Thomas Christiano
The University of Arizona, Philosophy, Faculty Member
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This volume collects some of the leading essays in contemporary democratic theory published in the past thirty years. The anthology presents the work of a select group of contributors (including Peter Singer, Joshua Cohen, Ronald Dworkin,... more
This volume collects some of the leading essays in contemporary democratic theory published in the past thirty years. The anthology presents the work of a select group of contributors (including Peter Singer, Joshua Cohen, Ronald Dworkin, Richard Arneson, and others) and covers many foundational approaches defended by scholars from a range of different disciplines. The chapters address many issues that are central to philosophical reflections on democracy, such as questions pertaining to deliberative and economic approaches, as well as to such topics as intrinsic fairness, the role of equality in relation to minority groups, and the limits of democracy. Covering representative work in economics, political science, legal theory, and philosophy, this comprehensive volume is suited to courses in political theory and political philosophy.
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This chapter defends two main theses. First, it argues that there is a source of legitimate authority in migration decisions, but that it lies primarily in international society. International society is a society of states that represent... more
This chapter defends two main theses. First, it argues that there is a source of legitimate authority in migration decisions, but that it lies primarily in international society. International society is a society of states that represent their citizens reasonably well and fairly negotiate with one another concerning the terms of migration. Representative states have a share in that legitimate authority, but they must share decision making over the management of migration with other states in international society. Second, it argues that societies do have legitimate interests in shaping and perhaps sometimes constraining the process of migration. Societies may shape and constrain migration in good faith negotiations with other societies. The chapter explains and argue for these theses within a cosmopolitan framework, which is taken for granted.
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This chapter vindicates democracy against recent criticism and shows how democracy can be improved and made more egalitarian. Critics argue that democracy is rule by the ignorant or by those who must appease the ignorant, basing this idea... more
This chapter vindicates democracy against recent criticism and shows how democracy can be improved and made more egalitarian. Critics argue that democracy is rule by the ignorant or by those who must appease the ignorant, basing this idea on an economic theory of information, backed by data suggesting widespread ignorance among citizens. They argue either for radically diminishing the size of the state or for rule by experts. But this pessimism is unfounded. There are good grounds for thinking that democracy can work well despite having to work in a context of low information decision-making. The critics point usefully to an underdeveloped aspect of political equality: the theory of citizen participation. To remedy this shortcoming, this chapter first argues for the instrumental and intrinsic values of democracy, relying on the expectation that citizens can act on the basis of adequate information about politics. Second, it critiques the crude model of citizen participation which is...
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The three papers in this symposium were initially presented at a conference on the ethical dimensions of international institutions in New Orleans in February 27-28, 2009, which was sponsored by Politics, Philosophy and Economics with the... more
The three papers in this symposium were initially presented at a conference on the ethical dimensions of international institutions in New Orleans in February 27-28, 2009, which was sponsored by Politics, Philosophy and Economics with the generous help of the Murphy Institute of Political Economy at Tulane University. The conference brought together leading thinkers in political philosophy, international relations and political theory to engage in an empirically informed discussion of some basic ethical issues regarding international institutions. These papers represent some of the most cutting edge work on ethically relevant features of international institutions. The first two papers are on the legitimacy of international institutions while the third is concerned with the normative implications of the structure of the international institutions. The paper by Allen Buchanan ‘‘Reciprocal Legitimation: Reframing The Problem Of International Legitimacy,’’ addresses the normative basis of legitimacy, or the basis of the reasons for obeying the directives of international institutions. It continues his path-breaking work analyzing the relationships between the legitimacy of states and their governments and the legitimacy of international institutions. In contrast to the traditional view associated with international law, which asserts that the legitimacy of international institutions derives from the consent of states, he argues that the relationship between the legitimacy of international institutions and the legitimacy of states and their governments is one of mutual dependence. The paper mounts a sophisticated, empirically informed philosophical defense of this view. The paper by Miles Kahler, ‘‘Legitimacy, Humanitarian Intervention, And International Institutions,’’ addresses the single most difficult issue of legitimacy with regard to international law and institutions. His paper offers a careful political analysis of the development of international law on humanitarian intervention from the nineteenth century
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L'A. denonce, au regard des etats actuels et de la philosophie politique en general, l'incoherence des justifications de l'etat chez Hobbes, fondees sur les principes rationnels de l'action individuelle et sur une... more
L'A. denonce, au regard des etats actuels et de la philosophie politique en general, l'incoherence des justifications de l'etat chez Hobbes, fondees sur les principes rationnels de l'action individuelle et sur une conception conventionnelle de l'etat
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Algorithmic communications pose several challenges to democracy. The three phenomena of filtering, hypernudging, and microtargeting can have the effect of polarizing an electorate and thus undermine the deliberative potential of a... more
Algorithmic communications pose several challenges to democracy. The three phenomena of filtering, hypernudging, and microtargeting can have the effect of polarizing an electorate and thus undermine the deliberative potential of a democratic society. Algorithms can spread fake news throughout the society, undermining the epistemic potential that broad participation in democracy is meant to offer. They can pose a threat to political equality in that some people may have the means to make use of algorithmic communications and the sophistication to be immune from attempts at manipulation, while other people are vulnerable to manipulation by those who use these means. My concern here is with the danger that algorithmic communications can pose to political equality, which arises because most citizens must make decisions about what and who to support in democratic politics with only a sparse budget of time, money, and energy. Algorithmic communications such as hypernudging and microtarget...