Can The Law Fix Structural Injustice?

Can The Law Fix Structural Injustice?

Author: UCL Political Science June 5, 2025 Duration: 35:12

When we see injustice in the world, our instinct is often to look for someone to blame. We might point to a corrupt official, an unjust law, or individuals acting with harmful intent. But some of the most persistent and damaging injustices of our time, including climate change, homelessness, systemic racism and gender inequality, do not have a single perpetrator. These are what philosopher Iris Marion Young described as structural injustices. They are not caused by individual malice, but by the ordinary functioning of our social, political and economic systems.

At first glance, this kind of injustice might seem beyond the reach of the law. There is no obvious villain to prosecute and no specific rule to repeal. But what if we have misunderstood what the law is capable of? What if legal systems are not just passive frameworks but active players in how injustice takes shape?

In this episode, we speak with George Letsas, Professor of the Philosophy of Law at University College London. He presents a powerful and original argument. The law, he suggests, is often implicated in structural injustice. But it is also one of the most promising tools we have to address it.

Mentioned in this episode:


Ever wonder what happens when sharp academic minds turn their focus to the headlines? UCL Uncovering Politics pulls back the curtain on the forces shaping our world, straight from the heart of one of the world's leading universities. This isn't a lecture series, but a series of conversations where complex ideas about power, culture, and society are made accessible and urgent. You'll hear researchers from UCL's Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy dissect everything from voting behaviour and international conflict to the philosophy underlying our social structures, connecting rigorous scholarship directly to current events. Each episode feels like sitting in on a fascinating discussion between experts who are as curious about the "why" behind political phenomena as they are knowledgeable. The podcast serves as a direct line to cutting-edge analysis, offering depth and context that goes far beyond the daily news cycle. By spotlighting the fantastic work done within the department, it provides listeners with a richer, more nuanced understanding of the mechanics behind culture, government, and the news we consume. Tune in for a thoughtful and genuinely enlightening exploration of contemporary politics, grounded in research but always engaged with the real world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 161

UCL Uncovering Politics
Podcast Episodes
The Role of Information in State-Building [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:13
One of the most basic questions regarding any state is 'can it act?' Does it have the capacity, that is, to uphold the rule of law and to deliver security and public services? For a state has the capacity to act it needs…
Public Attitudes To The Economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:07
We're celebrating another inaugural lecture today and welcome the fantastic Professor Lucy Barnes. Lucy has made a career out of breaking new ground in the field of Political Economy. Economic policy clearly matters to u…
Should Russian Assets Be Seized? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
Ukraine's ongoing struggle against the Russian invasion incurs an annual cost of approximately $50 billion, with projections indicating that post-war reconstruction will require at least half a trillion dollars. Western…
Should Experts Set The Fiscal Rules? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:25
We’re back from our Easter break, and since we were last on the airwaves a book has been published by a certain former UK Prime Minister arguing – among other things – that elected politicians are unduly constrained by u…
The UK Healthcare Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:01
The NHS is currently in crisis: record numbers of people are on waiting lists, there are serious staff shortages, buildings and equipment are outdated, and research indicates that patient satisfaction is at rock bottom.…
Responding to Civilian Harm in Millitary Conflicts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:05
Armed conflict is all too common around the world today. One of the consequences of conflict is that civilians are harmed. Military forces – if they respect basic moral and legal standards – seek to avoid those harms so…
Do Protests Affect What Politicians Say? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:56
Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. From thousands attending pro-Palestine marches in London, to farmers driving their tractors into Paris, Berlin, and Cardiff, to Just Stop Oil spraying UCL’s famous portico oran…
Settling Disputes Between Governments and Investors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
In the wake of the 1917 Russian Revolution, the new Bolshevik regime, keen to destroy the power of global capital, expropriated the commanding heights of the Russian economy and repudiated a mountain of foreign debt incu…
Death Threats and Online Content Moderation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:27
Death threats, on the face it, appear to be exactly the sort of content that an online platform ought to censor – or ‘moderate’, as the preferred and obscuring term has it. Surely it is impermissible to threaten someone’…
Managing Diversity Amongst the EU Member States [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:08
For around a decade, the EU – which was founded by the principles of freedom, democracy and the rule of law – has been struggling to contain anti-democratic developments in some member states. More broadly, the European…