Framing ethical perspectives
Applied ethics refers to the practical applications of the moral principles that govern behavior. Carnegie Council focuses on this field, mostly through the realm of international affairs, by identifying and addressing the most critical ethical issues of today and tomorrow. Our initiatives, content, and experts analyze the way that governments, institutions, and individuals interact and make choices on global issues, such as climate change, emerging technology, and governance.
Featured Applied Ethics Resources
Practical conversations, decision analysis, and more
MAR 13, 2026 • Video
Character and Leadership: A Conversation with Lt. General (ret.) Mark Hertling
FEB 20, 2026 • Podcast
Keeping it Real(ism), with Assoc. Professor Paul Poast
With realism having a political moment, Paul Poast discusses the intellectual roots of the theory and how it's being applied in U.S. foreign policy.
DEC 11, 2025 • Video
Re-examining our Capacity for Just Peace
Watch this discussion featuring distinguished experts reflecting on the state of war in 2025 and the obstacles to achieving just peace.
Related Initiatives
Carnegie Ethics Accelerator
The Carnegie Ethics Accelerator is a new kind of incubator designed to empower ethics in the face of swiftly evolving challenges in technology and public policies.
Ethics & International Affairs Journal
Ethics & International Affairs is the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. It aims to close the gap between the theory and practice of ethics.
Carnegie Ethics Fellows
The Carnegie Ethics Fellows program (CEF) seeks to cultivate the next generation of ethical global leaders across business, policy, technology, NGOs, and academia.
Explore Our Applied Ethics Resources
APR 13, 2015 • Podcast
Ethical Systems Design: Bringing Behavioral Science Into Corporate Life
This is the first in a series of podcasts in collaboration with EthicalSystems.org to explore behavioral science in the workplace. In this installment, we're ...
APR 7, 2015 • Article
Rethinking the Prevention Mandate of Peace NGOs: An EastWest Route
How can peace NGOs be more effective, both at preventing conflict and maintaining peace? Greg Austin of the EastWest Institute looks at the record of ...
MAR 23, 2015 • Article
Russia's Orthodox Soft Power
Russia's values are often overlooked, or treated simplistically as the antithesis of Western values. We should understand that the close relationship between the Orthodox Church ...
MAR 16, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Innovations: Shakespeare on the Shop Floor
A pioneering organization is using literature to enable other sorts of conversations at the workplace—the types of conversations that successful companies need to have.
MAR 5, 2015 • Podcast
Dual Legacy: The Effect of Business Thinking on the Social Sector
This month on "Impact," we're taking a close look at a huge issue--legacy. In this case, we're examining how it relates to contemporary philanthropy and ...
MAR 4, 2015 • Podcast
Tourism, Farmers, & Technology in Africa: Eddie Mandhry from NYU Africa House
"What's been amazing is that across Africa there is a movement where people are adopting technologies and leapfrogging some of the developmental stages that you'd ...
MAR 4, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Innovations: Eating "Ugly," a New Healthy Trend
England and France are using creativity to push consumers to buy "ugly" fruits and vegetables.
MAR 2, 2015 • Podcast
Patients with Passports: Medical Tourism, Law, and Ethics
Medical tourism is big business, involving millions of patients who travel abroad to get health care. Some travel to avoid queues and save money. Others ...
MAR 2, 2015 • Article
Killing and Cartoons
This year Paris and Copenhagen learned that there are still people willing to kill for cartoons. The dilemma of what to think about their publication ...
FEB 25, 2015 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Timbuktu"
An extraordinary film, "Timbuktu" chronicles a brief period during the 2012 occupation of the ancient Malian city by the militant Islamic group Ansar Dine. What do ...