Social and political philosophy studies how people live together and how societies should be organized. It asks questions about justice, rights, authority and social cooperation, and it explores how institutions shape individual and collective life. At the University at Buffalo, social and political philosophy studies how social norms and the informal institutions of our normal lives interact with the formal institutions of our political lives. What does a more just society look like? How do we realize it? When we disagree about justice, what makes state authority legitimate?
Great for students interested in in law, public policy, politics, ethics, social justice, education or public service.
Research in this area explores questions such as:
These questions shape debates about governance, citizenship and social change.
Researchers combine careful argument, ethical reasoning and institutional analysis to evaluate social and political systems. This work often draws on history, economics, law and the social sciences to understand how ideas play out in practice.
Research approaches may include:
Social and political philosophy research at UB often examines:
Together, these topics help clarify how societies can work better for everyone.
Students can engage in social and political philosophy research through coursework, independent study and faculty-mentored projects that connect theory to contemporary social and political issues.