Our guest in this episode is Nancy Sherman, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University and a leading expert on ancient ethics and modern moral psychology. Drawing on Aristotle and the Stoics, Nancy explores what it means to live well, to cultivate resilience without emotional suppression, and to nurture our capacity for connection in a fragmented world. She discusses how Stoic ideas have been both misunderstood and rediscovered—from Silicon Valley’s self-help culture to the search for calm and meaning among younger generations. Through themes of responsiveness, character formation, and moral self-knowledge, the conversation bridges ancient wisdom and contemporary challenges in education, leadership, and mental health.

00:01:02 – Motivation and Driving Force

00:04:37 – Aristotle and the Soul

00:09:03 – Stoicism and Aristotle

00:11:46 – Stoicism and the Self-Help Industry

00:14:23 – Stoicism and Spiritual Practice

00:18:50 – Stoicism and Bildung

00:24:47 – ResponsAbility and Wise Response

00:28:24 – Responsiveness in Education and Professional Life

00:33:47 – Stoicism, Resilience, and Mental Health

00:37:06 – Stoic Exercises in Higher Education?

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection
How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Nancy Sherman emphasizes that resilience is not simply a matter of self-control, but is deeply connected to our relationships, emotions, and social context. In your own professional life, how do you balance the desire to remain composed and effective with the willingness to acknowledge vulnerability, dependence, or loss? What might change if resilience were understood less as self-sufficiency and more as a relational capacity?
2. The Stoics encourage us to focus on what is within our control, while Aristotle reminds us that human life is shaped by circumstances beyond our choosing. When facing a difficult situation in your work, how do you discern what genuinely calls for your response and what must be accepted as beyond your control? How might this distinction help you act more wisely and responsibly in practice?

Literature:

• Sherman, N. (forthcoming): How to Have a Soul: What Aristotle Teaches Us about Lasting Happiness. Yale University Press. 
• Sherman, N. (2021): Stoic Wisdom – Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience. Oxford University Press. 
• Sherman, N. (2015): Afterwar: Healing the Moral Wounds of Our Soldiers. Oxford University Press. 
• Sherman, N. (2007) Stoic Warriors - The Ancient Philosophy behind the Military Mind. Oxford University Press. 
• Sherman, N, (1991): The Fabric of Character: Aristotle's Theory of Virtue. Clarendon Press. 

Our guest in this episode is Peter Singer, one of the most influential moral philosophers of our time. Known for works like Animal Liberation, Practical Ethics, and The Life You Can Save, Singer has spent his career challenging us to rethink how we live and how we can reduce suffering for humans and animals alike. In his recent book The Buddhist and the Ethicist, co-authored with Venerable Shih Chao-Hwei, he explores what happens when Western utilitarian ethics meets the compassion and mindfulness of engaged Buddhism. In this conversation, we talk about living one’s philosophy, the role of compassion in ethical life, and what Buddhist thought can teach us about the ability to respond wisely to the challenges of our time.

00:00:53 – Living One’s Philosophy

00:02:52 – The Life You Can Save

00:06:40 – What’s Good About Utilitarianism?

00:09:14 – Ethics and Animal Welfare

00:12:58 – The Buddhist and the Ethicist: A Cross-Cultural Dialogue

00:17:00 – Why Dialogue?

00:18:32 – Insights from the Dialogue

00:21:30 – Spirituality Without Belief

00:25:29 – The Meeting of Compassion and Reason

00:25:32 – What Can Western Philosophy Learn from Buddhism?

00:27:40 – ResponsAbility and Ethical Dialogue

00:29:12 – The Responsibility of Philosophers Today

00:32:22 – Future Dialogues Between Philosophy and Contemplative Traditions

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Peter Singer argues that ethical reflection should influence how we live, not remain an abstract intellectual exercise. Looking at your own professional and personal life, where do you notice a gap between what you believe is important and how you actually act? What small but meaningful step could you take to bring your actions more closely into alignment with your values?
2. Throughout the conversation, Singer highlights the importance of extending our moral concern beyond what is immediate, familiar, or personally beneficial. Which forms of suffering or injustice—whether in your local context or globally—tend to remain outside your field of attention? How might you cultivate the awareness, knowledge, and practical responsiveness needed to engage more thoughtfully and effectively with them?

