Professor John Baker BA, MA, B.Phil.
Contact Details
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Biography:
| Associate Professor in Equality Studies A political philosopher by background, I have worked in UCD since 1977, initially in the Department of Ethics and Politics and the Department of Politics. I was a founding member of the Equality Studies Centre in 1990 and of the UCD School of Social Justice in 2005. I grew up in the US but went to England to study, moving to Ireland when I got my job in UCD. My academic interest in equality and social justice has always been motivated by my moral and political beliefs and I have tried to combine activism with my academic interests. I have been an active member of SIPTU, the Labour Party, Basic Income Earth Network, and of pro-choice groups and anti-war campaigns. My main research interests are in egalitarian theory, including both egalitarian theories of justice and democratic theory, which I see as closely interrelated. Most of my recent work has been in collaboration with my colleagues in the Equality Studies Centre. I have worked with several PhD students on issues that are broadly in the area of applied political theory and would be happy to hear from prospective PhDs and post-docs. I was the Head of the School of Social Justice from Sept 2008 to Aug 2011. I am currently the Head of Subject for Equality Studies and academic coordinator of the PhD programme in Equality Studies.
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Research Interests
| My main research interests are in equality studies, especially the theory of equality, democratic theory and other related political theory.
I have previously supervised PhD research by Colum McCaffery, Valerie Bresnihan, Deiric O Broin, and Marie Moran. I am currently supervising PhD research by Niamh McCrea, Nicholas Tsri and Anna Visser. For details see http://www.ucd.ie/socialjustice/research/doctoral%20research/ |
Books
| John Baker, Kathleen Lynch, Sara Cantillon and Judy Walsh; (2009) Equality: From Theory to Action, second edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [Details] |
| Kathleen Lynch, John Baker and Maureen Lyons; (2009) Affective Equality: Love, Care and Injustice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [Details] |
| John Baker, Kathleen Lynch, Sara Cantillon and Judy Walsh; (2004) Equality: From Theory to Action. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [Details] |
| John Baker; (1987) Arguing for Equality. London and New York: Verso. [Details] |
Book Chapters
Baker, J.; (2011) 'Reflections on the Limits of Argument' In: Axel Gosseries and Yannick Vanderborght (eds). Arguing About Justice: Essays for Philippe Van Parijs. Louvain: Presses Universitaires de Louvain.  [Details] |
| Baker, J.; (2009) 'Liberal Equality versus Equality of Condition: Conflicting definitions of equality and their implications for community development' In: Peadar Kirby and Deiric Ó Broin (eds). Power, Dissent and Democracy: Civil Society and the State in Ireland. Dublin: A&A Farmar. [Details] |
| Baker, J; (2006) 'Democratic Strategies for Reducing Inequality' In: C. Harrison (eds). The Report of the Democracy Commission. Engaging Citizens: The Case for Democratic Renewal in Ireland. Dublin: tasc at New Island. [Details] |
| Baker, J.M.; (2006) 'Equality [completely revised]' In: S. Healy and B. Reynolds (eds). Social Policy in Ireland: Principles, Practice and Problems, 2nd edn. Dublin: Oak Tree Press. [Details] |
| Baker, J; (2005) 'The Philosophy and Politics of Equality of Condition' In: M.A. Lyons and F. Waldron (eds). Perspectives on Equality: The Second Seamus Heaney Lectures. Dublin: Liffey Press. [Details] |
| Baker, J; (2005) 'Equality and Human Rights' In: C. van den Anker and R. Smith (eds). The Essential Guide to Human Rights. London: Hodder & Stoughton Educational. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (2003) 'Poverty and Equality: Ten Reasons Why Anyone Who Wants to Combat Poverty Should Embrace Equality As Well' In: Equality Authority and Combat Poverty Agency (eds). Poverty and Inequality: Applying an Equality Dimension to Poverty Proofing. Dublin: Equality Authority and Combat Poverty Agency. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (2000) 'The Challenge of Irish Inequality' In: J. Dunne, A. Ingram and F. Litton (eds.) (eds). Questioning Ireland. Dublin: IPA. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (1999) 'Studying Equality' In: I. MacKenzie and S. O'Neill (eds). Imprints 2,1 pp. 57-71. Also in (eds.) Reconstituting Social Criticism: Political Morality in an Age of Scepticism (London: Macmillan; New York: St. Martins Press, 1999). London: Macmillan. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (1998) 'Equality' In: S. Healy and B. Reynolds (eds). Social Policy in Ireland: Principles, Practice and Problems. Dublin: Oak Tree Press. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M. with Charles Jones; (1998) 'Responsibility for Needs' In: G. Brock (eds). Necessary Goods: Our Responsibilities to Meet Others. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.; (1998) 'Utilitarianism and 'Secondary Principles'' In: John Stuart Mill¿s Social and Political Thought: Critical Assessments, Volume I: Social Ethics. London and New York: Routledge. