OZSW PhD Summer School on Ethics and Economics: Ethics of Taxes, Climate Change and Labor Markets

Topic description:

In what ways can economic inequality undermine the proper functioning of democracy? Are carbon taxes morally desirable, also in non-ideal circumstances? How can green industrial policy be designed to respect, or even further, egalitarian goals? What is the value of economic growth? What are the moral harms and benefits of (labor) market competition?  

Questions at the intersection of ethics and economics are hotly debated both in academic philosophy and in public policy circles. The aim of this summer school is to bring together graduate students and recently completed PhDs working on economic ethics and take a deep-dive into philosophical debates about climate change, labor markets, and taxation, with some of the leading researchers on these issues.  

Leaning goals:

The goals of the course are threefold: 

1. Gaining a deeper understanding of some of the main approaches in economic ethics and how these can be used to analyse contemporary challenges, in particular in the design of the tax system, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and labour market regulation. 
2. Reflecting on how economists, legal scholars, political scientists, and political philosophers can fruitfully work together on topics in the field of ethics and economics. 
3. Meeting other early career researchers working in the field of ethics and economics, broadly conceived.  

Costs:

• The participant fee for this activity is 300 euros for those who are a member of the OZSW and/or another research school in the Humanities (LOGOS);
• All others pay a tuition fee of 350 euros.
• Please note that it’s also possible to participate in the summer school for only one day. In that case, a reduced participation fee of 115 euros is applicable for those who are a member of the OZSW and/or another research school in the Humanities (LOGOS). All others pay a reduced fee of 130 euros.

How to register:

• ReMa students, PhD researchers, and early career researchers may register via the OZSW website (https://www.ozsw.nl/activity/ethics-and-economics-summer-school/).

The registration deadline is March 31 2026. If registration has been closed because the maximum amount of participants has been reached, you can submit your name to the waiting list by sending an email to [email protected]. Please also indicate whether you are a ReMA student, PhD student, or early career researcher and/or another research school in the humanities (LOGOS) or not.