Literature:  

• Singer, P. & Chao-Hwei, S. (2023): The Buddhist and the Ethicist: Conversations on Effective Altruism, Engaged Buddhism, and How to Build a Better World. Boulder, CO: Shambala. 
• Singer, P. (2024): Animal liberation now. Vintage Publishing 
• Singer, P. (2020): Why Vegan. So the only question is: Do any other animal other than man suffer? Penguin Classics.
• Singer, P. (2016): One World Now: The Ethics of Globalization. Yale University Press.
• Singer, P. (2015): The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically. Yale University Press. de
• Lazari-Radek, K. & Singer, P. (2014): The Point of View of the Universe: Sidgwick and Contemporary Ethics. Oxford University Press.
• Singer, P. (1981, 2nd edition 2011): The Expanding Circle: Ethics, Evolution, and Moral Progress. Princeton University Press. 
• Singer, P. (2009): The Life You Can Save: How to Do Your Part to End World Poverty. Random House.
• Singer, P. & Mason, J. (2007): The Ethics of What We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter. Harmony/Rodale/Convergent.

In this episode, we talk with Tone Kvernbekk, Professor of Education at the University of Oslo, about how teachers think, reason, and act wisely in complex educational contexts. Drawing on her work on the nature of evidence, theory, and practical judgment, she discusses why educational practice cannot simply be based on evidence, but must be informed by it. We explore her reflections on causality, context, and the limits of instrumental thinking. Finally, Tone shares how pedagogical thought experiments can help cultivate the ability to respond thoughtfully and well to what each situation demands.

00:00:44 – Academic journey and philosophical beginnings

00:02:34 – Why theory and theory development matter in education

00:04:27 – “Nothing is as practical as a good theory”

00:06:00 – The meaning of “based” in evidence-based practice

00:08:02 – What counts as evidence?

00:11:58 – John Hattie and the limits of “what works best”

00:15:31 – Instrumentality and causality in education

00:20:02 – Four models for connecting research evidence and practice

00:22:35 – Grimen, phronesis, and Biesta – on wisdom, risk, and judgment

00:25:41 – Pedagogical thought experiments and the cultivation of ResponsAbility

00:30:06 – The responsibility of educational philosophers today

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection
How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Tone Kvernbekk argues that evidence should inform professional judgment rather than replace it. When making important decisions in your own practice, what kinds of evidence, experiences, values, and contextual knowledge do you draw upon, and how do you balance them in responding to the particular situation at hand?
2. Kvernbekk suggests that responsible practice involves thinking carefully through possible actions and their consequences before acting. How might the use of thought experiments—imagining different responses, outcomes, and unintended consequences—strengthen your ability to respond wisely and responsibly to the uncertainties and complexities you encounter in your work?

Literature: 

• Kvernbekk, T. (2005). Pedaogisk teoridannelse. Insidere, teoriformer og praksis. Fagbokforlaget 
• Kvernbekk, T. (2011): The Concept of Evidence in Evidence-based Practice. In: Educational Theory, Vol. 61, No. 5. University of Illinois. 
• Kvernbekk, T. (2018) «Evidensbasert Pedagogisk Praksis: Utvalgte Kontroverser.» Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk,Vol. 4, 2018, pp. 136–153. http://dx.doi.org/10.23865/ntpk.v4.1153 
• Kvernbekk, T. (2019) Practitioner tales: possible roles for research evidence in practice, Educational Research and Evaluation, 25:1-2, 25-42, DOI: 10.1080/13803611.2019.1617988 

In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we speak with philosopher Lou Marinoff, professor at City College of New York and founding president of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. Marinoff shares his journey from physics to philosophy, and how he became a pioneer of philosophical practice. We talk about his well-known book Plato, Not Prozac and the P4/PEACE framework, his dialogue with Buddhist thinker Daisaku Ikeda in The Inner Philosopher, and his reflections on spirituality, Taoism, and Pierre Hadot’s idea of philosophy as a way of life. Marinoff also discusses his work on the root causes of conflict and argues for philosophy’s crucial role in higher education, professional practice, and in creating the conditions for peace.

