Care ethics and natural law theory: Toward an institutional political theory of caring

Feminist care ethics have generally been considered too particular and situational to provide the basis for an institutional political theory. In recent years, however, a number of feminist authors have demonstrated care ethics' applicability to general moral and political problems. Yet they have not yet developed an institutionally based caring political theory. This article outlines such a theory by drawing upon contemporary natural law theory. It is argued that contemporary natural law theory provides a framework for formulating a caring political theory, and, alternatively, that care theory provides a foundation for justifying a form of natural law theory.