CFP: A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox

Oxford University Press has just commissioned the fifth edition of A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox—a popular textbook that offers students a wide range of practical “tools” for engaging ethical problems. Unlike books that concentrate on the divisions between ethical positions and the formal reconstruction of arguments, Toolbox focuses on creative thinking, dialogue, and moral vision, hoping to help students work toward more and better solutions than the standard options.

Although the textbook isn’t a primarily a collection of readings, it does include a number of short selections from a wide range of writers. The authors/editors—Anthony Weston and, new to this edition, Bob Fischer—are calling for proposals for new or substitute contributions. While we welcome proposals on any topic, we’re especially interested in essays speaking to race, discrimination, policing, gender, sexuality, the environmental crisis, and animals.

We should stress that we are *not* looking for short versions of journal submissions. Instead, we are hoping to receive more conversational or personal essays that can prompt philosophical discussion. Here are some examples of pieces in the 4th edition:

https://genius.com/Alice-walker-am-i-blue-annotated

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/way-your-home-fire/

https://edgeofchangeroadtrip.wordpress.com/2016/10/13/at-standing-rock-a-sense-of-purpose-this-is-how-we-should-be-living/

Potential contributors should take a close look at the current edition of the textbook for a range of other examples:

https://global.oup.com/ushe/product/a-21st-century-ethical-toolbox-9780190621155

Proposals should be between 250 and 500 words, understanding that we’ll only be able to give you between 1000 and 2000 words for the full version. Please send proposals—and any questions—to Bob Fischer ([email protected]). Proposals are due by June 1.