L’etica della cura nell’amministrazione democratica

This contribution explores the role of the ethics of care in rethinking public administration within constitutional democracy. It argues that mere compliance with legal rules does not necessarily ensure the effective protection of individual rights, particularly when concrete obstacles prevent people from exercising them. Drawing on feminist theories of care, especially the work of Carol Gilligan and Joan Tronto, the paper proposes a broader understanding of administrative responsibility, grounded in the constitutional principle of substantive equality. From this perspective, public administration is called upon not only to implement legislation but also to identify and remove the practical barriers that hinder the full enjoyment of rights. The ethics of care thus provides a framework for recognising constitutional duties that extend beyond specifically prescribed legal obligations, contributing to a more responsive, inclusive and resilient constitutional democracy.