Jonathan Floyd discusses John Rawls' A Theory of Justice on BBC Radio 3

22 January 2021

Why is John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice so often the first book on reading lists in contemporary political theory/philosophy? The simple answer is that so many later books begin their arguments by responding to Rawls. Yet that only raises a new puzzle – what is it about Rawls’ work that means everybody else needs to engage with it?

In last night’s episode of Free Thinking on BBC Radio 3, SPAIS’ own Jonathan Floyd, together with Teresa Bejan (Oxford) and Ruper Read (UEA), set about answering these and related questions in a lively discussion led by Anne McElvoy. Dr Floyd’s contribution to the programme draws on his long experience of teaching Rawls in Bristol, including to SPAIS first-year under-graduates on ‘Political Concepts’, but also his published research on the ‘methodological’ legacy Rawls left for the wider subject of political theory/philosophy. Examples of this teaching and research can be seen here and here. Dr Floyd’s latest thoughts on the nature and purpose of political philosophy can be found, in short paperback form, in his 2019 book: What’s the Point of Political Philosophy?

The full programme can be heard here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rd97