Early in my graduate training, I became fascinated with issues of morality and political violence. Consequently, most of my research and publications have addressed issues of nuclear deterrence, terrorism, assassination, conditions of surrender at the tactical level, religion and violence, and the moral status of civilians. Recently, I have become interested in issues of patriotism, nationalism, and justice.
I have authored, edited, or co-edited four books, including the Encyclopedia of Religion and War (Routledge, 2004). My articles have appeared in The Thomist, Journal of Social Philosophy, International Journal of Applied Philosophy, Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly (see, for example, the article “Terrorism, Innocence, Justice”).
As the former Director of the Dr. James Dale Ethics Center I sponsored programs and frequently lectured in our region. I am very active in local and state-wide politics, and have served on various boards of directors, including Planned Parenthood of Mahoning Valley and ACLU of Ohio.
In addition to my academic work, I practice daily on the classical guitar. I own a Greg Byers guitar that is capable of a warmth and sweetness so regal that have earned her the name Malika (Arabic for Queen). Several hand injuries and surgery, however, have forced me to put Malika down (temporarily, I hope). I am working on a biographical study of the great Cuban-born classical guitarist, Manuel Barrueco.
Recent Publications
“Public Policy: Moving to Moral Cosmopolitanism,” in John-Stewart Gordon, ed., Morality and Justice: Reading Boylan’s A Just Society (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009).
“Ethics of Nuclear War,” The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (NY: Oxford University Press, 2010).
“Cosmopolitan Revisions of Just War Theory,” in M. Boylan, ed., Global Ethics (Bouder, CO: Westview Press, 2011).
“Using Fictive Narrative to Teach Philosophy/Ethics,” with Michael Boylan, Felicia Nimue Ackerman, Sybol Cook Anderson, Edward Spence in Teaching Ethics, Fall 2011.
“Targeting of Civilian Populations in War,” in Ruth Chadwick, ed., Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics 2nd Edition (San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1998), vol. 1, pp. 509–525. Reprinted in The Encyclopedia of Ethical Issues in Politics and the Media (San Diego: Academic Press, 2001). Revised version in *Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics *(Elsiever, 2012).
“Boylan on Immigration,” Journal of Applied Ethics and Philosophy, vol. 4 (August 2012).
“Introduction. Symposium on World Government/World Governance,” International Journal of Applied Philosophy (Fall 2013).
Latin America Anarchism, by Angel Cappelletti. English language translation, 2013, unpublished.