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Valuing the Whole Self: Luck, Oppression, and Self-Respect
Full text linkThis thesis is concerned with the philosophical understanding of self-respect. I first consider historical and contemporary philosophical theories of self-respect to situate my work. Following in the footsteps of feminist philosopher Robin Dillion, I take issue with the idea that self-respect must be based solely on what is morally significant about a person, as is often argued. I argue that this mistaken view creates an abstract and essentialist conception of the self that reduces the self to a generalized moral skeleton, whose brittle bones demand that self-respect be developed without paying attention to the fullest sense of who we truly are. I argue that in order to create robust self-respect, we must build self-respect from our understanding of the whole person. This demands a complete understanding of the self which cannot be reached without acknowledging how our environment sculpts the self. I further argue that our environment is something over which we do not have control, and thus, luck greatly influences our cultivation of self-respect. Ultimately, I maintain that to develop robust self-respect, we must acknowledge the role of luck in the formation of self-respect. Through this acknowledgment, I argue, we gain the agency to forgive, and truly understand, who we are. With this in hand, self-respect can be built from the whole self, not just the self that holds moral significance. This type of self-respect has the longevity to withstand all the tumult of life and is the truest form of self-respect
Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry: summary of the second workshop
Full text linkThis summary of the second Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry (TVLBAI) Workshop provides a comprehensive overview of our meeting held in London in April 2024 (Second Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry Workshop, Imperial College, April 2024), building on the initial discussions during the inaugural workshop held at CERN in March 2023 (First Terrestrial Very-Long-Baseline Atom Interferometry Workshop, CERN, March 2023). Like the summary of the first workshop (Abend et al. in AVS Quantum Sci. 6:024701, 2024), this document records a critical milestone for the international atom interferometry community. It documents our concerted efforts to evaluate progress, address emerging challenges, and refine strategic directions for future large-scale atom interferometry projects. Our commitment to collaboration is manifested by the integration of diverse expertise and the coordination of international resources, all aimed at advancing the frontiers of atom interferometry physics and technology, as set out in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by over 50 institutions (Memorandum of Understanding for the Terrestrial Very Long Baseline Atom Interferometer Study)
Teaching International Relations Theory at the Doctoral Level: Challenges and Strategies
No full textIn the ever-evolving landscape of doctoral education in International Relations (IR), the teaching of International Relations Theory (IRT) holds a distinctive position. At this advanced level of study, doctoral students are not merely expected to grasp the intricacies of IR theories; they are also tasked with the demanding objectives of synthesizing, critically evaluating, and applying these theories to their research. Beyond the individual theories, they need to be able to reflect on the overall theoretical and epistemological development of the field. Simultaneously, these scholars-in-formation are often preparing themselves for future teaching roles, necessitating a pedagogical orientation within their coursework
Preparing students for civic engagement: Cultivating critical dialogue in STEM classrooms
No full textThriving democracies require engaged citizens who possess skills pertaining to critical thinking, respectful discourse, and an appreciation of the value of difference. In this chapter, we discuss ways in which we cultivate these skills in STEM classrooms at two demographically different institutions of higher education and course types. Leaning on scholarship that shows the positive impacts of creating community and belonging, we make the case that civic participation is a critical value that should be agnostic to course type. Suggestions for transferability and institution-specific considerations will also be discussed
Regenerating the Elwha: The Return of a Free Flowing River
No full textThe removal of the two dams on the Elwha River in Washington State had profound effects on the surrounding ecosystem. In 2014, the dams were removed and scientists have recorded many miraculous ecological recoveries in the past 10 years. From changes to the physical structure of the river, the regeneration of native species such as salmon and trout, to the healing of the wider ecosystems around the Pacific Northwest through the restoration of habitat used by bears, beavers and Elk. The removal of two dams had a profound effect on every level from the microscopic level to the permanent change of landscape across the whole region
Institutionalizing (?) the South: The New Development Bank
