The Boring of Hard Boards

If one social group has more of something because another has less we speak of relational inequality. The fight against relational inequalities is a tough, centuries-long battle characterized by trial and error. Results can be achieved only through very persistent pressure—what Max Weber described as “a strong and slow boring of hard boards.” The essays in the present issue discuss both obstacles that perpetuate inequality and forms of resistance to them. Some contributions focus more on top-down activities, while others emphasize the perspective from below. Taken together, they reveal that the struggle for more just and egalitarian societies is tough, but gradually making progress.