YEREVAN, Armenia — In April 2026, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Center for Ethics in Public Affairs hosted Professor Jonathan Wolff for a series of academic events.
Professor Wolff is a Fellow of the British Academy and Emeritus Alfred Landecker Professor of Values and Public Policy at the University of Oxford. He also serves as President of the Royal Institute of Philosophy. He is a former senior research fellow in philosophy and public policy at Oxford and a supernumerary fellow at Wolfson College. Prior to joining Oxford, he served as a professor of philosophy and dean of arts and humanities at University College London. A political philosopher, his work focuses on inequality, disadvantage, and social justice. He is the author of nine influential books, most recently City of Equals (Oxford University Press, 2024), co-authored with Avner de-Shalit.
Professor Wolff’s publications have addressed issues such as public safety, disability, gambling, and the regulation of recreational drugs. He has also played an active role in providing public policy advice nationally and has co-chaired a World Health Organization Committee on COVID-19 vaccination.
The first event featuring Professor Wolff was ETICA’s inaugural public lecture, held at the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology at Yerevan State University (YSU) on April 20. During the lecture, drawing on his extensive research, Professor Wolff explored patterns of trust and distrust in government, arguing that governments expecting trust from their citizens should also show that they trust the public.
Dr. Aleksan Baghdasaryan, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology at YSU noted that Professor Wolff brings a depth of experience that is particularly valuable to those engaged in the field. “We are living through a turbulent period, marked by heightened emotion, hope, and uncertainty about the future. In such a context, the voice of the professional philosopher carries particular significance and can serve a guiding role,” he remarked.
The lecture was followed by a Q&A session, during which participants had the chance to engage in meaningful dialogue on the themes discussed.
The second public event, hosted at AUA on April 21, was part of ETICA’s regular research-in- progress meetings on the theme of ethics and public policy. During the event, Professor Wolff and Dr. Hamlet Simonyan from YSU discussed the forthcoming Armenian translation of Wolff’s book Ethics and Public Policy: A Philosophical Inquiry (Routledge, 2019) as part of ETICA project’s major translation initiative directed by Dr. Arshak Balayan, deputy director of ETICA.
Prior to the research event, Professor Wolff gave a masterclass to AUA students taking the course Ethics in Public Affairs with Dr. Arshak Balayan. Wolff’s Ethics and Public Policy is one of the central readings in this course. The session gave students a unique opportunity to meet the author, hear his reasons for writing the book, and ask questions about the chapters they studied throughout the semester.
The third public event, held on April 22 and lasting all day, was a research workshop on topics arising from Professor Wolff’s numerous publications. It included six sessions, during which individual researchers presented their work on topics of ethnicity, politics, and policy. Professor Wolff opened the session with his presentation, “New Technology and Emotional Intelligence,” followed by ERA Chair and ETICA Director Professor Maria Baghramian’s “Reflections on Trust and Governance.”
The afternoon sessions further deepened the dialogue with contributions from Dr. Jean-François Caron, the C. Judson King Endowed Visiting Professor at AUA, on “The Ethical Civil Servant”; Dr. Arshak Balayan, on “Who Knows Enough to Wage a Just War?”; ETICA researcher Dr. Xintong Wei on “Is Revolutionary Violence Justified?”; and Dr. Bill Wringe of Bilkent University, on “Who Can Violate a Human Right to Health? (And Why Does it Matter?).”
The workshop concluded with a discussion among participating scholars, emphasizing the importance of academic collaboration on pressing ethical questions.
On his final day at AUA, Professor Wolff, who is also a member of the ETICA project’s Advisory Board, took part in one of the project’s regular team meetings and shared his insights on how to bridge the gap between academia and policymakers and to provide effective policy advice.
Reflecting on this remarkable visit, Professor Baghramian expressed her gratitude to Professor Wolff, “for his generosity in devoting so much time to the ETICA project and the willingness to share his vast knowledge and experience with diverse audiences in Armenia over five unforgettable days.”
On his last day of stay in Armenia, April 24, Professor Wolff joined the AUA community in its solemn procession to the Armenian Genocide Memorial complex and took part in a wreath-laying ceremony to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
