Christian Barry is professor of philosophy in the School of Philosophy at the Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS), Australian National University, and co-editor of the Journal of Political Philosophy.
His research focuses on ethical theory, philosophy of action, and international justice. His recent work includes a book with Sanjay Reddy, International Trade and Labour Standards: A Proposal for Linkage (Columbia University Press, 2008), and articles in Philosophy & Public Affairs, Journal of Political Philosophy, Journal of Moral Philosophy, Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Review of International Studies, International Affairs, and Carnegie Council's journal, Ethics & International Affairs.
His latest book, Responding to Global Poverty: Harm, Responsibility and Agency, (co-authored with Gerhard Øverland) was published by Cambridge University Press in 2016. He currently holds an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant for the project The Ethical Responsiblities of Consumers.
Prior to joining the ANU, Barry was a program officer at Carnegie Council (Justice & the World Economy), and editor of Ethics & International Affairs, a consultant to the Human Development Report Office at the United Nations Development Programme, and a lecturer in politics and international relations at University College Dublin.
He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University, where he was a fellow at the Center for Law and Philosophy.
Featured Work
OCT 28, 2008 • Podcast
Public Ethics Radio: Larry May on Habeas Corpus
Are habeas corpus petitions, as Barack Obama put it, "the foundation of Anglo-American law"? Or are they just nuisance lawsuits, as John McCain claims?
OCT 7, 2008 • Podcast
Public Ethics Radio: Leif Wenar on the Resource Curse
There is a powerful case that corporations and countries that buy natural resources from bad actors in developing countries are violating the property rights of ...
SEP 18, 2008 • Podcast
Public Ethics Radio: Jessica Wolfendale on Torture Lite
We now know that the U.S. officially sanctions and regularly employs interrogation tactics that push legal and moral boundaries. In this episode, Jessica Wolfendale ...
SEP 2, 2008 • Podcast
Public Ethics Radio: Thomas Pogge on Pharmaceutical Innovation
Philosopher Thomas Pogge explains his proposal for dealing with the thorny intersection of public health, property rights, and poverty. As he sees it, the patent ...
APR 13, 2007 • Article
Fairness in Sovereign Debt
When can we say that a debt crisis has been resolved fairly? That is, what makes processes of debt restructuring, debt cancellation, or the enforcement ...
DEC 7, 2006 • Podcast
Can and Should Trade Be Used to Promote Human Rights, Fairness? Part 3
Christian Barry sketches a theoretical framework for what an account of fair trade would look like and suggests what progressive governments might do to ensure ...
JUL 25, 2006 • Article
The False Dilemma of the Sweatshop
Poorer countries can avoid a trade-off between enhancing labour standards and taking full advantage of job-creating production and trading opportunities if current international trade rules ...
APR 5, 2006 • Podcast
International Trade: What Does Justice Demand?
On April 5, 2006, the Carnegie Council’s Global Social Justice program brought together five distinguished panelists and asked them to give their views on the question ...
MAR 31, 2006 • Article
Promoting Poorer Countries' Interests
The WTO's celebrated rule-based system can be used to promote labour standards in a manner that does not penalise developing countries that improve the lot ...
JAN 16, 2006 • Article
Background Papers on Ethics and Debt
Herman's "The Players and the Game of Sovereign Debt" describes arrangements that guide the interactions of actors involved in this issue. Barry's "Ethical Issues Relevant ...