00:00:50 - Personal and professional journey

00:03:38 - What philosophical practice can contribute to higher education

00:13:01 - On the relevance of philosophy when facing life’s challenges

00:15:52 - On the P4/PEACE framework and why it is not only about problem-solving

00:30:56 - On The Inner Philosopher with Japanese Buddhist thinker Daisaku Ikeda.

00:35:46 - On spirituality and philosophical practice

00:41:45 - What is Daoist philosophy about, and how might it be applied in life?

00:46:42 - What are the root causes of conflict?

00:55:14 - On understanding conflict and developing towards wisdom

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection
How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Lou Marinoff suggests that philosophy can help us move beyond immediate emotional reactions and examine our challenges through reflection, dialogue, and wisdom traditions. Think of a professional or personal dilemma you are currently facing: What philosophical assumptions, values, or beliefs might be shaping your response, and how could examining them more consciously open up new possibilities for action?
2. Throughout the conversation, Marinoff argues that lasting peace—whether within ourselves, in our workplaces, or in society—requires not only solving problems but also transforming consciousness. In your own sphere of influence, what practices, conversations, or ways of being might help cultivate greater understanding, meaning, and responsibility in your relationships with others?

Literature: 

• Marinoff, L. (1999). Plato, not Prozac! Applying eternal wisdom to everyday problems. HarperCollins.  
• Marinoff, L. (2003). The big questions: How philosophy can change your life. Bloomsbury.  
• Marinoff, L. (2004). Therapy for the sane: How philosophy can change your life. Bloomsbury USA. (Note: This work was originally published in hardcover as The Big Questions.) 
• Marinoff, L., & Ikeda, D. (2012). The inner philosopher: Conversations on philosophy’s transformative power. Dialogue Path Press.  
• Marinoff, L. (2017). The power of Dao: A timeless guide to happiness and harmony. Waterside Productions.  
• Marinoff, L. (2019). On human conflict: The philosophical foundations of war and peace. Rowman & Littlefield.  
• Marinoff, L. (2020). The middle way: Finding happiness in a world of extremes. Waterside Productions.  

In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we speak with Nicola Ulibarri, Associate Professor at UC Irvine and first author of Creativity in Research. Drawing on her experience at Stanford’s d.school, Nicola shares how creativity can be cultivated as a deliberate practice in academia through mindfulness, emotional intuition, structured exercises, and supportive collaboration. We explore themes from her book, including the thirty-day creativity program, storytelling, energy management, and psychological safety in teams — and reflect on how these themes can become sources of creativity and inspiration for the researcher.

00:00:55 - Personal and professional background for writing Creativity in Research

00:03:38 - Mindfulness as foundational for creativity in research

00:05:06 - Emotional intuition as a guide in research decisions

00:09:11 - How can the inclusion of mindfulness and emotional intuition in research processes be justified?

00:12:38 - On the thirty-day-program

00:15:02 - Transformations observed with researchers who did the thirty-day-program

00:17:48 - On the importance of storytelling and language in shaping researchers’ identity

00:19:19 - On the role of energy management in research processes

00:24:09 - On the importance of collaboration and feedback in order for creativity to flourish in research

00:28:13 - Surprises in the reception of the book

00:31:10 - Is a researcher also a kind of artist?

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection
How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Nicola Ulibarri suggests that creativity begins with paying attention to our own thoughts, emotions, energy, and assumptions. What signals from your own experience might you be overlooking in your professional or research practice, and how could becoming more attentive to them open up new possibilities for action and insight?
2. The episode highlights the importance of collaboration, feedback, and psychological safety in fostering creativity. How might you contribute to creating environments—in your workplace, research group, classroom, or community—where others feel able to share unfinished ideas, take intellectual risks, and learn together?

