Public Service and the Future of Democracy

In association with The John Smith Centre for Public Service at University of Glasgow and Carnegie UK Trust
Hailed as the most popular political philosopher of his generation and a legend in the lecture hall who regularly draws audiences of thousands, Professor Michael J Sandel will give a keynote speech on the subject of Public Service and the Future of Democracy followed by a question and answer session chaired by the Presiding Officer.
The Harvard professor is one of the best known American public intellectuals. His Harvard lectures fascinate students eager to discuss the big questions of modern political life: bioethics, torture, rights versus responsibilities, the value we put on things. He is famed for his course 'Justice', which he has delivered for two decades and is now available as a 12-part TV series with companion website and book: 'Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?' In his newest book, 'What Money Can’t Buy', he challenges the idea that markets are morally neutral.
His on-going series 'The Public Philosopher' can be heard on BBC Radio 4, which also broadcast his Reith Lectures in 2009. His programme 'Justice: A Citizen’s Guide to the 21st Century' was seen on BBC Four, and he has taken his electrifying lectures on a global tour across five continents to great acclaim. In 2010, China Newsweek named him the “most influential foreign figure of the year” in China.
“His desire to pay testament to all shades of opinion is what transforms his lectures from an intellectual presentation into a civic event. If politics often leaves us feeling bad, Sandel is a political philosopher who makes us think about what it means to be good.” The Observer
Professor Sandel’s 'Justice' course at Harvard is the most popular of its kind and has been viewed by millions around the world.