STEPHEN CHILTON
Department of Political Science / University
of Minnesota Duluth / Duluth, MN 55812-2496
EMAIL: schilton@d.umn.edu WWW:
http://www.d.umn.edu/~schilton
218- 726-8162 (office) / 726-7534 (dept) / 726-6386
(FAX) / 724-6833 (home)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Normative political theory Primarily European political
theory > postmodern / progressive / neo-Marxist theory >
Fankfurt School / critical theory > Jürgen
Habermas > discourse ethics. Since
2000 my attention has been focused on my own "Ways of
Relating" perspective. [See
below]
- Foundations of social science Social theory; intellectual
& cultural history; conceptual analysis; methodological
and philosophical foundations of social science
- Political development Stages of political culture &
institutions; ideology; regime support; social change
- Political psychology Political culture; cognitive
development
and sociomoral reasoning
TEACHING INTERESTS
- Political theory (Habermas; Critical Theory; contemporary
political theory)
- Comparative politics (development studies; comparative
politics theory)
- Methodology (philosophy of social science and conceptual
analysis; survey, multivariate/quantitative, and hermeneutical research
methods)
EDUCATION
- 1977 Ph.D. Political Science Department, M.I.T.
- Dissertation: The Analysis of Power Structures in Three High Schools,
Prof. Frederick Frey, Chair (A pretest of quantitative methods for studying
social structure in villages of developing societies)
- 1968 Sc.B. Applied Mathematics Department, Brown University
- cum laude; Wayland Scholar; Calculus Prize; William Lowell Putnam
National Mathematics Exam Honorable Mention; Sigma Xi
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
- University of Minnesota - Duluth, Political Science Department
(Associate Professor, 1992-present; Who's Who Among America's Teachers,
1999; Acting Director of International Studies, 1994-95; Acting Department
Head, 1992-93; Assistant Professor, 1986-92; tenured, 1989)
- New Mexico State University, Government Department (Assistant
Professor, 1981-1986)
- Congressional Research Service, Education & Public Welfare
Division, Methodology Unit (Senior analyst, 1977-1981)
- The New Jersey Poll & Survey Research Services, Eagleton
Institute of State & Local Politics, Rutgers University (Acting
Director, 1975-6; Associate Director, 1974-5)
PUBLICATIONS, AND WORKS IN
ACTIVE PREPARATION
This book presents an empathy- and neurophysiologically-based
ontology of interpersonal morality. It applies the same schema to intrapersonal
authenticity and system-level justice. The issues considered in this work
run from methods of psychological counseling, to the philosophical problem of
whether evil exists, to theoretical critiques of positive political theory, to
child-raising methods, to the U.S. criminal justice system, etc.—really,
too many issues to list. The main point to be made here is that these disparate
topics fit straightforwardly within the empathy-based ontology.
“Looking the other in the eye” is a trope that has a moral significance beyond
its literary service. However, to extend it to public policy, i.e., beyond
the face-to-face interactions of tightly-knit communities, we must apply it to
interactions mediated by institutions and cultural patterns. Such application
requires a careful reformulation of what the trope means, but is nevertheless
also useful in that context. Use of this guide in policymaking is illustrated
by applying it to two public policy issues.
Jürgen Habermas’s theory of communicative action provides a new theoretical
ground for mediation and conflict resolution in general. Beginning from
the assumption that all people are in relationship, this article articulates Habermas’s
“presuppositions of argumentation”, which can help mediators focus
on fundamental elements of conflict resolution. At impasse, mediators can
assist the parties to prepare for litigation by a discussion that derives from
Habermas’s ideas of the “conditions of communication”.
Courts and legislatures can use these same ideas to constrain abuses of their
authority, and ultimately mediators, in a new opportunity for the field, can help
reestablish positive relationships post-outcome.
An overview of the ways of relating perspective, with a brief, exemplary application
to the problem of social and official violence in Brazil and elsewhere.
Postmodernism’s critique of normative systems is insightful but also
subject to reflexive self-negation and consequent political impotence.
This article attempts to both honor and rescue postmodernism by situating
it as part of a dialectical structure – Habermas’s “reconstructive science”
– including both construction and deconstruction. Kohlberg’s
sequence of moral reasoning stages is used to organize these various theoretical
positions.
