In this article, I examine the legal position of those who perform caregiving work within the context of a cohabiting relationship through a novel relational vulnerability lens. I argue that the state, through privatising and devaluing caregiving labour, situates carers within an unequal and imbalanced relational framework, exposing them economic, emotional, and spatial harms. Unlike universal vulnerability, which is inherent and unavoidable, relational vulnerability can be avoided and reduced if the state were to acknowledge that humans are embodied and relational rather than self-sufficient and rational. Law’s treatment of cohabiting carers reflects the state’s broader tendency to value economic self-sufficiency, while confining caregiving to the private family. I argue that the state has a duty to respond directly to relational vulnerability and should aim to make cohabiting carers resilient. Resilience must involve the provision of material resources but should also have a normative commitment to achieving autonomy and equality for those marginalised by law and state policies.

中文翻译：

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关系脆弱性：同居照顾者的法律地位

在本文中，我通过一种新颖的关系脆弱性视角，研究了在同居关系中从事护理工作的人的法律地位。我认为，国家通过私有化和贬低护理劳动力，将护理人员置于不平等和不平衡的关系框架中，使他们暴露在经济、情感和空间上的伤害。与固有且不可避免的普遍脆弱性不同，如果国家承认人类是具身性的和相关性的，而不是自给自足和理性的，则可以避免和减少关系脆弱性。法律对同居照顾者的处理反映了国家重视经济自给自足的更广泛趋势，同时将照顾仅限于私人家庭。我认为，国家有责任直接应对关系脆弱性，并应旨在使同居照顾者有弹性。复原力必须包括提供物质资源，但也应该有规范的承诺，以实现被法律和国家政策边缘化的人的自治和平等。