Mission and Vision The Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics is a hub for cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and research-centered teaching in the humanities and social sciences. RESEARCH FOCUS. Our interdependent globalized world faces a myriad of individual and collective decision-making problems that often cut across the boundaries of academic disciplines. Questions concerning market processes, government intervention, taxation, social welfare, well-being, healthcare, environmental sustainability, international trade, poverty, social justice, and global justice all involve positive and normative elements, are multidimensional, and can be addressed adequately only through interdisciplinary analysis. The Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics provides foundational research that is necessary for such analysis. Play the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Virginia Tech video Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Virginia Tech 7:13 Close Video CROSS-COLLEGE INITIATIVE. The Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics is one of the first research centers in the world that is dedicated to interdisciplinary research in PPE. The Center is housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and operates in close collaboration with the College of Science. The Center advances the University’s Beyond Boundaries vision. It fosters research collaborations across campus and provides faculty and students with the opportunity to work collaboratively on some of the most pressing social and economic problems of our time. PPE as a program of study has been established at Virginia Tech in 2015. Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely at PPE Distinguished Public Lecture RESEARCH-CENTERED TEACHING. The Center oversees two interdisciplinary undergraduate degree programs (a major and minor in PPE) that train students to become leaders in the 21st century. The degree programs provide students with the tools, methods, and knowledge to develop comprehensive solutions to complex interdisciplinary decision-making problems, solutions that are not only economically sound, but also socially, ethically, and politically informed. The degree programs are centered on an undergraduate research project. Nobel Prize Winner Esther Duflo Speaks on Good Economics for Hard Times Julia Netter Speaks on Data Protection, the Digital Body, and Autonomy Award-Winning Historian Adam Tooze Speaks on Shutdown, COVID, and the World Economy Alexis Louaas Speaks on Hobbes, Kant, and Game Theory ENGAGING PROGRAMMING. The Center organizes research-focused events, in particular a research speaker series, research fellow panels, conferences, workshops, and public lectures. In addition, the Center offers student-centered events and activities, such as an undergraduate journal, reading groups, discussion colloquia, and a PPE Club. The Center’s programming fosters dialogue among faculty, students, and the public and supports the Center’s integration of research and teaching. Past and present guest speakers include Kyoto Prize Winner Martha C. Nussbaum, Nobel Prize Winner Amartya Sen, New York Times bestselling author Dan Ariely, award-winning British historian Adam Tooze, and Nobel Prize Winner Esther Duflo. Kyoto Prize Winner Martha C. Nussbaum delivers PPE Distinguished Public Lecture INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY. In all its efforts, the Center is guided by principles of academic freedom, independence, integrity, and respect. The Center strongly supports principles of inclusion and diversity, in particular pertaining to race, class, ethnicity, culture, gender, and religion. The Center’s faculty and students come from diverse backgrounds across the globe. Our faculty encourages and brings a variety of perspectives to social scientific research and fosters inclusive classroom teaching. In addition, the Center regularly invites scholars to discuss a wide range of socially relevant topics to help build a welcoming inclusive and diverse community that is essential to the functioning of society and the flourishing of each of its members. Please see the inclusion and diversity statements of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, the College of Science, and the University. Center Director Dr. Michael Moehler is Founding Director and Core Faculty member of the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the London School of Economics (LSE). During his career, Dr. Moehler held Visiting Professorships in philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and its joint Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with Duke University, as well as the University of Graz. In addition, he was a Faculty Fellow at the Parr Center for Ethics at UNC-Chapel Hill, a Research Fellow at the Center for Ethics and Public Affairs at the Murphy Institute at Tulane University, and served as John Stuart Mill Visiting Chair of Social Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Hamburg. Dr. Moehler has more than fifteen years of research and teaching experience in PPE, spanning the U.S., U.K., and Europe. He is author of Minimal Morality: A Multilevel Social Contract Theory (Oxford University Press) and Contractarianism (Cambridge University Press). His work appeared in journals such as Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Utilitas, Philosophical Studies, Analysis, Synthese, Analytic Philosophy, Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, European Journal of Philosophy, Journal of Social Philosophy, Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, and the Journal of Global Ethics. For more information about his work, please visit his website. Center Staff Holly Belcher Business and Marketing Manager820 University City Blvdhollymb2@nullvt.edu / PPE Expertise For all PPE business and marketing questions, please contact Holly via email for assistance. Holly Belcher PPE Advisor820 University City Blvdhollymb2@nullvt.edu / PPE Expertise For all PPE advising questions, and/or to schedule an advising session, please contact Holly via email. Stakeholders Laura Belmonte Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences belmonte@nullvt.edu Ron Fricker Interim Dean, College of Science fricker@nullvt.edu Timothy W. Luke Chair, Department of Political Science twluke@nullvt.edu Sudipta Sarangi Head, Department of Economics ssarangi@nullvt.edu Kelly Trogdon Head, Department of Philosophy trogdon@nullvt.edu Brian Shabanowitz Associate Dean for Finance and Administration and Chief of Staff (CLAHS) bshabano@nullvt.edu Affiliated Departments and Colleges Department of PhilosophyDepartment of Political ScienceDepartment of EconomicsDepartment of ManagementDepartment of MarketingDepartment of Engineering EducationDepartment of Industrial and Systems EngineeringDepartment of Urban Affairs and PlanningDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Agricultural and Applied EconomicsDepartment of Fish and Wildlife ConservationDepartment of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation College of Liberal Arts and Human SciencesCollege of SciencePamplin College of BusinessCollege of Architecture and Urban StudiesCollege of EngineeringCollege of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Natural Resources and Environment
