International Center for
Ethics, Justice and Public Life

Connect with the Ethics Center

See the complete calendar of upcoming Center events

Sign up for weekly updates and news from the Ethics Center

Subscribe to Ethics Central Weekly!

News & Highlights

Applications are now being accepted from across the United States for the third cohort of ENACT Faculty Fellows

Applications will be accepted through December 1, 2019. Read details about the fellowship and access the online application here. Read about the first cohort of Faculty Fellows here and the second cohort here.

Tony Shapiro-Phim Joins the Ethics Center

The Ethics Center is delighted to announce the appointment of Toni Shapiro-Phim as Associate Professor of Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation (CAST) and Assistant Director of the Center's Program in Peacebuilding and the Arts. Beginning in the fall semester 2019, she will support the program in Peacebuilding and the Arts, co-chair the CAST minor, offer its core course, “Introduction to Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation" (CAST 150b) and develop two new CAST-designated courses. Read more here.

The 2019 Brandeis ENACT Anthology is available online 

The 2019 Brandeis ENACT Anthology "Advocacy for Policy Change: Brandeis students work to reform Massachusetts law" is now available as a PDF. View or download here. Advocacy for Policy Change (LGLS 161b), as seen in our Spring Courses, is taught by Professor Melissa Stimell and is part of the national program ENACT: The Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation. 

ENACT Featured in BrandeisNOW

BrandeisNOW, part of Brandeis's offical media team, has written about the ENACT program and student participation in classes and events. To read the article, "Brandeisians leading through legislation," and to find out more about the ENACT mission, click here.

ENACT Awarded a Multi-Year Grant to Expand to All 50 States

ENACT will be able to expand to all 50 states thanks to a grant from the Teagle Foundation. 

ENACT Forum on Women's Political Engagement

On April 8^th, Massachusetts State Senators Diana DiZoglio and Cindy Friedman and Kentucky State Representative Attica Scott discussed their careers in politics and political advocacy, as well as their perspectives on political engagement, particularly at the state level, in conversation with the students from ENACT courses around the United States. Learn more about the event here. More info on Facebook here. 

Advocacy for Policy Change: Present and Defend

On Wednesday, May 1^st, the students of Advocacy for Policy Change (LGLS 161b)  presented the legal advocacy projects they developed over the course of the semester and tried to persuade votes for their bills, which were considered by the Massachusetts State Legislature. Explore the work of Brandeis ENACT students here.

2019 Richman Fellowship Winner Anna Deavere Smith  

Anna Deavere Smith, an award-winning playwright, actor, and educator, is the 2019 winner of the Richman Fellowship. Smith visited campus for a residency and award ceremony in March 2019. She performed portrayals of people she has interviewed from across the country and from all walks of life to showcase the diverse opions on controversial issues. Read more about her visit here. Read a BrandeisNOW article about her here. Watch her presentation here. 

The Trials of Richard Goldstone book launch event

In “The Trials of Richard Goldstone,” Daniel Terris examines the extraordinary life of Richard Goldstone and the price he pays for his convictions. The Ethics Center hosted a reading, discussion and reception featuring author Daniel Terris, Director Emeritus of the Ethics Center, and Richard Goldstone, Ethics Center Board member. Read more about the event here. Read a BrandeisNOW article about the event here. 

Leigh Swigart Featured in TV Series

Leigh Swigart was featured in an episode of the Curiosity Foundation’s TV series “New England Authors with Kameel Nasr” discussing The International Judge: An Introduction to the Men and Women Who Decide the World’s Cases, which she wrote with Daniel Terris and Cesare P. Romano. Watch the episode here. 

Ethical Inquiry: Recommended Books from 2018 

For the December installment of "Ethical Inquiry" we took the opportunity to recommend some books published last year on topics related to the work of the Ethics Center and by people affiliated with the Center, as well as a few selections not as closely tied to our work that have impressed members of our staff. Read our recommendations for 2018 here! 

2018 Gittler Prize Winner Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum visited Brandeis

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on racial identity and resegregation in America, was the 2018 winner of the Gittler Prize. Tatum visited campus for a residency and award ceremony in October 2018. She gave a lecture about issues relating to her critically acclaimed landmark book from 1997, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race. Read more about her visit here. View a video of her lecture here. Read a BrandeisNOW article about her here. 

12th Brandeis Institute for International Judges (BIIJ) held in Oslo

From May 30 to June 2, 2018 the 12th Brandeis Institute for International Judges (BIIJ) took place in Oslo, Norway. Read a summary of the session now, and stay tuned for a downloadable pdf report.

Complete Ad Hoc Tribunals Oral History Collection now available

All of the interviews conducted as part of the Ad Hoc Tribunals Oral History Project are now available to the public. The Oral History Project aims to preserve the voices of those individuals who worked to bring justice to areas of conflict. More information about the completion of the project is available here. The full collection can be accessed here.

Visit the Ethics Center News Page

There's always a lot happening at the Ethics Center! Keep up-to-date by visiting the Ethics Center's news page regularly – and follow us on Facebook, too!