Literature:

• Ulibarri N, Cravens AE, Svetina Nabergoj A, Kernbach S, Royalty A. (2019): Creativity in Research: Cultivate Clarity, Be Innovative, and Make Progress in Your Research Journey. Cambridge University Press. 

In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we are honored to welcome Professor Lars Løvlie—philosopher of education and long-time advocate for a reflective, humane, and relational approach to schooling and teacher education. Drawing on decades of experience and a deep engagement with thinkers like Hegel, Kant, Gadamer, and Dewey, Løvlie shares his reflections on concepts such as respect, recognition, and play—and how these shape both pedagogy and Bildung. We also explore his critique of standardized education reforms and his commitment to the essay as a philosophical form. This conversation is a thoughtful invitation to rethink what it means to teach, to learn, and to live together in a humane society.

00:01:12 - How Lars got interested in the German Bildung tradition

00:11:14 - On Hegel's concept of recognition and Kant's concept of respect

00:17:28 - On the notion of play

00:18:18 - On John Dewey's approach to education

00:20:29 - On the existential dimension of education

00:23:16 - What is the real question of education about?

00:24:31 - How to design a teacher education program that includes the promotion of Bildun and practical wisdom?

00:26:33 - On the test of practice

00:31:48 - On the importance of the academic essay in teacher education

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Lars Løvlie highlights play as a fundamental dimension of human learning, imagination, and Bildung. To what extent does your own educational or professional practice create space for play—not merely as entertainment or a method, but as a way of exploring possibilities, making meaning, and engaging with the world? What might become possible if play were taken more seriously?
2. If responsibility can be understood as the ability to respond thoughtfully to the uniqueness of each situation, rather than merely following predefined methods or goals, how might this understanding challenge or enrich the way you make decisions, relate to others, and navigate the tensions between institutional demands and human needs in your daily work?

Literature:

• Løvlie, Lars. 1979. Dialektikk og pedagogikk: en studie med utgangspunkt i Hegel: åndens fenomenologi: arbeidsmanuskript, skrifter 22. [Dialectics and pedagogy: a study based in Hegel: the phenomenology of spirit]. Lillehammer: Oppland distriktshøgskole. 
• Løvlie, Lars.1984. Det pedagogiske argument [The pedagogical argument]. Oslo: J.W. Cappelens forlag. 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1990. "Omsorgsperspektiver." [Perspectives on care]. In Moderne omsorgsbilder, edited by Karen Jensen et al, 33-60. Oslo: Gyldendal. 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1992a. "Pedagogisk filosofi." [Philosophy of pedagogy]. In Pedagogisk filosofi, edited by Erling Lars Dale. Oslo: Ad Notam Gyldendal. 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1992b. «Postmodernisme, språk og filosofi». [Postmodernism, language and philosophy]. In Pedagogisk filosofi, edited by Erling Lars Dale. Oslo: Ad Notam Gyldendal. 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1992c. "Moralen og forholdet til de andre." [The moral and the relationship to others]. In Erkjennelse og anerkjennelse: perspektiv på relasjoner, edited by Berit Bae and Jan Erik Waastad, 190-210. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1994. Prosjektbeskrivelse. Skolen som kulturinstitusjon (Skole-KULT). [Project description. The school as a cultural institution (Skole-KULT)]. Retrieved June 18th 2013 from https://www.forskningsradet.no/prosjektbanken_beta/#/project/102116/no 
• Løvlie, Lars. 1999. "Hegels dannelsesbegrep: noen synspunkter." [Hegel`s conception of Bildung – some viewpoints]. In Dannelse, humanitas, paideia, edited by Øyvind Andersen, 43-62. Oslo: Sypress forlag  
• Løvlie, Lars. 2000. "Mot et utvidet danningsbegrep." [Towards an extended conception of Bildung]. In KULT - i kulturforskningens tegn: en antologi, edited by Håkon W.  Andersen et al, 211-228. Oslo: Pax. 
• Løvlie, L. (2009). Dannelse og profesjon. [Bildung and profession].  I:Kunnskap og dannelse foran et nytt århundre.Innstilling fra Dannelsesutvalget for høyere utdanning. 
• Løvlie, L (2013). Verktøyskolen. [The tool school]. I Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift 3/2013Øksnes, M., Sundsdal, E., & Løvlie, L. (2015). Leder. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 1. https://doi.org/10.17585/ntpk.v1.92Løvlie, L. (2015). Herbart om oppdragelse, formbarhet og takt. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 1. https://doi.org/10.17585/ntpk.v1.91 
• Løvlie, L. (2015). John Dewey, phenomenology, and the reconstruction of democracy. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 1. https://doi.org/10.17585/ntpk.v1.104 
• Løvlie, L. (2017). The Test of Practice–An Essay. Education Sciences, 7(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci7010031 
• Løvlie, L. (2022) Hvis teknokratene ikke fantes. I: Schaanning, E., & Aagre, W. (2022). Skolens mening : femti år etter Nils Christies Hvis skolen ikke fantes. Universitetsforlaget. 
• Løvlie, L. (2022). Akademisk dygd og politikkens fravær. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 8. https://doi.org/10.23865/ntpk.v8.3755 
• Løvlie, L., & Løvlie, L. (2021). Politisering og pedagogisk motstand : veien til en barneorientert praksis (1. utgave.). Fagbokforlaget. 

