Ethics & International Public Policy - Fri 7 Oct

* Note updated details *

Next meeting: Friday 7 October, 12.30-1.30pm

Location: Coombs Seminar Room F.

Reading: Elizabeth Anderson (2010), 'The Imperative of Integration' - chapter 1.

Contact: jonathan dot pickering at anu etc

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A few colleagues have recommended Elizabeth Anderson’s recent book on ‘The imperative of integration’, and we thought we could devote a few sessions of the Ethics and International Public Policy reading group to the book in October. In case you’re not familiar with the book, here are a few impressions from fellow reading group member Scott Wisor:

‘The specific focus is on racial integration in the U.S., and specifically integration of blacks and whites. While that narrow topic may not be of particular interest to many of you, her book bears on, and brings new insights to, a host of standard philosophical topics, including ideal and non-ideal theory, feasibility, methodology and political philosophy, justice, responsibility, legal philosophy, democratic theory, equality, citizenship, and more. The philosophy is top notch, but at least as impressive is her ability to engage in interdisciplinary research. She doesn’t just draw on other fields, she has a command of them. Her range over other disciplines, from social psychology to economics to constitutional law, is as good as or better than almost any contemporary philosopher. I think it nicely demonstrates the possibilities of interdisciplinary, applied philosophy.’

We’re planning to meet over three consecutive weeks, beginning on Friday 7 October with chapter 1. At our first session a couple of people who have already read the book can recap some of the empirical work in chapters 2 and 3, and we can confirm the timing of some or all of the remaining chapters (4-9).