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54The Political Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism (edited book)Cambridge University Press. 2005.In a period of rapid internationalization of trade and increased labor mobility, is it relevant for nations to think about their moral obligations to others? Do national boundaries have fundamental moral significance, or do we have moral obligations to foreigners that are equal to our obligations to our compatriots? The latter position is known as cosmopolitanism, and this volume brings together a number of distinguished political philosophers and theorists to explore cosmopolitanism: what it co…Read more
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52Family values reconsidered: a responseCritical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 21 (3): 385-405. 2018.
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50Against NationalismCanadian Journal of Philosophy, Supplementary Volume 22 365-405. 1996.A recent resurgence of interest within analytical political philosophy in the status of ethnic and national minorities coincides with the re-emergence of national identity as a primary organizing principle of political conflict, and with an increasing attentiveness to identity and recognition as organizing principles of political struggle. The recent theoretical literature within political philosophy has focused very much on recognizing the importance of national identity, and allowing attention…Read more
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48Political Equality and the Funding of Political SpeechSocial Theory and Practice 21 (3): 473-500. 1995.
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44Why Should States Fund Schools?British Journal of Educational Studies 46 (2). 1998.In arguing for government withdrawal from funding and regulating schooling, James Tooley claims that equality of opportunity in education implies only that all deserve an adequate minimum education. However, he concedes the 'abstract egalitarian thesis' that all should be treated with equal concern and respect. I show that this thesis indeed implies educational equality, and that Tooley's arguments against educational equality rest on a misunderstanding of the foundations of egalitarianism.
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41In defence of educational equalityJournal of Philosophy of Education 29 (3). 1995.The principle of educational equality is important for the plausibility of egalitarianism. I argue against John Wilson's recent attempts to show that two particular versions of the principle are incoherent, and I rebut his argument that even if it were coherent it would be wrong to endorse it. Two other objections to this version of the principle are considered and shown not to be decisive. The principle governing the distribution of educational resources that Wilson advocates is also rejected.
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41Nonideal Theorizing in EducationEducational Theory 65 (2): 215-231. 2015.In this essay, Harry Brighouse responds to the collection of articles in the current issue of Educational Theory, all concerned with nonideal theorizing in education. First, he argues that some form of ideal theory is indispensable for the nonideal theorizer. Brighouse then proceeds to defend Rawls against some critics of his kind of ideal theorizing by arguing that a central feature that is often misconstrued as unduly idealizing — the full compliance assumption — in fact constrains utopianism.…Read more
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40Complex Egalitarianism: A Review of Alex Callinicos 'Equality' (review)Historical Materialism 10 (1): 193-222. 2001.
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38Family Ethics and Public Policy: Beyond the Medical ModelAmerican Journal of Bioethics 18 (11): 56-58. 2018.
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36Distribution of what? How will we know if we have achieved education for all by 2015?3rd Conference on the Capabilities Approach. 2003.In 1990 at the Jomtein Conference in Thailand organised by UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank the 157 governments present agreed to a Declaration, the World Declaration on Education for All that signalled their commitment to achieve Education for All (EFA) by 2000. EFA was not defined succinctly, but was laid out as comprising: universal access to education services ‘of quality’; equity with regard to removing disparities ‘in access to learning opportunities’ for certain groups (girls.
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33Measuring Justice: Primary Goods and Capabilities (edited book)Cambridge University Press. 2010.This book brings together a team of leading theorists to address the question 'What is the right measure of justice?' Some contributors, following Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, argue that we should focus on capabilities, or what people are able to do and to be. Others, following John Rawls, argue for focussing on social primary goods, the goods which society produces and which people can use. Still others see both views as incomplete and complementary to one another. Their essays evaluate the…Read more
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33The egalitarian virtues of educational vouchersJournal of Philosophy of Education 28 (2). 1994.The paper argues that there is no fundamental incompatibility between the use of vouchers and managed market mechanisms in the distribution of education und the principled aims of egalitarian educational policy. It takes those aims to be equality of opportunity, education for autonomy, and democratic education, and shows in each case how a voucher scheme could accommodate the aim. It explains why a judiciously designed voucher scheme may constitute a more politically feasible method of achieving…Read more
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31A modest defence of school choiceJournal of Philosophy of Education 36 (4). 2002.This is a response to Samara Foster’s engaging critique of my book School Choice and Social Justice. In this response to her criticisms I clarify and try to correct some apparent misunderstandings of the book, but also take the opportunity to pose again a challenge to opponents of choice which neither she, nor other of my critics, has taken up.
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28Critical Moral Liberalism: Theory and PracticePhilosophical Review 108 (3): 442. 1999.While it forms the framework for most analytical political philosophy, liberalism is widely attacked and even ridiculed outside that small world. It is, according to one widely accepted line of thinking, tainted by the color and sex of its most prominent formulators, its use in defense of the morally indefensible behavior of imperialist states and their agents, and its presumption that the rights it prescribes are applicable to all people in all places at all times.
