< Back to Staff page

Allyn Fives has been a postdoctoral researcher at the Child and Family Research Centre since January 2009. Currently he is taking part in a major evaluation of the Barnardos Wizards of Words child literacy programme, and he is involved in the Young Carers in the Irish Population study, which has been commissioned by the OMCYA. He teaches political theory in the School of Political Science and Sociology. His recent publications have been in the areas of welfare entitlements, theories of justice, and democratic theory.

Contact Details

Address Child and Family Research Centre, School of Political Science & Sociology, National University of Ireland, Galway.

E-mail allyn.fives@nuigalway.ie

Tel 00353 (0)91 495732

Research Interests

• Political philosophy and the rational analysis of moral issues in politics                                          
• Welfare rights and their moral justification
• The moral and political status of children                                    
• The liberal—communitarian debate and multiculturalism
• Moral and cultural relativism, and hermeneutics and post-modernism                                           

Academic Record

• PhD Political Philosophy, University of Edinburgh, 2002.
• MA Political Behaviour, University of Essex, 1995.
• BA Political Science and Sociology, and History, University College Galway, 1994.

Teaching Experience

• Research Ethics & Professional Ethics & Bio-ethics Workshops
• Modern Political Theory
• Ethical Theory
• History of Political Philosophy

Publications

• (Forthcoming) Democracy and Social Justice: Public reasoning and just generosity (Palgrave)

• (2008) Political and Philosophical Debates in Welfare (Palgrave)

• (2009) ‘Reasonable, Agonistic, or Good? The character of a democrat’, Philosophy & Social Criticism, 35, 8 (October)

• (2008) ‘Human Flourishing: The grounds of moral judgement’, The Journal of Value Inquiry, 42, 2:167-186 (Published online at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/x40430821l7l815l/)

• (2006) ‘Aristotle’s ethics and contemporary political theory’, 21st Century Society, 1, 2: 201-220

• (2005) ‘Virtue, Justice, and the Human Good: Non-relative communitarian ethics and the life of religious commitment’, Contemporary Politics, 11, 2-3: 117-131

• (2003) ‘Are identity and social justice compatible?’, pp. 71-92, in C. J. A. Stewart, K. G. Francis, A.K. Dorman-Jackson eds., The Politics of Contesting Identity (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press)

• (2009) ‘Review of Applied Ethics and Social Problems by Tony Fitzpatrick 2008,’ Social Policy and Administration (In Press)

• (2009) ‘Review of Morals, Rights and Practice in the Human Services, by Marie Connolly & Tony Ward, 2008,’ Critical Social Policy 29, 1: 158—159

• (2007) ‘Review of The Liberal Conscience by Lucas Swaine, 2006,’ Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 10, 5: 515-517 (Published online at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/n33m606kv7582357/)

• (2005) ‘Review of Preventing the Future by Tom Garvin, 2004,’ Irish Studies Review, 13, 3: 418-420

• (2005) ‘Review of The Many Faces of Individualism edited by A. Harskamp & A. Musschenga, 2001,’ Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 8: 5, 575-578

Other Professional Activities

• Journal Referee: The Journal of Value Enquiry, Contemporary Political Theory, Journal of Power

• Member of Professional Bodies: Irish Political Studies Association, Sociological Association of Ireland

• Organizer of Political Theory Panel at PSAI conference (Oct. 2008)

Back to top