Social institutions and nations in the globalised west of the 21st Century are not the clearly defined entities of even 50 years ago. Today, many national economies are dwarfed by those of large corporations who operate within them and whose policies may often be determined many kilometres away. The mass media exercise enormous influence over populations and decision makers. Many voters, disillusioned with the political processes of representative democracy, simply no longer participate in any real sense of the word. All these factors have been weakening the ideals and the exercise of Western Democracies for many years. On the other hand, the growing interdependence between politics, the economy, the media and between countries produces situations of having to balance many interests where the traditional distinctions of roles of the players concerned have become blurred. We all have to re-evaluate the roles we are being called on to play as business people, voters, politicians, reporters, parents. Ethical boundaries are also up for grabs. What ought I to do in my different capacities in any given situation?
The Edmund Rice Business Ethics Initiative invites you to a hypothetical forum where we will explore the quicksands of ethical and political activity in the context of a current today situation. Details of the forum will be announced closer to the date.
