January 16: Public research session with prof. Joan Tronto

Political theorist and one of the great pioneers of the ethics of care, Joan Tronto, will visit the University of Humanistic Studies on Friday January 16. She currently holds an honorary doctorate of this university. The Ethics of Care-group of this University organises a public research session with Joan Tronto and kindly invites researchers who are interested in her work.

Prof. Joan Tronto is well-known for her political-ethical work in the field of the ethics of care. Caring to her is a moral and political practice that helps build society. Caring is central to real people’s lives on a personal level, but no less on the social and political level. Societies themselves require care. Nevertheless, caring is not a central political concern. In her recent work Caring Democracy. Markets, Equality, and Justice (2013) she elaborates on her political argument that caring and just societies require that responsibilities of caring are put at the center of the democratic political agenda. Thinking further along this line, the research session will focus upon politics and policy that neglect dependencies, vulnerability, derivative dependency of caregivers and relational autonomy.

Participants will receive a text in preparation for the session which forms the basis for the discussion. Joan Tronto will give a presentation after which students will present their research questions to her, followed by a plenary discussion.

The interactive session will be in English.

Participation is free. Maximum number of participants is 60. Registration is required by sending an e-mail to dirk.debaat@student.uvh.nl. Everybody is asked to buy coffee or tea in the University’s canteen.

Programme
09.30  Everybody comes in and enjoys coffee and tea
10.00  Welcome by Gerty Lensvelt, rector of UvH
10.05  Introduction of the study session by Inge van Nistelrooij
10.10  Lecture / presentation of Joan Tronto
10.40  Time for questions for clarification
10.50  First presentation of a research question by a student
10.55  Response by Joan Tronto followed by a plenary discussion on this first question
11.15  Short break
11.30  Second presentation of a research question by a student
11.35  Response by Tronto followed by a plenary discussion on this second question
12.00  Third presentation of a research question by a student
12.05  Response by Tronto followed by a plenary discussion on this third question
12.20  'Round up' of the debate.
12.30  End of the study session

Political theorist and one of the great pioneers of the ethics of care, Joan Tronto, will visit the University of Humanistic Studies on Friday January 16. She currently holds an honorary doctorate of this university.