Honors, Equity, and the Difference Principle

Authors

K. Patrick Fazioli, Mercy CollegeFollow

Date of this Version

2024

Document Type

Article

Citation

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (2024) 25(1): 19–26

Abstract

While honors programs have made notable advancements in diversity and inclusion, the issue of educational equity remains unresolved. Tensions between providing special opportunities for high-achieving students and adhering to principles of social justice continue to shape the “neighborhood of honors.” This essay seeks to address educational unfairness through Rawls’s “difference principle,” which asserts that inequalities are morally permissible only if they benefit the least advantaged in society. The author suggests that honors programs can adhere to this principle by focusing on service and support for marginalized groups within and beyond the campus community, providing opportunities for talented students from underserved backgrounds, and engendering a sense of social responsibility throughout curricula. In this way, honors can thoughtfully and purposefully meet the needs of its students while championing the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and equal rights for all.