This work shows that the experimental data traditionally used to justify claims
about the existence and heritability of intelligence can be predicted by
an alternative hypothesis of how human diversity, including cognitive ability,
is restricted by a culture, this restriction thereupon being circularly justified
by the culture's rewards to people with the approved qualities and its repression
of those without. Since the existing experimental evidence does not
distinguish between these two hypotheses, the claim that a meaningful construct
of "intelligence" exists (and the claim that it is heritable) cannot
be proven without examining the possibility of repression in the society.
This argument would be of only academic interest if it were not for
the fact that opponents of the concept of heritable intelligence mistakenly
wage an unwinnable war against the experimental data itself. In the
end, I claim, the data must be reinterpreted (subverted), not opposed.
This short article outlines and clarifies the duties of a good peer
reviewer of manuscripts submitted to professional journals.
Stephen Chilton
"A Second Moment of Discourse Ethics" in Sônia T. Felipe (ed)
Justiça como Eqüidade: Fundamentação e interlocuções
polêmicas (Kant, Rawls, Habermas) [Justice As Equality: Foundations
and Debates (Kant, Rawls, Habermas)] (Florianópolis, Santa
Catarina, Brazil: Editora Insular / Núcleo de Estudos em Éthica
e Filosofia Política [Center for Studies in Ethics and Political
Philosophy], 1998), pp. 141-153.
Discourse ethics's demand for universal free agreement to norms seems incapable
of satisfaction in the real world and has in fact led us to over-rely on the moment
of a hypostatized Ideal Speech Situation to produce such agreement. This work
proposes to add a new moment to discourse ethics to handle situations where a
decision must be made and free agreement is not forthcoming. This second moment
shifts our concern with agreement away from the specific norm(s) being considered
and toward the underlying Relationship from which discourse ethics arises. This
shift in concern brings to light a number of "second-order conditions": normative
criteria and sociopolitical practices that enable us to establish norms in a manner
consistent with discourse ethics, norms that are just insofar as we have any clear
sense of justice.
Provides the philosophical and analytic framework within which the
next-listed work's definition of political development is embedded. This
framework encompasses four major issues of social science: how we conceptualize
culture; why we require a normatively grounded theory of development; how
agreement over disputed concepts can be reached; and how a conception of
development can avoid moral imperialism.
Defines political development by applying symbolic interactionism to
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning development, creating a
parallel, normatively grounded theory of political development that connects
micro to macro analysis. Argues that previous definitions do not satisfy
our theoretical expectations.
Genetic epistemology is sometimes taken by those unfamiliar with it as a justification
for a meritocracy of moral reasoning. This is particularly true where genetic
epistemology attempts to apply its insights to the construction of the larger
social world. However, the political practice of genetic epistemology is really
characterized by a concern for maintaining systems permitting free discourse
among moral agents.
Employs the genetic epistemology of Jean Piaget both to critique current
research traditions (e.g. the belief systems tradition) and to suggest
new approaches (e.g. stages of political reasoning; a theory of political
development). Advocates a re-examination of political science's epistemological
foundation.
Lists nine theoretical criteria for conceptualizations of political
culture and shows that existing conceptualizations do not meet these criteria.
Reworks Lowell Dittmer's"symbol system" definition of political culture
in terms of sociomoral reasoning structures, creating a conceptualization
of political culture that satisfies all nine criteria.
Because political change and development involve choices among different
ways of relating, theories of political change inherently contain theories
of moral choice. Political development theories are therefore no more
normative than "value-neutral" theories of change, but all must find normative
ground. Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning development provides
the required grounding.
Stephen Chilton "WEIGHTER" and "PROFILE" (New Jersey Poll, 1975 &
1976)
These are two extensions to SPSS [i.e., computer subroutines], one
to establish cell weights when marginal frequencies are known, and the other
to tabulate survey items with multiple background items.