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28The Aims of Higher Education: Problems of Morality and Justice (edited book)University of Chicago Press. 2015.This book features a group of top-notch philosophers tackling some of the biggest questions in higher education: What role should the liberal arts have in a college education? Should colleges orient themselves to the educational demands of the business sector? What is the role of highly selective colleges in the public sphere? To what extent should they be subsidized directly, or indirectly, by the public? Should they simply teach students skills and academic knowledge, or should they play a rol…Read more
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25Educational Justice and Socio-Economic Segregation in SchoolsJournal of Philosophy of Education 41 (4): 575-590. 2007.Sociologists exploring educational injustice often focus on socio-economic segregation as a central measure of injustice. The comprehensive ideal, furthermore, has the idea of socio-economic integration built into it. The current paper argues that socio-economic segregation is valuable only insofar as it serves other, more fundamental values. This matters because sometimes policy-makers will find themselves facing trade-offs between increasing integration and promoting the other, more fundamenta…Read more
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23Toward a New SocialismLexington Books. 2006.Toward a New Socialism offers a critical analysis of capitalism's failings and the imminent need for socialism as an alternative form of government. Dr. Richard Schmitt joins with Dr. Anatole Anton to compile a volume of essays exploring the benefits and consequences of a socialist system as an avenue of increased human solidarity and ethical principle
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23Educational Goods Reconsidered: A ResponseJournal of Philosophy of Education 54 (5): 1382-1394. 2020.We gratefully reply to our five commentators, responding to their criticisms and comments under the following headings: parochialism and curriculum; rationality and truth; production and distribution; perfectionism, decision-making and disagreement; adultism and parents' interests; non-consequential educational goods; and self-education.
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22Educational Goods: Values, Evidence, and Decision‐Making—A SummaryJournal of Philosophy of Education 54 (5): 1346-1348. 2020.Journal of Philosophy of Education, EarlyView.
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21This paper considers four institutional models for funding higher education in the light of principles of fairness and meritocracy, with particular reference to the debate in the UK over ‘top-up fees’. It concludes that, under certain plausible but unproven assumptions, the model the UK government has adopted is fairer and more meritocratic than alternatives, including, surprisingly, the Graduate Tax.
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20Strong Gender EgalitarianismPolitics and Society 36 (3): 360-372. 2008.Perhaps the most intractable aspect of gender inequality concerns inequalities within the family around the domestic division of labor, especially over child care and other forms of caregiving. These enduring gender inequalities constitute a significant obstacle to achieving “strong gender egalitarianism”—a structure of social relations in which the division of labor around housework and caregiving within the family and occupational distributions within the public sphere are unaffected by gender…Read more
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20Children’s literature and philosophy: comments on Gareth B. Matthews, The Child’s PhilosopherJournal of Philosophy of Education 57 (2): 575-581. 2023.This article looks at Maughn Rollins Gregory and Megan Jane Laverty’s Gareth B. Matthews, The Child’s Philosopher (2022), specifically considering how Matthews conceptualized philosophy and how he found philosophy in children’s literature.
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20What’s Wrong With Privatising Schools?Journal of Philosophy of Education 38 (4): 617-631. 2004.Full privatisation of schools would involve states abstaining from providing, funding or regulating schools. I argue that full privatisation would, in most circumstances, worsen social injustice in schooling. I respond to James Tooley’s critique of my own arguments for funding and regulation and markets. I argue that even his principle of educational adequacy requires a certain level of state involvement and demonstrate that his arguments against a principle of educational equality fail. I show,…Read more
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16In Defence of Educational EqualityJournal of Philosophy of Education 29 (3): 415-420. 1995.The principle of educational equality is important for the plausibility of egalitarianism. I argue against John Wilson’s recent attempts to show that two particular versions of the principle are incoherent, and I rebut his argument that even if it were coherent it would be wrong to endorse it. Two other objections to this version of the principle are considered and shown not to be decisive. The principle governing the distribution of educational resources that Wilson advocates is also rejected.
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16Civic education and liberal legitimacyIn Stephen Everson (ed.), Ethics, Cambridge University Press. pp. 108--4. 1998.
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15A Modest Defence of School ChoiceJournal of Philosophy of Education 36 (4): 653-659. 2002.This is a response to Samara Foster’s engaging critique of my book School Choice and Social Justice. In this response to her criticisms I clarify and try to correct some apparent misunderstandings of the book, but also take the opportunity to pose again a challenge to opponents of choice which neither she, nor other of my critics, has taken up.
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14Book ReviewsHans. Oberdiek, Between Forbearance and Acceptance.Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. Pp. ix+182. $24.95 (review)Ethics 113 (3): 716-718. 2003.
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