MULTICULTURALISM and the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY a Conversation with Chandran Kukathas
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Newsletter of the Center for Ethics and Public Affairs at the Murphy Institute, Tulane University FALL 2003 focusON THE CENTER MULTICULTURALISM AND THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY A Conversation with Chandran Kukathas During the 2003 Winter semester, Chandran with the world in whatever shape it comes. Kukathas, Associate Professor of Politics at the Q: Why is diversity usually discussed in terms of the University of New South Wales, Australian internal diversity of individual institutions rather Defence Force Academy was visiting professor than diversity among a broad range institutions? at the Center for Ethics. He team-taught a grad- One of the distinctive features of American higher uate philosophy seminar with Jerry Gaus and education, after all, is that it comes in a remarkable on January 17 gave a Center-sponsored public variety of shapes and sizes. We have single-sex female lecture on “Anarcho-Multiculturalism: The colleges, we have religious colleges, and we have Pure Theory of Liberalism.” At the end of his the military academies. Where are the defenders of stay, we asked Professor Kukathas to reflect on the notion of diversity among institutions, among the current state of the debate about multicul- different kinds of institutions? turalism and diversity in higher education. CK: That’s an interesting question. Frankly, Q. Over the course of the last 20 years, American apart from the leaders of the institutions you universities have become among the most diverse mention, I’m not sure who in the United States institutions in America. How should the question of is drawing attention to diversity of that second diversity figure in a university education? kind. I would certainly want to defend it, since CK: Personally, I’ve never thought of diversity as I believe one of the marks of a diverse society is a virtue in itself, or as something that ought to that it tolerates people and practices that reject be celebrated. It’s simply the way the world is. diversity as an end in itself. Certainly students should be made aware that Q: Various projects have been defended in the name they’ll be dealing with different kinds of people of multiculturalism. You have identified yourself as one way or another. But I don’t think an atti- a proponent of “anarcho-multiculturalism.” How is tude of celebration is the right one. “anarcho-multiculturalism” distinct from other more The important thing is not so much familiar kinds? encouraging students to confront diversity directly, as encouraging them to gather the CK: My use of the term “anarcho-multicultural- intellectual resources they need to become ism” is slightly tongue-in-cheek. It speaks to a thinking and critical persons who can deal kind of liberal multiculturalism that takes Continued on page 11 >>> focus Vol. 1, No. 1, Fall 2003 Center for Ethics and Public Affairs The Murphy Institute,Tulane University IT IS MY PLEASURE to report on the activities of the Murphy Institute’s Center for Ethics and Public Affairs at the end of its first full year of activities, and the second FACULTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE of its existence. Bruce Brower, Department of Philosophy Thanks to generous support from both the Tulane Richard Culbertson, School of Public Health Murphy Foundation and the bequest Tulane University and Tropical Medicine Eric Dannenmaier, Director,Tulane Institute received from the Lallage Feazel Wall Fund, I believe we for Environmental Law & Policy have established the foundations of a first-rate interdisci- Kay C. Dee, School of Engineering plinary center designed to promote scholarly research, Gerald Gaus, Department of Philosophy teaching and discussion of ethics and the ethical dimensions of public and & Murphy Institute professional life.The success of the new Center was visible on several fronts: Steve Griffin, Law School • Some of the intellectual excitement of the year should be attributed to Cathy J. Lazarus, School of Medicine Graham Owen, School of Architecture our first group of Graduate Fellows, who helped with selecting and hosting Eric Mack, Department of Philosophy a distinguished group of visiting speakers for the Center’s 2002– 2003 & Murphy Institute lecture series. (See “Profiles” p. 3 and “Lectures and Conferences” p. 6).We Robert Martensen, School of Medicine also are very pleased to announce that Graduate Fellow Elizabeth Umphress Jonathan Riley, Department of Philosophy has accepted a position as assistant professor of business ethics at the May & Murphy Institute Martyn Thompson, Department of Political Business School,Texas A&M University. Science & Murphy Institute • Another highlight of the year was the continuing development of our new Michael Zimmerman, Department of