L'etica della cura e la pubblica amministrazione

This chapter explores the potential of the ethics of care as a framework for rethinking the role of public administration. It argues that administrative action cannot be considered fully just merely because it complies with legal rules: even formally lawful decisions and procedures may fail to make rights effective for people whose concrete circumstances do not correspond to the model of the “standard” user. Drawing on feminist theories of care, particularly the work of Carol Gilligan and Joan Tronto, the chapter proposes a shift from an administration focused on the question “what must I do?” to one that also asks “how can I make the right effectively accessible?”. From this perspective, care becomes a constitutional dimension of administrative action, rooted in the commitment to substantive equality and in the removal of factual obstacles that hinder the full development of the person. The chapter then examines the organisational implications of this approach, focusing on flexibility, micro-organisation, managerial responsibility, professional competence and organisational well-being as essential conditions for an administration capable of caring for rights.