PROFESSIONAL PAPERS, PRESENTATIONS,
AND CONFERENCE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Author of "Need
Nonviolent Direct Action Break the Human Bond?" (Midwest Political
Science Association annual meeting, Chicago, 2006)
- Discussant of panel, "Interpretation and
Political Voice" (Midwest Political
Science Association annual meeting, Chicago, 2006)
- Chair and discussant of panel, "Deliberative Democracy: Theory
and Practice" (Midwest Political
Science Association annual meeting, Chicago, 2006)
- Chair of panel, "Interpreting Arendt" (Midwest Political
Science Association annual meeting, Chicago, 2006)
- Chair and discussant of panel on "Critique, Social
Movement, and Reform" (Midwest Political Science Association Annual
Meeting, Chicago, 2005)
- Discussant of panel on "Politics in 19th Century Literature" (Midwest
Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 2004)
- Author of "Looking Each Other in the Eye:
Social Justice within a Common Moral Universe" (Presented at the
Midwest Political Science Association annual convention, Chicago,
and the Great Plains Political Science Association, Marshall, Minnesota,
both in April 2003)
- Author of "The Logic of
Dialectical Systems" (Presented in the Philosophy Colloquium
Series, UMD, September 25, 2002)
- Author of "Embracing
the Dialectical Tension in Authenticity, Morality, and Social
Justice"
(Presented in the philosophical research colloquium series of the Center for Ethics and the Philosophy
of Mind, Institute of Philosophy and the Social Sciences, Universidade
Federal de Rio de Janeiro [UFRJ], Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 27,
2002)
- Author of "Embracing
the Dialectical Tension in Authenticity, Morality, and Social
Justice"
and "Situating
Postmodernism in Cognitive-developmental Perspective" (Two public
addresses organized by the Department of Philosophy, Pontifícia
Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul [PUCRS], Porto
Alegre, Brazil, June 14, 2002)
- Author of "Situating Postmodernism
in Cognitive-developmental Perspective" (Keynote address
to the Workshop on Politics and Postmodernity, Center
for Philosophy and the Social Sciences, Universidade Federal
de Santa Catarina [UFSC], Florianópolis, Brazil, June
6, 2002)
- Presenter of "Axis of Evil?" (Presented to the Political
Science Department, University of Wyoming, March 8, 2002)
- Presenter of "A Status Report on My Attempted Solution to Some
Problems in Discourse Ethics" (Presented to the Political Science
Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, February
7, 2002)
- Author of "Preface" to Paulo J. Krischke
(2001). The
Learning of Democracy in Latin America: Social Actors and Cultural
Change. Huntington, NY: Nova Science.
- Author of "Practical
Activism in the Light of Discourse Ethics: Satyagraha and
the U.S. Peace and Justice Movement" (Presented at the ACDIS
[Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security Program] "Friday
Follies "lunch
series, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, April 28, 2000,
at the Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting,
Chicago, April 30, 2000, and at the International Social Philosophy
Convention, University of Waterloo, July 22, 2000)
- Organizer and Speaker for "The Two
Moments of Discourse Ethics Workshop" (University of Minnesota,
Duluth, April 1, 2000)
- Author of "Fear
of Contingency and the Ethics of Intercultural Relations" (Nationalism,
Immigration, and Minority Rights Conference, University of Bristol,
Bristol, UK, September 16, 1999)
- Coauthor of Stephen Chilton and Maria Stalzer Wyant Cuzzo, "Discourse
Ethics, Mediation, and Litigation: The Two Moments of Discourse
Ethics As a Framework for Practice" (Law & Society Association
annual convention, Chicago, May 28, 1999, and American Political
Science Association annual convention, Atlanta, September 3,
1999)
- Coauthor of Stephen Chilton and Maria Stalzer Wyant Cuzzo, "The
Two-Moments View of Mediation and the Legal System" ("First
Reading XIX" Conference, UMD, April 30, 1999)
- Author of "Foundational
Propositions of the Discourse Ethics of Intercultural Relations"
(Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, April
16, 1999; the title is now changed, and the title given above differs
from that given in the program)
- Discussant of John Bokina, "Marcuse in Postmodernity" (poster
session, Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago,
1999)
- Author of "The Problem of
Agreement in Republicanism, Proceduralism, and the Mature Dewey:
A 'Two Moments of Discourse Ethics' Analysis" (Conference
on Democracy and Social Cohesion, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1998)
- Author of "Retreat
from Interpersonal Harmony to Merely Fair Procedures? or, Can't
We All Just Get Along?" ("First Reading XVIII" Conference,
UMD, 1998)
- Chair of panel on "Recent Elections in England, France, Canada,
Mexico: Nomothetic or Ideographic?" (Minnesota Political Science Association,
1997)
- Author of "A Second Moment
of Discourse Ethics" (Invited presentation, International
Symposium on Justice: Kant, Rawls, Habermas", Florianopolis,
Brazil, 1997)
- Author of "The Role of Emotion in Discourse Ethics" ("First
Reading XVII" Conference, UMD, 1997)
- Author of "A Perspective
on Intelligence" ("First Readings XV" Conference, Duluth,
UMD, 1995)
- Author of "Problems and Prospects in Critical Theory" (Critical
Theory Conference, University of Minnesota-Duluth, October 17-18,
1994)
- Organizer and chair of Critical Theory Conference (University
of Minnesota-Duluth, October 17-18, 1994)
- Author of "What Develops in Development? Alternative Loci and
Their Implications" (Midwest Political Science Association Annual
Meeting, Chicago, 1993)
- Chair of panel on "Development and Modernization Revisited" (Midwest
Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1993)
