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Political Science & Sociology

Dr Allyn Fives

BA, MA, Phd

 
researcher
 

Biography

Allyn Fives is a lecturer in political theory working in the areas of moral and political philosophy, with particular interest in moral conflict, pluralism, political realism, and issues of power including parental power and the rights and liberties of children. He was Chair of the University's Research Ethics Committee (2013 - 2017) and is Director of the MA in Politics and Sociology.

 He received his PhD in political theory from the University of Edinburgh in 2002, his thesis focusing on hermeneutics. Before that he received an MA in political behaviour from the University of Essex (1995) and a BA in History and Political Science and Sociology from NUIG (then UCG) (1994).

 His research expertise is in two main areas:
 Political Philosophy: He works on value pluralism, the legitimacy of parental power, the role of philosophy in public matters, research ethics, civic education, and the philosophical thought of Bernard Williams, Judith Shklar, Isaiah Berlin, John Rawls, and Alasdair MacIntyre

 Applied Social Science: He works on randomized controlled trials (issues of methodology, feasibility, & ethics), children’s reading self-beliefs and reading achievement (including analysis of existing data sets), young carers (including analysis of existing data sets), and parenting programmes


Research Interests

His research expertise is in two main areas:
Political Philosophy: He works on moral pluralism, the legitimacy of parental power, the role of philosophy in public matters, research ethics, civic education, and the philosophical thought of Bernard Williams, Judith Shklar, Isaiah Berlin, John Rawls, and Alasdair MacIntyre

Applied Social Science: He works on randomized controlled trials (issues of methodology, feasibility, & ethics), children’s reading self-beliefs and reading achievement (including analysis of existing data sets), young carers (including analysis of existing data sets), and parenting programmes My research interests are in two fields: political philosophy and applied social science.




Books

  Year Publication
(2020) Judith Shklar and the Liberalism of Fear.
Fives, A (2020) Judith Shklar and the Liberalism of Fear. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2017) Evaluating Parental Power: An Exercise in Pluralist Political Theory.
Fives, A (2017) Evaluating Parental Power: An Exercise in Pluralist Political Theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2013) Political Reason: The morality of the public sphere.
Fives, A (2013) Political Reason: The morality of the public sphere. Houndmills: Palgrave. [Details]
(2008) Political and Pholosophical Debates in Welfare.
Fives, A (2008) Political and Pholosophical Debates in Welfare. Harmondsworth: Palgrave. [Details]

