Talks

Conflict is not inherently bad, and compromise is not inherently good. The ethics of conflict depend on who is fighting, why they are fighting and how they are fighting. This has implications for human rights, the environment and public health. (Note: This talk was recorded some time before the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.)

This talk urges institutions to throw away the “Crisis Playbook”—that is, tactics designed to rebuild trust in the wake of a crisis. They should focus instead on addressing the underlying reasons for the loss of trust. Failure to do so further jeopardizes public health, human rights, the environment, etc.—and the institution itself.

A university’s relationship with a corporate sponsor is often described as a “dance.” But corporations weave complex “webs of influence” involving many institutions. Partnerships with industry have become the paradigm in public health. But they often fail to alleviate—and in some cases—exacerbate public health crises.