Postgraduate Research Guide

BASED ON THE SYDNEY CAMPUS, THE INSTITUTE FOR ETHICS & SOCIETY (IES) IS A NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AUSTRALIA. THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, TRAINING AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE SEEK TO FOSTER GREATER ETHICAL AWARENESS IN ALL SPHERES OF SOCIAL LIFE. WHY STUDY WITH IES? › Investigate central questions in philosophical ethics, both theoretical and practical. › Undertake in-depth exploration of the ethical dimensions of research in professional disciplines such as health care. › Pursue a project in one of our research focus areas under the direction of an expert. ABOUT US Established in 2009 on the Notre Dame Sydney Campus, the Institute for Ethics & Society is a national research institute within The University of Notre Dame Australia. IES researchers have published their academic work in leading publications such as Journal of Moral Philosophy, Journal of Medical Ethics, Journal of Applied Ethics & Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Ideology and many more. The IES has won grants from funding bodies including the Fulbright Commission and the Mary Philippa Brazill Foundation, and has collaborated with industry partners such as St Vincent’s Hospital and St John of God. The IES has also forged successful international partnerships, hosting academic talks delivered by leading global researchers including Candace Vogler (University of Chicago), John Haldane (University of St Andrews), John Finnis (University of Notre Dame, USA), Robert Audi (University of Notre Dame, USA), William Cavanaugh (DePaul University), Adrian Pabst (University of Kent), Erin Wilson (University of Groningen), Elizabeth Shakman Hurd (Northwestern University) and Mary Gentile (University of Virginia). The IES is passionate about best practice in the teaching of ethics and aspires to take a leading role in practical ethics education for the professions. We have provided consultancies and ethics training to external organisations in the public and private sectors. The IES is committed to promoting a rigorous and open conversation about ethical issues and to sharing the resources of the Catholic intellectual tradition in the public square. To this end, the IES has developed the QndA panel series, hosting prominent scholars, public intellectuals and community leaders in debates about pressing contemporary subjects. OUR RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS 1. MORAL THINKING AND PRACTICE The Moral Thinking and Practice research focus area explores foundational topics in moral philosophy and ethics education which are vital to the University’s teaching and research life, and which form the basis for the IES’s interdisciplinary projects on ethics and society. The Program has two streams: › Moral Philosophy and Moral Cultivation › Ethics Education for the Professions The Moral Philosophy and Moral Cultivation stream seeks to produce excellent research and facilitate international collaborations in the field of moral philosophy and the cultivation of virtue. Our work in this field is informed by the Catholic intellectual and moral tradition. The Ethics Education for the Professions stream applies IES expertise in moral philosophy to the teaching of ethics in professional domains such as business and education. The IES also researches practical tools for ethics education and has twice hosted and collaborated with Professor Mary Gentile (Darden School of Business, University of Virginia), who is the Director of the internationally recognised Giving Voice to Values Curriculum. 2. BIOETHICS AND HEALTHCARE ETHICS The Bioethics and Healthcare Ethics research focus area is central to the work of Notre Dame as a Catholic University that trains students for the medical and nursing professions. The Catholic bioethical tradition is valued for the decision-making framework it provides to practitioners, patients, families and the community in the complex contexts of health care. The IES conducts extensive research into issues related to end of life care, as well as questions of conscientious objection in medicine. The IES has published a number of articles in recent years on beginning and end of life issues. In the context of the Australian and international healthcare landscape, IES research makes a valuable contribution to public debate in these areas and provides a unique voice in the academic literature. 3. RELIGION AND GLOBAL SOCIETY The Religion and Global Society research focus area critically examines the influence of actors, interests, ideas and traditions of religion in international relations. This is achieved via two interconnected research aims: a) the critical analysis of global affairs through the Catholic intellectual tradition; and b) the social-scientific study of select themes of religion and global politics. Since 2015, the Religion and Global Society focus area of the IES has attracted significant interest from leading scholars, institutions and a growing network of research candidates. The program coordinates scholarly publications, postgraduate research, academic symposia, international research collaboration, and public engagement events. It is convened by Associate Professor John Rees. 56 Notre Dame Research Guide