ABSTRACT
The second chapter builds the theoretical foundation or backbone of Root Narrative Theory. The chapter begins with the literature in the sociology of culture and demonstrates how important the concept of language, logic, and grammar is for a conception of moral politics. Root Narrative Theory is contrasted with rival theories that explain moral politics like Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory and George Lakoff’s metaphorical model, arguing that a narrative approach has advantages over biological and cognitive models, taken alone, because it deals directly with the institutions and history of social power and how conceptions of justice are developed in reaction to the abuse of power. To develop these two points, the chapter explores the views on social power by the sociologist, Michael Mann, and the views on the substance of justice by the critical philosopher, Nancy Fraser. Just as there are four forms of social power, there are four forms of justice that have developed to act as a counterforce to power. This relationship between power and justice lies at the root of narratives about moral politics, therefore there are four root narratives and four corresponding forms of moral authority.