- Author of "Going Naked into
the Jungle Alone" (Invited presentation, Fulbright Association
of Minnesota Annual Meeting, St. Paul, MN, 1993)
- Discussant of panel on "Human Rights in the Third World" (International
Studies Association Annual Meeting, Acapulco, 1993)
- Author of "Toward a Scientific Theory of Political Development"
(American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1992)
- Chair of panel on "Democracy in the Third World: Political Modernization
Reconsidered" (Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting,
Chicago, 1992)
- Author of "Close Friendships Between Women and Men" (Popular
Culture Association Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY, 1992)
- Discussant of panel on "Political Theory, Practical Reason,
and Public Life" (Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting,
Chicago, 1991)
- Author of "The Political Practice
of Genetic Epistemology" (American Political Science Association
Annual Meeting, Atlanta, 1989)
- Chair of panel on "Foucault" (Foundations of Political Theory
Section, American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta,
1989)
- Author of "... But Never
Jam Today: Hermetic Projects in Intellectual Discourse" (Midwest
Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1989)
- Participant in the roundtable on "The Study of Political Culture
and Its Implications for Political Science" (Midwest Political Science
Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1989)
- Author of "Culture Is the Locus of Development" (International
Studies Association Annual Meeting, London, 1989)
- Chair of panel on "Culture and Societal Development" (International
Studies Association Annual Meeting, London, 1989)
- Author of "The Political Practice of Genetic Epistemology: Moral
Values and Political Development" (Southern Political Science Association
Annual Meeting, Atlanta, 1988)
- Chair of panel on "Political Development: Theoretical Perspectives"
(Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, 1988)
- Chair & discussant of panel on "Alternative Perspectives
on Political Methodology" (American Political Science Association
Annual Meeting, Washington, 1988)
- Author of "Five Fundamental Theoretical Problems in Conceptualizing
Political Development" (American Political Science Association Annual
Meeting, Chicago, 1987)
- Organizer & chair of panel on "What Is Political
Development?"
(American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1987)
- Organizer, chair & discussant of panel on "Symbols
and Symbolic Politics in Industrialized Nations" (Midwest Political
Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1987)
- Chair & discussant of panel on "Conceptual Issues
in Power" (American Political Science Association Annual Meeting,
Chicago, 1986)
- Author of "Reconstructing Political Culture" (Midwest Political
Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1986)
- Chair & discussant of panel on "New Perspectives
in Modern Democratic Theory" (Southwestern Political Science Association
Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 1986)
- Discussant of panel on "The Social Implications of Artificial
Intelligence: A Humanities Forum", New Mexico State University, Las
Cruces, NM, 1986
- Author of "Metaethical
Premises of Belief Systems Research" (Eighth Annual Scientific
Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology,
Washington, 1985)
- Participant, Writing Across the Curriculum Summer Seminar, New
Mexico State University, 1984
- Participant, International Education Conference of the Southwest
Consortium to Strengthen International Studies and Foreign Languages,
Tucson, 1984
- Author of "Normative Problems of Political Development" (Western
Social Science Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, 1984)
- Author of "Non-Survey Methods of Political Culture Research"
(Southwest Political science Association Annual Meeting, Fort Worth,
1984)
- Author of "Political Development: Theoretical Problems and a
Theoretical Reconstruction" (Sixth Annual Scientific Meeting of the
International Society of Political Psychology, Oxford University,
1983)
- Organizer and chair of panel on "Micro and Macro Values:
Rawls, Kohlberg, and Habermas" (International Society of Political
Psychology Annual Meeting, Oxford University, 1983)
- Author of "Political Culture: Theoretical Problems and a Theoretical
Reconstruction" (Southwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting,
Houston, 1983)
- Discussant, "Statistical Methods of Agricultural Surveys" (American
Statistical Association Annual Meeting, Washington, 1980) [text]
- Organizer and chair of "Advances in the Application of
Stein/Empirical Bayes Estimation" (American Statistical Association
Annual Meeting, Houston, 1979)
- Author of "Moral Development and Social Institutions: Life in
the Gedanken Society" (Conference on Moral Development and
Politics, Rutgers University, 1978)
- Author of "The Measurement of Power Structure: Power as Relationship
and Power as Quantity" (First Annual Meeting of the Social Science
- History Association, Philadelphia, 1976)
- Attended professional society annual meetings: American
Political Science Association (82, 84-89, 91-92, 99); Midwest
Political Science Association (85-89, 91-03, 05-06); Great Plains
Political Science Association (03); Minnesota Political Science
Association (97, 98); International Studies Association (89,
93); Southern
Political Science Association (88); International Society
of Political Psychology (82-3, 85); Southwestern Political
Science Association (83-4, 86); Popular Culture Association
(92); First Reading
Conference Conference (95, 97, 98, 99); Association for Moral
Education (92); Law & Society Association (99); Nationalism,
Immigration, and Minority Rights Conference, University of Bristol
(99).
