Instructors: Liautaud, S. Schedule: M 4:15 – 6:05pm at 160-124
Synopsis: The objective of the course is to explore the increasing ethical challenges in a world in which technology, global risks, and societal developments are accelerating faster than our understanding can keep pace. We will unravel the factors contributing to the seemingly pervasive failure of ethics today among organizations and leaders across all sectors: business, government and non-profit. A framework for ethical decision-making underpins the course. The relationship between ethics and culture, global risks (poverty, cyber-terrorism, climate change, etc.) leadership, and the law and policy will inform discussion. Prominent guest speakers will attend certain sessions interactively. A broad range of international case studies might include: Ebola; Facebook’s mood manipulation research and teen suicides from social media bullying; Google’s European “right to be forgotten” and driverless cars; Space X (Elon Musk’s voyages to Mars); ISIS’ interaction with international NGOs; sexual assault on U.S. university campuses and in the U.S. military; the ethics of corporate social responsibility (through companies such as L’Oreal, Whole Foods and Walmart); corporate and financial sector scandals; and non-profit sector ethics challenges.