The Newcastle Ethics, Legal, and Political Philosophy Group was originally launched in September 2004. The group attracts members from across subjects in all three faculties at Newcastle University. Our strategy is to facilitate interdisciplinary research in the areas of ethics, legal, and political philosophy and, most especially, provide a forum for staff and graduate students engaged in philosophical and philosophical-related research to present and test their work.
Our primary activity is a unique and highly successful weekly seminar in ethics, legal, and political philosophy bringing major figures in the field to Newcastle University, contributing to our already recognized international profile. Past speakers have included Andrea Baumeister (Stirling), Richard Bellamy (UCL), Christopher Berry (Glasgow), David Boucher (Cardiff), G. A. Cohen (Oxford), Wayne Davis (Georgetown), John Gardner (Oxford/Yale), Matthew Kramer (Cambridge), Brian Leiter (Texas), Matt Matravers (York), David Miller (Oxford), Joseph Raz (Columbia/Oxford), Henry Richardson (Georgetown), Alison Stone (Lancaster), Leif Wenar (Sheffield), and Jonathan Wolff (UCL).
We also regularly organize conferences and workshops. Recent events include workshops on deliberative democracy (2008) and political participation (2008). Past events include conferences on punishment (2005), Author Meets Critics: Nussbaum’s Hiding from Humanity (2006), and Pogge and His Critics (2006). Past conference speakers include Elizabeth Ashford (St Andrews), Michael Clark (Nottingham), Antony Duff (Stirling), Carol Gould (Temple), John Haldane (St Andrews), Martha C. Nussbaum (Chicago), Thomas Pogge (Yale), John Tasioulas (Oxford), Leo Zaibert (Wisconsin), and many others. In spring 2009, the group will host conferences with Martha C. Nussbaum (Chicago) and Philip Pettit (Princeton).
In addition, the group supports a fortnightly reading group launched in 2005. Readings are selected primarily from the most recent and significant journal articles and books in the area of ethics, legal, and political philosophy as chosen by group members.
Finally, the group is home to the Journal of Moral Philosophy and has close links with the Global Justice and Human Rights specialist group of the Political Studies Association.
If anyone is interested in further information about the group, please contact either co-director: Dr Thom Brooks (email: t.brooks@newcastle.ac.uk) or Dr Ian O’Flynn (email: i.j.o'flynn@newcastle.ac.uk).