In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we speak with Professor Ambrogio Bongiovanni—director of the Center for Interreligious Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University—about the transformative role of dialogue in education, peace-building, and global responsibility. Drawing from decades of work across religious, academic, and international institutions, Bongiovanni explores what it means to cultivate a pedagogy of dialogue that embraces difference without losing depth. From grassroots encounters in India to teaching future educators and theologians, he shares insights on nonviolence, spiritual formation, and the ethical challenges of our time. In summary, this conversation examines how dialogue in education can foster connection, reflection, and responsibility in an increasingly divided world.

00:01:00 – Background and path into interreligious work

00:04:16 – Pedagogy of dialogue in multi-religious education

00:08:19 – Dialogical training for peace and nonviolence

00:12:12 – Challenges in promoting interreligious dialogue

00:16:00 – Institutional influence on global dialogue and responsibility

00:19:44 – Ethics and moral development in education

00:22:52 – Spirituality and Bildung in education

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Ambrogio Bongiovanni suggests that dialogue is not merely a communication tool but a way of being in relation to others. In your own professional and personal life, how do you respond to difference, and what might it mean to become more genuinely dialogical in your encounters with people whose beliefs, values, or experiences differ from your own?
2. If education is not primarily about producing outcomes but about fostering human growth, peace, and mutual understanding, how might you contribute—within your own sphere of influence—to creating spaces where people can engage differences constructively and learn to live together responsibly?

Literature: 

• Bongiovanni, A. & Edwin, V. (Eds.) (2021): A Call to Dialogue. Christians in Dialogue with Muslims. Rome: Aracne. 

In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we are joined by Prof. Dr. Alfried Längle and Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Maria Waibel—two leading voices in existential therapy and pedagogy. Alfried Längle, a close collaborator of Viktor Frankl and founder of the International Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, shares his insights into the foundations of existential psychotherapy, focusing on meaning, freedom, and the four fundamental motivations that guide human life. Eva Maria Waibel, a seasoned educator and psychotherapist, brings these existential principles into the field of education, emphasizing the formation of the whole person through presence, relationship, and ethical responsibility.

Together, they explore how both therapy and education can support people in navigating suffering, disconnection, and the challenges of modern life—not by offering easy answers, but by cultivating the courage to face difficult questions and stay connected to oneself and others. This episode offers a hopeful reflection on what it means to teach, learn, and live with meaning and care.

00:01:24 - About the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy

00:06:17 - What distinguishes Alried Längle's form of existential analysis from Viktor Frankl's?

00:08:38 - What is Existential Pedagogy and what does it look like in practice?

00:16:05 - How can you work to educate children and youth in ways that can give them meaning in their lives?