academic journal Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. As this newsletter goes to Philosophy press, three issues of Volume 1 and the first two issues of Volume 2 have been CENTER ADMINISTRATION published. Contributors have included Brian Barry (Columbia),Allan Buchanan Richard F.Teichgraeber III, Director (Duke), David Miller (Oxford), Martha Nussbaum (University of Chicago), and Lisa Luongo, Program Coordinator John Roemer (Yale).The third annual PPE conference—on “Evolution and EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD letter from theEconomics”—was director held on the Tulane campus on March 14–15, 2003. Michael McPherson, President, Spencer • Finally, a distinguished group of scholars accepted invitations to serve Foundation (chair) on the Murphy Institute’s new External Advisory Board, established in part John Ferejohn, Carolyn S.G. Munro Professor to provide expert counsel for the continuing development of the Center of Political Science, Stanford University for Ethics within the Murphy Institute. Michael McPherson, President of the Geoffrey Galt Harpham, Director, National Spencer Foundation, and former President of Macalester College will serve Humanities Center Bonnie Honig, Professor of Political Science as the Board’s first chair. Its other four new members are: John Ferejohn, and Director, Center for Law, Culture, and Carolyn S. G. Munro Professor of Political Science, Stanford University; Social Thought, Northwestern University Geoffrey Galt Harpham, Director of the National Humanities Center; Stephen Macedo, Director, University Center Bonnie Honig, Professor of Political Science & Director, Center for Law, for Human Values, Princeton University Culture, and Social Thought, Northwestern University; and Stephen Macedo, FOCUS Director,University Center for Human Values, Princeton University. Lisa Luongo, Editor Looking forward, there is good reason to feel confident we will build on Adam Newman, Communications the past year’s success.The Center has selected an impressive first group of Consultant and Art Director visiting Faculty Fellows for the 2003–2004 academic year. (See list of Faculty Tana Coman, Designer Mary Mouton, Public Relations Fellows, p. 5). During Summer, 2003, the first floor of Tilton Hall will be re- Jackson Hill/Southern Lights, Photographer modeled to create the Center’s new administrative office, as well as offices for our visiting faculty fellows.We’ve also received welcome news that the Board of Tulane Murphy Foundation has put the Center on firm footing by approving Send editorial correspondence to funding for all program activity through 2006–2007.We are very grateful to Center for Ethics and Public Affairs, the Tulane Murphy Foundation for its continuing generous support. Murphy Institute, 108 Tilton Hall,Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118. Telephone: 504-865-5317. Facsimile: 504-862-8755. For questions and comments contact [email protected]. Web site: www.tulane.edu/~murphy/. Richard F.Teichgraeber III, Director profiles of graduate fellows The Consequences of Fair Treatment As world financial markets trembled with will join the faculty at Texas A&M in the fall as each revelation of corrupt corporate account- an assistant professor of management. One of ing practices this past year, Elizabeth Umphress’ the highlights of her year as a Graduate Fellow doctoral dissertation became all the more was the opportunity to invite Ann Tenbrunsel timely. Umphress was in the final year of work (Business Administration, University of on “In the Name of the Company: Unethical Notre Dame) to Tulane for a public lecture. Behaviors Perpetrated by Employees in Tenbrunsel's research has shown that in some Response to Fair Treatment,” a dissertation circumstances attempts to discourage forbidden she completed this spring under the direction behavior through external means do not in fact of Professor Arthur Brief at Tulane’s A. B. promote ethical behavior. Umphress gives the Freeman School of Business. example of a company slapped with environ- “I want to explain why people behave mental sanctions. “When a company is ordered unethically to benefit their organization,” the to take a corrective measure, such as installing Sherman, Texas native explains. “Why do they a monitoring device, the sanction removes the shred documents, lie to clients and customers behavior from a conscious moral framework. to benefit the corporation?” For this company, adherence to environmental Umphress predicted that two factors could standards ceases to be a conscious ethical issue, determine an employee’s willingness to behave becoming instead a business decision that unethically: “Accountability is one—whether might lead to more unethical behavior.” there is pressure to justify one’s decisions to Umphress looks forward to a career of one’s boss, and the second involves organiza- teaching and continued research into ways to tional