The army has a duty of care to its soldiers. But instead of seeking to reduce their exposure to moral harm, the UK is concentrating the risk of moral injury on its youngest and most disadvantaged citizens, writes LSE Philosophy Assistant Professor Jonathan Parry in his latest article for LSE Research for the World.

Rising global conflict and defence cuts have sparked discussion around whether the UK should bring back conscription. While the suggestion has so far been rejected by Downing Street, it has shone a spotlight on the issue of military recruitment. Without conscription, the army must attract people to its ranks. But in its bid to encourage people to join one of society’s most dangerous professions, is the state placing some of its citizens at more risk than others?

Dr Jonathan Parry, Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at LSE, believes that the British army is failing in its responsibility to recruit fairly. His recent paper, co-authored with Dr Christina Easton (University of Warwick), explores the ethics of army recruitment.

Link to the article.

About the magazine

LSE’s research spans all the social sciences, from economics, politics and law to cities, health policy, human rights and inequality. In the online magazine ‘Research for the World’, LSE is publishing the many ways the School’s academics are helping to shape the world’s political, economic and social future, with articles on new projects, research findings and other LSE news.