BOOK REVIEWS
- "Review of Michael Thompson, Richard Ellis, and Aaron Wildavsky Cultural
Theory" Journal of Politics November 1991 [link]
- "Review of J. Ann Tickner Self-Reliance versus Power Politics"
Journal of Politics August 1989 [link]
- "Review of A. F. Mullins, Jr. Born Arming: Development and Military
Power in New States" Journal of Politics August 1988 [link]
- "Review of Mostafa Rejai & Kay Phillips World Revolutionary Leaders"
American Political Science Review December 1985 [link]
- "Review of Gordon Tullock (ed) Toward a Science of Politics: Papers
in Honor of Duncan Black" American Political Science Review
June 1983 [link]
- "Review of Peter Szanton Not Well Advised" Knowledge June
1982
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Editorial
Board, Comparative Political Studies
- Midwest Political Science Association
- International Development Ethics Association
- Association for Moral Education / Morality and Social Action Interdisciplinary
Colloquium
COURSES TAUGHT
| LEVEL |
COURSE |
4000-LEVEL
& GRADUATE |
|
| 3000-LEVEL |
|
1000-LEVEL
|
|
| READING COURSES |
- Rawls's Theory of Justice
- Modern Social Theory
- Theories of Revolution
- The Military in Developing Areas
- Marx and the Marxian Tradition
- Kohlberg and the Just Schools Approach
|
ASSORTED SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS
- Chancellor's Ad Hoc Parking Committee [2005-2006] Series of meetings
to evaluate the campus parking situation and suggest alternatives for
improvement.
- Graduate Research Advisory
Committee [2000-] Semi-yearly
meeting to review all applications for the University's Graduate School
Grant-in-Aid Program and to recommend which should receive funding.
- Benefits Advisory Committee [2002-] Semi-monthly meeting to review
the University's benefits programs and practices and to suggest possible
additions, deletions, or changes in them.
- Chair, Search Committees [2002-2003; 2003-2004; 2005-2006]
Chaired departmental search committees for various positions in public
policy and comparative politics.
REFERENCES
- Prof. Beth Bartlett, Department of Women's Studies, University of Minnesota-Duluth,
Duluth, MN 55812-2496 (tel: 218-726-8284; email)
- Prof. Craig Grau, Department of Political Science, University of Minnesota
- Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812-2496 (tel: 218-726-8281; email)
- Prof. Richard Hudelson, Department of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin
- Superior, Superior, WI 54881 (tel: 715-394-8476; email)
- Prof. Paulo Krischke, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas,
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário
- Trindade, Caixa Postal 476, Cep: 88040-900, Florianópolis,
SC, Brasil (tel: 55-48-232-1095; email)
- Prof. Lucian Pye, Department of Political Science, M.I.T., Cambridge,
MA 02139
- Prof. Stephen C. Ropp, Department of Political Science, University of
Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 (tel: 307-766-6517; email)
- Prof. Maria Stalzer Wyant Cuzzo, Department of History, Politics, and
Society, University of Wisconsin - Superior, Superior, WI 54881 (tel:
715-394-8482; email)
URL: http://www.d.umn.edu/~schilton/Vita.html
Author: Stephen
Chilton [email] | Last
Modified: 2006-05-01
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