00:17:41 - How to understand spirituality in the context of Existential Analysis and Existential Pedagogy?

00:23:50 - How to work with not only spirituality but also with responsibility in educational settings?

00:33:47 - What does conscience mean in the context of Existential Analysis and Existential Pedagogy?

00:35:58 - What can Existential Pedagogy contribute to the development of so-called Life Skills?

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1.  Choose a particular situation from your professional life that currently challenges, concerns, or engages you. Rather than asking what you expect from the situation—or from the people involved—ask yourself: What is this situation asking of me? What kind of response might it call forth from you? 
2.  Längle and Waibel emphasize the importance of meaning as a foundation for both personal growth and professional practice. When you reflect on your own work, what do you experience as genuinely meaningful, and how might paying greater attention to these sources of meaning influence the way you live and work?

Literature:

• Längle, A. (2024): The Art of Involving the Person: The Existential Fundamental Motivations as Structure of Motivational Process. In: A. Cantú, E. Maisel, & C. Ruby (Eds.), Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models (pp. 487–503). Cambridge (UK): The Ethics International Press. ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-80441-276-3 
• Längle A. & Klaassen, D. (2019): Phenomenology and Depth in Existential Psychotherapy. In: J Humanistic Psychology https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/pJdypyZFmIK2F6mvBgyJ/full 
• Längle, A. (2014): From Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy to Existential Analytic psychotherapy. In: European Psychotherapy 12, 67-83. 
• Längle, A. (2012): The Viennese School of Existential Analysis. The Search for Meaning and Affirmation of Life. In: Barnett L, Madison G (Eds.): Existential therapy: Legacy, vibrancy, and dialogue. New York: Routledge, 2ß12, 159-170. 
• Siller, H. & Waibel, E. M. (2018): Not pure harmony, but less of a power struggle – What do teachers and pedagogues think about Existential Pedagogy? In: The Teacher Educator, Volume 53/2018, Issue 1, pp. 44 – 66. 
• Waibel, E. M. (2017): Self-Worth and Meaning-Oriented Education, In: Etherington, Matthew (Ed.). What Teachers Need to Know. Topics of Inclusion. Wipf & Stock: Eugene, OR (USA), pp. 66 – 81   
• Waibel, E. M. (2012): Erziehung zu Selbstwert und Sinn – Self-Worth and Meaning-Oriented Education, In: Rabensteiner, Pia-Maria und Ropo Eero (Hrsg.): Life and Responsibility in European Education. Euopean Dimension in Education and Teaching. Vol. 5. Hohengehren: Schneider, S. 103 – 131 

The Time Magazine listed our guest today among America’s 25 most influential people in 1996. And with that, we are truly honored to welcome Professor Carol Gilligan in this episode! Carol is one of the most influential psychologists and ethicists of our time. She is the author of the groundbreaking book In a Different Voice, which not only reshaped moral development theory but also introduced the now widely recognized ethics of care. Currently based at New York University, she has held distinguished positions at Harvard and Cambridge. Her work has had a lasting impact not only in psychology and philosophy but also in education, gender studies, and democratic theory. In this episode, we speak with Carol about the origins of In a Different Voice, the overlooked abortion study that inspired it, and the paradigm shift she helped initiate—from abstract principles of justice to an ethics rooted in care, relationship, and responsibility. We also explore the role of embodied knowledge, the resurgence of patriarchy, and why helping children—and societies—find their voices is more urgent than ever. 

00:01:16 – A bit about Carol’s personal story 

00:09:56 – About the abortion decision study which lead to In a Different Voice 

00:16:57 – About the paradigm shift towards the ethics of care 

00:21:47 – What does responsibility mean to Carol? 

00:27:32 – What role does intuition have with regard to the human voice? 

00:31:58 – What would it look like in practice if we were to teach teacher students or nursing students in a way that would enhance their intuition? 

00:33:16 – What does the voice of resistance sound like? 

00:41:50 – Why did Carol call her book Darkness Now Visible? 

