The last thirty years has seen a good deal of philosophical work on family ethics, often in an idealising mode that sets aside the far-from-ideal circumstances in which parent-child relationships are actually conducted. In this lecture, Professor Swift will try to bridge the gap between theory and practice, drawing on views about the value of the family to offer some guidance to morally perplexed parents wanting to do the right things to, with, and for their children.
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Speaker
Adam Swift is Professor of Political Theory in the Department of Political Science at University College London and Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. His sole and co-authored books include How Not To Be A Hypocrite: School Choice for the Morally Perplexed Parent, Family Values: The Ethics of Parent-Child Relationships, and How To Think About Religious Schools: Principles and Policies. The 5th edition of his Political Philosophy: A Beginners’ Guide for Students and Politicians will appear in 2026.