual inequality states philosopher Hanno Sauer. Why do we pay so little attention to class when we are looking to lessen inequality? How can your class in these days still be so important for who and what you can become in society? What would it take to break through the class structures that hold us in place? Come and learn from philosopher Hanno Sauer how social class shapes us and how it is an important underlying mechanism behind status, hierarchy and inequality.

Overlooked

As opposed to gender, ethnicity and economic status, class is often overlooked as a constitutive part of who we are. Yet our position in society and our opportunities are inextricably linked by it. What does the large influence of class mean for the idea that we judge people based on merit? To what extend does your social class also shape the way we see ourselves? And what would happen if we recognized  the importance of class more often? 

In his latest book Klasse. Die Entstehung von Oben und Unten Hanno Sauer explores the role of class in our lives. After the lecture of Hanno Sauer philosopher Cees Leijenhorst engages in conversation with him. Come listen and ask your questions. 

The language of discussion was English. 

About the speakers

Hanno Sauer is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Utrecht University. He leads a European research project on moral progress. He previously published Moral Thinking, Fast and Slow and Moral. Die Erfindung von Gut und Böse (2023). His latest book is Klasse. Die Entstehung von Oben und Unten (2025).

See also the review of The History of Morality | Lecture and conversation with philosopher Hanno Sauer and Marc Slors.

This was a programme of Radboud Reflects and the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies and De Bezig Bij Publisher