No full textOver the past two decades, the Global South has undergone a significant shift from loose political coordination to more formalized institutional structures. The New Development Bank (NDB) was founded by the BRICS in 2015 and embodies this transition by combining the egalitarian ethos of earlier South-South initiatives such as the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Forum. This paper argues that the NDB represents a distinctive and paradoxical form of Global South institutionalization. It advances principles of equality, sovereignty, and mutual benefit while also adopting bureaucratic and geopolitical practices. Through an analysis of the Bank’s governance design, operational innovations, and evolving development philosophy, the paper shows how the NDB diverges from traditional multilateral development banks but also struggles with internal tensions, including gridlock, questions of Chinese influence, and limited accountability mechanisms. I will analyze the cases of the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Bangladesh to show how membership expansion strengthens the NDB’s financial and geopolitical reach and complicates its founding identity. The processes of competing logics of attraction, prescription, and strategic alignment exposes the challenges of scaling a South-South institution without diluting its commitments. Ultimately, the NDB’s trajectory highlights the promise of an alternative in global development finance, as well as the persistent risk that, in institutionalizing solidarity, it may replicate aspects of the very system it seeks to transform
Reshaping Globalization from Within: China’s Vision through BRICS and Beyond
No full textThis paper examines how China reshapes globalization through its engagement in BRICS and its broader strategic vision. I am looking beyond Western-centric interpretations of China’s rise as this analysis centers on China’s historical foreign policy traditions, its controlled integration into global capitalism, and its moral developmental discourse under Xi Jinping. This paper draws on Fairbank’s framework of hierarchical order and frontier defense, alongside contemporary theories of neoliberal adaptation. China’s approach to multilateralism blends market liberalization with strong state authority. Through BRICS, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Xi’s six global initiatives, China positions itself as both a beneficiary and reformer of the neoliberal order and promotes a Sinocentric model of development, stability, and global governance. Rather than seeking to overturn the Western-led system, China advances a strategy of reshaping global norms and institutions from within, asserting moral leadership while preserving state-guided capitalism
Trump vs. The Fourteenth Amendment
No full textThis paper argues that President Trump’s 2025 executive order to end birthright citizenship represents a major break from constitutional tradition and a clear turn toward far-right ideology. The order challenges the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on United States soil and has been upheld for more than a century, including in the Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark. Although some conservatives may frame the action as a routine effort to strengthen immigration policy, the order moves beyond traditional conservatism. It departs from the rule of law, rejects long-standing legal precedent, and promotes an exclusionary national identity rooted in ethnonationalism. The paper outlines the key differences between conventional conservative thought and far-right ideology in order to show why this executive order aligns with the latter. It also examines the broader implications for democratic norms, citizenship, and executive power. The analysis concludes that Trump’s order is not a typical conservative policy. Instead, it is an unprecedented attempt to reshape American citizenship through executive authority and should be understood as a threat to established constitutional principles
Exploring Saudi Arabia’s Failed War in Yemen Through a Civil-Military Relations Lens
No full textThis article argues that the Saudi Arabian military\u27s inability to achieve its goals in its war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen is largely the result of the relationship dynamics between the country\u27s civilian and military institutions. For decades, this relationship has been defined by extensive coup-proofing on behalf of the Saudi civilian monarchy that has weakened some of its military\u27s capabilities and fundamentally affected its battlefield quality. Through exploring specific cases of the Saudi military\u27s performance in Yemen and incorporating relevant literature on coup-proofing and the civil-military problematique, this article contends that a country\u27s military performance cannot be analyzed outside the context of the relationship between that country\u27s civilian and military institutions
The Racialized Impacts of Confederate Symbols in Public Spaces: The Case of Courthouses
Full text linkCommemorations of the Confederacy remain pervasive throughout the Southern U.S. Historians have long established that many of these symbols were erected during the Jim Crow era to reinforce white political dominance in public spaces. Yet, little is known about how these enduring symbols shape perceptions among people of different racial identities today. This study examines Confederate monuments where they are most prominently placed: courthouse grounds. Using an original survey experiment of Black, white, and Latino Southerners, it investigates whether the presence of a Confederate monument in front of a courthouse influences feelings of personal safety and welcomeness, as well as perceptions of the fairness of the court system. Findings reveal that a Confederate monument made Black and Latino Southerners feel less safe and welcome at the courthouse and led Black Southerners to perceive the court system as less fair toward people like them. In contrast, Confederate monuments had no overall effect on white Southerners\u27 perceptions of courthouses or the judicial system. These results underscore the role of contentious symbols in reinforcing inequalities in public spaces