Standing and Accountability.

The article focuses on the concept of "standing" as it is used in philosophical discussions of moral responsibility and accountability practices. It argues that standing, originally a legal term, functions as an eligibility requirement that determines who is qualified to perform certain accountability actions—such as blaming, forgiving, or apologizing—and distinguishes eligibility from the quality or manner of performing those actions. The author defends retaining the concept of standing despite its varied applications across different accountability practices, proposing that clarifying standing as eligibility helps identify normative questions about who may hold others accountable and under what conditions. The essay further outlines categories of questions to guide future analyses of standing, including its content, scope, criteria, enforcement, origins, justification, and equity in application.