PANEL 19 / ETHICAL JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE
CONVENORS: SERGIO RUIZ DÍAZ ARCE (University of Minho) and ROBERT JUNQUEIRA (University of Coimbra).
All enquiries about the panel should be sent to [email protected] and [email protected].
Ethics is more often summoned to the forefront of public conversation in periods of heightened controversy, when we are faced with the need to make difficult choices and set new horizons or a different direction for our shared lives. Questions of right and wrong, what is permissible and impermissible, what we ought or ought not to be at liberty to do within the range of our powers, among other ways of formulating ethical concerns, are at the heart of today's public agenda. In times like these, ethics becomes an ever-present priority in every sphere of social affairs and the capacity for ethical reasoning plays an irreplaceable role as a skill that practitioners and scholars across all branches of human activity should have and develop. The political and legal domains are no exception. In fact, ethics is inescapably interwoven with these domains, underpinning the rightfulness and integrity of both policy and the law.
As our communities are increasingly in need for and actually demanding ethical justice and governance in the face of the innumerable challenges currently emerging, spanning from the magnitude of scientific and technological breakthroughs to juridical matters and those of domestic politics and international relations, researchers in the social, legal, and human sciences are expected to honour their duties and take part in a collective process of ethical analysis and reflection. While such an exercise may be perceived as highly theoretical in its execution, its potential impact can hardly be confined to a strictly academic level. Indeed, the revitalisation of conceptual frameworks and the evolution of human understanding lead to significant practical consequences and enable sensible recommendations to be put forward in response to complex, tangible problems of major relevance to our everyday existence.
With this in mind, we are welcoming contributions from academics across different generations and fields of expertise who are concerned with urgent issues such as democratic integrity, judicial autonomy, the responsible use of emerging technologies, and the upholding of human rights. We invite proposals aimed at addressing questions such as:
All enquiries about the panel should be sent to [email protected] and [email protected].
Ethics is more often summoned to the forefront of public conversation in periods of heightened controversy, when we are faced with the need to make difficult choices and set new horizons or a different direction for our shared lives. Questions of right and wrong, what is permissible and impermissible, what we ought or ought not to be at liberty to do within the range of our powers, among other ways of formulating ethical concerns, are at the heart of today's public agenda. In times like these, ethics becomes an ever-present priority in every sphere of social affairs and the capacity for ethical reasoning plays an irreplaceable role as a skill that practitioners and scholars across all branches of human activity should have and develop. The political and legal domains are no exception. In fact, ethics is inescapably interwoven with these domains, underpinning the rightfulness and integrity of both policy and the law.
As our communities are increasingly in need for and actually demanding ethical justice and governance in the face of the innumerable challenges currently emerging, spanning from the magnitude of scientific and technological breakthroughs to juridical matters and those of domestic politics and international relations, researchers in the social, legal, and human sciences are expected to honour their duties and take part in a collective process of ethical analysis and reflection. While such an exercise may be perceived as highly theoretical in its execution, its potential impact can hardly be confined to a strictly academic level. Indeed, the revitalisation of conceptual frameworks and the evolution of human understanding lead to significant practical consequences and enable sensible recommendations to be put forward in response to complex, tangible problems of major relevance to our everyday existence.
With this in mind, we are welcoming contributions from academics across different generations and fields of expertise who are concerned with urgent issues such as democratic integrity, judicial autonomy, the responsible use of emerging technologies, and the upholding of human rights. We invite proposals aimed at addressing questions such as:
- Are there ethical conflicts in using technological means to control people?
- How can ethical standards inform the interpretation and enforcement of the rule of law?
- Should ethics play a role in the regulation of emerging technologies?
- To what extent can AI strengthen or undermine judicial independence or public trust in the legal system?
- What is the role of ethics in dealing with corruption within democracies?