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1997) 'What is Participatory Democracy?' In: Community Workers Co-Operative (eds). Strategies to Encourage Participation: a series of practical case studies from local, regional and national development in Ireland. Galway: Community Workers Co-Operative. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M. and G. Gaden; (1992) 'Equality and Integration' In: G. Fairbairn and S. Fairbairn (eds). Integrating Special Children: Some Ethical Issues. Aldershot: Avebury. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1992) 'An Egalitarian Case for Basic Income' In: P. Van Parijs (eds). Arguing for Basic Income. London and New York: Verso. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (1990) 'Your Arguments for Equality' In: Pam Carter, Tony Jeffs and Mark Smith (eds). Social Work and Social Welfare Yearbook 2. Milton Keynes: Open University Press. [Details] | |||||||||
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Peer Reviewed Journals
| Baker, John; (2009) 'Violence for Equality: Lessons from Machiavelli'. Global Crime, 10 (4):306-319. [DOI] [Details] |
| Baker, John; (2008) 'All things considered, should feminists embrace basic income?'. Basic Income Studies, 3 (3). [DOI] [Details] |
| John Baker; (2008) 'Election of Green Party Cathaoirleach, 2007'. Irish Political Studies, 22 (3):431-440. [DOI] [Details] |
| McLaughlin, E. and Baker, J.; (2007) 'Equality, Social Justice and Social Welfare: A Road Map to the New Egalitarianisms'. Social Policy and Society, 6 (1):53-68. [DOI] [Details] |
| Baker, J., Walsh, J., Cantillon, S. and Lynch, K. ; (2007) 'Equality: A Continuing Dialogue'. Res Publica, 13 (2):203-207. [Details] |
| Baker, J.; (2006) 'Equality: What, Who, Where?'. Imprints, 9 (1):29-41. [Details] |
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| Baker, J., Lynch, K., Cantillon, S. and Walsh, J. ; (2006) 'Equality: Putting the Theory into Action'. Res Publica, 12 (4):411-433. [Details] |
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| Lynch, K. & Baker, J.; (2005) 'Equality in Education: An Equality of Condition Perspective'. Theory and Research in Education, 3 (2):164-164. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.; (2003) 'Equality and Other Values'. Studies, 92 (1):113-121. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M. and Richard Sinnott; (2000) 'Simulating Multi-Option Referendums in Ireland: Neutrality and Abortion'. Irish Political Studies, 15 :105-125. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.; (1997) 'Studying Equality'. Imprints, 2 (1):57-71. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (1996) 'Fair Representation and the Concept of Proportionality'. Political Studies, 44 (4):733-737. [Details] |
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| Baker, J.M.; (1993) 'Critical Notice of Thomas Nagel, Equality and Partiality'. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 1 (1). [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1985) 'Philosophy and the Morality of Abortion'. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2 :261-270. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1985) 'Equality and Variable Need'. The Philosopher, :22-25. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1981) 'Playing the Language Game Game'. The Modern Schoolman, 58 :185-193. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1981) 'Critical Notice of Wittgenstein: Understanding and Meaning by G.P. Baker and P.M.S.Hacker'. Philosophical Studies, 28 :327-332. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1980) 'Mills Captivating Proof and the Foundations of Ethics'. Social Theory and Practice, 6 :299-309. [Details] | |||||||||
| Baker, J.M.; (1971) 'Utilitarianism and Secondary Principles'. Philosophical Quarterly, 21 :69-71. [Details] | |||||||||
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Website article
| Lewis, E. and Baker, J. ; (2010) Investigating Equality. UK: Website article [Details] |
Reports
| Lynch, K., Baker, J.M. and Cantillon, S.; (2001) Equality: Frameworks for Change. Reports [Details] |
| Lynch, K., Baker, J.M., Cantillon, S.; (2000) The Relationship between Poverty and Inequality. Reports [Details] |
| Lynch, K., Baker, J.M. et al; (1996) Equality Status and Disability. Reports [Details] |
| Lynch, K., Baker, J.M., Connelly, A., et al; (1995) A Framework for Equality Proofing. Reports [Details] |
Education
| Year 1971 Institution: Oxford University, UK Qualification: BA Subject: PPE |
| Year 1972 Institution: University of Toronto, ON Qualification: MA Subject: Philosophy |
| Year 1974 Institution: Oxford University, UK Qualification: B Phil Subject: Philosophy |
Outreach Activities
| I participate in the Equality Studies Centre's outreach programmes. Information available from the School of Social Justice website www.ucd.ie/socialjustice. |
Teaching Philosophy
| In common with my colleagues in the School of Social Justice, my teaching aspires to be dialogical, to minimise the inevitable power inequalities between academic staff and students, and to promote egalitarian change. |