Not Fair! The Typology of Commonsense Unfairness

Annotation In his systematic analysis of "fairness" and "unfairness," Finkel (psychology, Georgetown U.) discusses how claims of unfair treatment not only inform our judicial system but are implicit in news reports and everyday conversation. As familiar as the concepts are, however, many people confuse "fairness" with "justice" and are clearer about what's "unfair" than what's "fair." By looking at the deeper meanings underlying "unfairness narratives" volunteered by American and international study participants, Finkel creates a typology of basic unfairness categories. He explores unfairness in broad historic, religious, legal, and psychological contexts and shows how age, sex, and culture are likely to play a part in how people perceive unfairness. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).