The Sociality of Freedom

This dissertation argues that ideals of freedom must not limit themselves to political and legal institutions, but also make reference to informal social norms and practices. This is not a mere addendum or addition to our understanding of freedom, but a deeper amendment. Understanding how social norms impact our freedom informs us of the limits of our political and legal institutions. My project contributes to these issues by drawing attention to the mechanisms of accountability embedded in various types of norms, and how these lead to different distributions of power in the authority they confer upon agents.