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection:

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1.  Gilligan suggests that responsibility begins with paying attention—to ourselves, to others, and to the relationships we are part of. In your professional practice, where might you need to listen more carefully to a voice, concern, or perspective that is often overlooked, dismissed, or silenced? What might become possible if that voice were genuinely heard? 
2.  Throughout the conversation, Gilligan challenges the tendency to separate thinking from feeling and encourages us to trust forms of embodied and relational knowing. How do you recognize when something matters deeply to you in your work, and how might this awareness guide your decisions and actions more consciously?

Literature:   

• Gilligan, C. (1982): In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674445444.  
• Gilligan, C (1991) Women, Girls and Psychotherapy. Reframing resistance.  
• Gilligan, C. Between Voice and Silence (1996): Women and Girls, Race and Relationships.  
• Gilligan, C. (2011). Joining the resistance. Cambridge, UK Malden, Massachusetts: Polity Press. ISBN 9780745651705.  
• Gilligan, C and David Richards (2020). Darkness now visible - Patriarchy`s Resurgence and Feminist resistance  
• Gilligan, C. (2023): In a Human Voice. Cambridge: Polity Press ISBN 9781509556809. 

Our guest in this episode is Dr. Helgard Mahrdt from the Center for Gender Research at the University of Oslo. She was also Associate Professor at the Department of Literature, Area Studies, and European Languages and Visiting Professor at the University of Ljubljana. Furthermore, she served as a Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities in Copenhagen and has been affiliated with the Humaniora study group at the University of Oslo. In this episode, we explore her long-standing engagement with the political thought of Hannah Arendt, focusing on Arendt’s insights into education, judgment, and responsibility. We discuss Arendt’s concept of the educator’s double responsibility—toward both the child and the world—and what it means to teach in an era marked by alienation, expropriation, and the breakdown of tradition. We also reflect on the role of thinking, remembering, and public discourse in shaping democratic life, and on how educators and universities must respond to rising authoritarian pressures. 

00:01:25 – What brought Helgard to study the life and work of Hannah Arendt? 

00:03:48 – On the double responsibility of the educator 

00:04:09 – On Arendt’s concept of Being-in-the-world and its relevance for education 

00:11:45 – On the difference between moral and political responsibility 

00:15:52 – What lessons can we draw from Arendt regarding current radical political movements? 

00:21:19 – Do universities have a political responsibility?

Between Theory and Practice – Questions for Reflection:

How might the insights from this dialogue inspire your own practice? The following questions are intended to inspire further inquiry, whether explored individually or in conversation with colleagues, students, or peers.

1. Arendt argues that we are responsible not only for ourselves, but also for the world we share with others and pass on to future generations. When you consider your own professional practice, what aspects of this shared world do you feel particularly responsible for preserving, renewing, or transforming? 
2. Helgard Mahrdt highlights Arendt’s view that responsible action depends on our capacity to think, remember, and judge. Think of a current challenge or controversy in your professional context. How might taking time to reflect more carefully—rather than reacting immediately—help you arrive at a more thoughtful and responsible response?

Literature: 

• Arendt, H. (2017): The Origins of Totalitarianism. London: Penguin Books. 
• Arendt, H. (2018): The Human Condition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 
• Arendt, H. (2022): Eichmann in Jerusalem. London: Penguin Books. 
• Arendt, H. (2006): On Revolution. London: Penguin Books. 
• Mahrdt, H. (in progress) Hannah Arendt – to be at home in the world. Vidar Forlag: Oslo.   
• Mahrdt, H. (2022): Responding to wrong-doing. Ethics and Education. ISSN 1744-9642. 17(2), p. 197–210. doi: 10.1080/17449642.2022.2054541.  
• Mahrdt, H. (2018): Arendt and the notion of plurality, In: Filosofisk supplement.   
• Mahrdt, H. (2015): Refugees and Europe: a dilemma or a turning point. In: Studier i Pedagogisk Filosofi. Vol. 4. No. 2.   
• Mahrdt, H. (2012): Hannah Arendt: Self-disclosure, Worldliness and plurality. Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology. Vol 43. No.3. (pp.250-263).