Ethical Perspectives on the News

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics staff and affiliated scholars meet regularly to discuss the ethical issues behind the headlines. Podcasts of our discussions on current issues are available.

Staff and scholars can also provide commentary and background information for media on many topics in applied ethics. For a list of sources, see Ethics Experts for Media.

The views expressed on the Ethics Connection do not necessarily represent the views of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. The Center does not advocate positions as a Center, but individuals with the Center may take such positions. We welcome your comments, suggestions, or alternative points of view.

Ethical Issues in the News

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Ethical Issues in the News

To Cover or Not to Cover: Headscarves and Human Rights
Do women have the right to express their own religious views by choosing either to wear or not to wear a headscarf?
Roujin Mozaffarimehr

Sunshine reform
Testimony to the San Jose City Council on improving government transparency.
Judy Nadler

Expanding Health Care Coverage: A Balm for California?
Applying Catholic social teaching to the problem of the uninsured.
Margaret R. McLean

Ethical Challenges Facing Newspapers
U.S. and Vietnamese editors discuss press freedom, government secrecy, and other issues.
Miriam Schulman

The Coming Pandemic: Ethical Preparedness
Procedural and distributive justice considerations in triage during a pandemic.
Margaret R. McLean

Immigration Policy and Principles of Humanity
Bill Ong Hing analyzes why immigrants come to the United States and ways to integrate immigrants.
Suruchi Bhutani

The Ethics of Migration and Immigration
A briefing paper on key questions for policy makers
Lynette M. Parker

Ethics and City Hall
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed outlines reforms.
Climate Change and Justice Between Generations
William Sundstrom and Keith Warner discuss the ethics and economics of global warming
Dilemma of Iraq
Former White House Chief of Staff and member of the Iraq Study Group Leon Panetta discusses how to stabilize Iraq and stop polarization at home.
The Ethics of Immigration
Columnist Victor Davis Hanson discusses who benefits from illegal immigration, why the issue is so polarizing, and possible solutions.
Suruchi Bhutani

The Ethics of Leaking
How to tell whether a leak is worth publishing--or taking seriously
Kirk O. Hanson and Jerry Ceppos

What HP Should Have Done
Ethical dilemmas facing the board of Hewlett-Packard.
Kirk O. Hanson

Pandemic Ethics
Questions for health care institutions about preparing ethically for a disaster.
Margaret R. McLean

Business Ethics in China
Stephan Rothlin, general secretary of the Center for International Business Ethics in Beijing, discusses Chinese approaches to corruption.
Miriam Schulman

Ethics and Politics of Search Engines
Transcript of a panel discussing privacy, censorship, fairness, and access issues related to search engines.
Peter Norvig, Terry Winograd, Geoffrey Bowker, Kir

To Boldly Go: Ethical Perspectives on Space Exploration
A stewardship approach to the expansion of human presence into the solar system.
Margaret R. McLean

Playing Games with Regulation
Is legislation the right approach to sex and violence in video games?
Miriam Schulman

Playing With Ethics: A Panel on Video Games
Transcript of a discussion on video games, violence, gender stereotypes, and addiction.
Leland Yee, Mike Antonucci, Kristin Asleson McDonn

Ethics of U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq
An exploration of the potential consequences of withdrawal for the U.S. military, for Iraqis, and for world stability.
Peter Minowitz

Culture Suggests Cheaters Do Prosper
Executive Director Kirk O. Hanson looks at the results of Americans' winner-take-all attitude.
Kirk O. Hanson

Ethics of Winning
Steroid use by athletes is a form of cheating.
Michael Dillingham

Bomb is ticking; do you OK torture?
Who is responsible for prisoner abuse in Iraq? Is there ever a time when torture is acceptable?
Rob Elder

Is It Ethical to Shop at Wal-Mart?
Wal-Mart is frequently the target of criticism for its employment practices and its effect on the larger economy and community. How should consumers evaluate these issues?
Bob Brownstein, Jeffrey Seglin

Where speech isn't so free
Flying flags raises free speech issues at a housing development.
Rob Elder

Budget Crunch Ethics
A California State Assembly member discusses the ethical choices legislators face during a budget crisis.
Joe Simitian

State's accounting tricks cheat future taxpayers
The responsibility of one generation is shifted to the next by accounting gimmicks.
William K. Black

Nation of Cheaters
A look at the rise in cheating in America.
Kirk O. Hanson

Respecting What We Destroy
A framework for looking at the moral standing of stem cells.
Michael J. Meyer and Lawrence J. Nelson

Ethical Choice? There are SUVs and then there are huge SUVs
Gas-guzzling cars and environmental ethics.
Rob Elder

Taking Responsibility for E-Waste
Environmental damage from computer and other electronic waste.
Chad Raphael

Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism
Chief Deputy Attorney General of California Peter Siggins discusses the ethical and legal aspects of profiling in the context of national security concerns.
Peter Siggins

Osama bin Laden and the Duty to Forgive
Christian ethics requires that we learn to love our enemies through spiritual practices.
William Spohn

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