An exploration of the concept of justice, focusing on its place in public service. The three essays in Justice in Public Life, written by Claire Foster-Gilbert, Jane Sinclair, and James Hawkey, examine the meaning of justice in the twenty-first century, asking how justice can be expressed by our public service institutions and in society more widely. They consider whether justice is tied to truth and whether our idea of justice is skewed when we conflate it with fairness. They also explore how justice as a virtue can help us navigate the complexities of life in economics, in wider society, and in righting wrongs. In addition, their essays consider the threats to a just society, including human nature itself, the inheritance of unjust structures, the wide range of views about what constitutes justice, and the difficulty of establishing it globally and between nation-states. Justice in Public Life brings an often abstract concept to life, calling on public servants to nurture justice as a virtue pursued both individually and communally.
In Truth in Public Life, three public servants—a theologian, an economist, and an ethicist—contend for both the existence and moral imperatives of absolute truth. Each argues that society, built on ethical leadership and communal accountability, cannot be sustained without a widespread commitment to objectivity. This commitment begins at the top: policymakers must resist political expediency, judges must believe victims, journalists must embrace complexity, and the public must hold its leaders accountable to consistent, ethical standards. This short book offers a potent reminder that in a world of fake news, state lies, and echo chambers, the truth matters more than ever. For our public institutions to survive, we must define and protect the truth against all comers
Good governance is a fundamental value in the United Kingdom, and its citizens are entitled to expect that public officials, both elected and non-elected, behave according to the highest standards of ethical behavior. Of course, these aspirations alone are not enough to root out corruption in government. In order for integrity in public life to be maintained, the core principles underlying these expectations must be constantly examined and strengthened. This new volume, published in collaboration with the Westminster Abbey Institute, explores ways in which public service institutions can maintain integrity on both the institutional and the individual level. While keeping the power of the individual in mind, the authors also illustrate the critical role institutions play in upholding values when the moral compass of individuals in power fails. Integrity in Public Life provides an essential guide to integrity, seeking to answer the fundamentals of what integrity means in public life and why it holds such a critical role in the constitution of Britain.
During the first months of the coronavirus lockdown, Claire Foster-Gilbert, director of Westminster Abbey Institute, wrote twelve weekly letters to Britain’s public servants. Intended to strengthen their response to the rapidly changing needs of an increasingly unfamiliar world, these letters chart a heroic journey through initial uncertainty and crushing trials toward unprecedented unity and transformed resolve. Rather than bunker down, she asks us to consider: what might we discover, imagine, and change for the better as a result of the pandemic? Letters from the Lockdown presents the twelve original letters alongside new, deeply personal accounts from public servants on the job. Together, this collection provides an opportunity to reflect on how public values meet practice as the global crisis unfolds.
During the first months of the coronavirus lockdown, Claire Foster-Gilbert, director of Westminster Abbey Institute, wrote twelve weekly letters to Britain’s public servants. Intended to strengthen their response to the rapidly changing needs of an increasingly unfamiliar world, these letters chart a heroic journey through initial uncertainty and crushing trials toward unprecedented unity and transformed resolve. Rather than bunker down, she asks us to consider: what might we discover, imagine, and change for the better as a result of the pandemic? Letters from the Lockdown presents the twelve original letters alongside new, deeply personal accounts from public servants on the job. Together, this collection provides an opportunity to reflect on how public values meet practice as the global crisis unfolds.
An exploration of the concept of justice, focusing on its place in public service. The three essays in Justice in Public Life, written by Claire Foster-Gilbert, Jane Sinclair, and James Hawkey, examine the meaning of justice in the twenty-first century, asking how justice can be expressed by our public service institutions and in society more widely. They consider whether justice is tied to truth and whether our idea of justice is skewed when we conflate it with fairness. They also explore how justice as a virtue can help us navigate the complexities of life in economics, in wider society, and in righting wrongs. In addition, their essays consider the threats to a just society, including human nature itself, the inheritance of unjust structures, the wide range of views about what constitutes justice, and the difficulty of establishing it globally and between nation-states. Justice in Public Life brings an often abstract concept to life, calling on public servants to nurture justice as a virtue pursued both individually and communally.
Good governance is a fundamental value in the United Kingdom, and its citizens are entitled to expect that public officials, both elected and non-elected, behave according to the highest standards of ethical behavior. Of course, these aspirations alone are not enough to root out corruption in government. In order for integrity in public life to be maintained, the core principles underlying these expectations must be constantly examined and strengthened. This new volume, published in collaboration with the Westminster Abbey Institute, explores ways in which public service institutions can maintain integrity on both the institutional and the individual level. While keeping the power of the individual in mind, the authors also illustrate the critical role institutions play in upholding values when the moral compass of individuals in power fails. Integrity in Public Life provides an essential guide to integrity, seeking to answer the fundamentals of what integrity means in public life and why it holds such a critical role in the constitution of Britain.
In Truth in Public Life, three public servants—a theologian, an economist, and an ethicist—contend for both the existence and moral imperatives of absolute truth. Each argues that society, built on ethical leadership and communal accountability, cannot be sustained without a widespread commitment to objectivity. This commitment begins at the top: policymakers must resist political expediency, judges must believe victims, journalists must embrace complexity, and the public must hold its leaders accountable to consistent, ethical standards. This short book offers a potent reminder that in a world of fake news, state lies, and echo chambers, the truth matters more than ever. For our public institutions to survive, we must define and protect the truth against all comers
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.