For those who rresist simplification and seek responsible judgment in public life.

Public life depends on trust—in knowledge, institutions, and those who exercise authority. Yet trust cannot be commanded or engineered. It emerges where truth is pursued honestly, responsibility is assumed, and power is exercised with restraint.

This seminar examines how truth and judgment enter public life through politics, media, and economic institutions. Participants explore how evidence informs policy, how conscience and responsibility shape political action, how journalism frames reality, and how integrity—or its absence—in business affects public confidence.

Trust is approached not as a communication problem, but as a moral and institutional achievement—fragile, contested, and dependent on judgment under pressure.

What You'll Study

Four interconnected strands examining truth, responsibility, and judgment in public and economic life.
 20 hours academic core.

Translating Evidence: How Knowledge Enters Public Life

Evidence does not speak for itself. This strand examines how scientific findings are communicated, interpreted, and contested as they move from research contexts into policy debates and public discourse. It explores evidence-based policymaking, the social dynamics of trust, and tensions between expertise, communication, and democratic culture.

OUTCOME

Clearer judgment about evidence, expertise, and their limits in public decision-making.

Politics, Conscience, and Moral Responsibility

Political action is never only institutional; it is also moral. This strand examines how conscience, conviction, and moral imagination shape political responsibility. Drawing on ethical reflection and practical experience, it explores how truth, character, and judgment interact in public decision-making—especially under pressure and uncertainty.

OUTCOME

Deeper understanding of political responsibility as a moral and practical task.

4 HOURS

Facts, Frames, and Public Trust: Journalism and the Crisis of Truth

Public judgment depends on how facts are gathered, framed, and communicated. This strand studies journalism as a practice of truth-telling within democratic societies. It examines editorial framing, economic incentives, polarization, and time pressure—and how these shape public trust and collective understanding.

OUTCOME

A differentiated view of human agency and judgment in a technologically mediated world.

5 HOURS

Ethics in Business and Public Life

This strand addresses ethical challenges in economic and public institutions. It explores the consequences of unethical behaviour, the relationship between corruption and governance, and the institutional conditions required to uphold the common good. It also examines how individuals navigate responsibility within complex organizational settings.

OUTCOME

Orientation toward integrity, responsibility, and ethical judgment in institutional life.

Brian Griffiths

British economist and public intellectual

We expect selected faculty for this seminar. Faculty reflects the academic focus of the seminar and may evolve in response to availabity.

Julia Serong

Professor of Moral Philosophy at Università Europea di Roma.

Philipp Booth

Professor of Public Policy at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham

NEXT STEPS

Apply for Politics, Media, Public Trust

Applications close August 8, 2026. Rolling admissions—early application recommended.