Edited Books

  Year Publication
(2016)
Fives, A & Breen, K (Ed.). (2016) Philosophy and Political Engagement Basingstoke: Palgrave. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2020) 'The Unnoticed Monism of Judith Shklar’s Liberalism of Fear'
Fives, A (2020) 'The Unnoticed Monism of Judith Shklar’s Liberalism of Fear'. Philosophy And Social Criticism, 46 (1):45-63 [Details]
(2020) 'Utopia and Pluralism: Demanding too much in the name of justice'
Fives, A (2020) 'Utopia and Pluralism: Demanding too much in the name of justice'. The European Legacy, [Details]
(2019) 'The Freedom of Extremists Pluralist and Non-pluralist Responses to Moral Conflict'
Fives, A (2019) 'The Freedom of Extremists Pluralist and Non-pluralist Responses to Moral Conflict'. Philosophia, 47 (3):663-680 [Details]
(2018) 'Paternalism and moral conflict'
Fives, A (2018) 'Paternalism and moral conflict'. Journal Of Political Power, 11 (2):151-164 [Details]
(2017) 'Evaluation Study Design – A Pluralist Approach to Evidence'
Fives, A, Canavan, J, Dolan, P (2017) 'Evaluation Study Design – A Pluralist Approach to Evidence'. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25 (1):153-170 [Details]
(2016) 'Modeling the interaction of academic self-beliefs, frequency of reading at home, emotional support, and reading achievement: An RCT study of at-risk early readers in 1st grade and 2nd grade'
Fives, A (2016) 'Modeling the interaction of academic self-beliefs, frequency of reading at home, emotional support, and reading achievement: An RCT study of at-risk early readers in 1st grade and 2nd grade'. Reading Psychology, 13 (3):339-370 [Details]
(2016) 'The association of attitude to reading and reading achievement among 9 year olds in Ireland'
Fives, A (2016) 'The association of attitude to reading and reading achievement among 9 year olds in Ireland'. Reading Psychology, 13 (1):27-54 [Details]
(2015) 'Recruiting and Retaining Older Adult Volunteers: Implications for Practice'
Devaney, C; Kearns, N; Fives, A; Canavan, J; Lyons, R.; Eaton, P. (2015) 'Recruiting and Retaining Older Adult Volunteers: Implications for Practice'. Journal Of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 27 (4):331-350 [Details]
(2015) 'The ethics of Randomized Controlled Trials in social settings: Can social trials be scientifically promising and must there be equipoise?'
Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C. (2015) 'The ethics of Randomized Controlled Trials in social settings: Can social trials be scientifically promising and must there be equipoise?'. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 38 (1):56-71 [Details]
(2014) 'The association between academic self-beliefs and reading achievement for children experiencing delays in reading'
Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C., O’Brien, A. (2014) 'The association between academic self-beliefs and reading achievement for children experiencing delays in reading'. Journal of Research in Reading, 37 (2):215-232 [Details]
(2013) 'Non-coercive promotion of values in civic education for democracy'
Fives, A (2013) 'Non-coercive promotion of values in civic education for democracy'. Philosophy And Social Criticism, 39 (6):577-590 [Details]
(2013) '‘The role of random allocation in Randomized Controlled Trials: Distinguishing selection bias from baseline imbalance''
Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C., O’Brien, A. (2013) '‘The role of random allocation in Randomized Controlled Trials: Distinguishing selection bias from baseline imbalance''. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Education, 9 (20):33-42 [Details]
(2013) 'A one-to-one programme for at-risk readers delivered by older adult volunteers'
Fives, A., Russell, D., Kearns, N., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., Canavan, J., Devaney, C., & O’Brien, A. (2013) 'A one-to-one programme for at-risk readers delivered by older adult volunteers'. Review of Education, 1 (3):2254-2280 [Details]
(2013) 'Why we Still Need the Term ‘Young Carer’: Findings from an Exploratory Study of Young Carers in Ireland'
Fives, A., Kennan, D., Canavan, J. (2013) 'Why we Still Need the Term ‘Young Carer’: Findings from an Exploratory Study of Young Carers in Ireland'. Critical Social Work, 14 (1):49-61 [Details]
(2013) 'Exploring the utility of the Simple View of Reading in Irish children attending schools in areas designated as socially disadvantaged'
Lyons, R., Fives, A., Kearns, N., Devaney, C., Canavan, J., Eaton, P. (2013) 'Exploring the utility of the Simple View of Reading in Irish children attending schools in areas designated as socially disadvantaged'. Journal Education And Training, 1 (1):204-220 [Details]
(2012) 'Accessing a hard to reach population: reflections on research with young carers in Ireland'
Kennan, D,Fives, A,Canavan, J (2012) 'Accessing a hard to reach population: reflections on research with young carers in Ireland'. Child & Family Social Work, 17 (3):275-283 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2010) 'Reasonableness, Pluralism, and Liberal Moral Doctrines'
Fives, A (2010) 'Reasonableness, Pluralism, and Liberal Moral Doctrines'. Journal Of Value Inquiry, 44 (3):321-339 [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'Reasonable, agonistic, or good? The character of a democrat'
Fives, A (2009) 'Reasonable, agonistic, or good? The character of a democrat'. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 35 (8):961-983 [DOI] [Details]
(2008) 'Human flourishing: The grounds of moral judgment'
Fives, A (2008) 'Human flourishing: The grounds of moral judgment'. Journal Of Value Inquiry, 42 (2):167-185 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2006) 'Aristotle's Ethics and Contemporary Political Theory'
Fives, A (2006) 'Aristotle's Ethics and Contemporary Political Theory'. 21st Centure Society, 1 (2):201-220 [Details]
(2005) 'Virtue, Justice, and the Human Good: Non-relative Communitarian Ethics and the Life of Religious Commitment'
Fives, A (2005) 'Virtue, Justice, and the Human Good: Non-relative Communitarian Ethics and the Life of Religious Commitment'. Contemporary Politics, 11 (2):117-131 [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2016) 'Working from both ends: The due role of philosophy in research ethics'
Fives, A (2016) 'Working from both ends: The due role of philosophy in research ethics' In: Philosophy and Political Engagement. Bsignstoke: Palgrave. [Details]
(2016) 'The role of philosophy in public matters'
Fives, A (2016) 'The role of philosophy in public matters' In: Philosophy and Political Engagement. Basingstoke: Palgrave. [Details]
(2016) 'Who gets to decide? Children’s competence, parental authority, and informed consent'
Fives, A (2016) 'Who gets to decide? Children’s competence, parental authority, and informed consent' In: The Politics of Childhood. Rethinking the Role of Children in Political Philosophy. Hague: Springer. [Details]
(2015) 'Parents, children, and good leadership: Is parental authority compatible with children’s freedom?'
Fives, A (2015) 'Parents, children, and good leadership: Is parental authority compatible with children’s freedom?' In: Ethics and Leadership. London: Bloomsbury. [Details]
(2003) 'Are Identity and Social Justice Compatible'
Fives, A (2003) 'Are Identity and Social Justice Compatible' In: The Poltics of Contesting Identity. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2014) Parenting support for every parent: A population-level evaluation of Triple P in Longford Westmeath. Summary Report.
Fives, A., Pursell, L., Heary, C., Nic Gabhainn, S. and Canavan, J. (2014) Parenting support for every parent: A population-level evaluation of Triple P in Longford Westmeath. Summary Report. LWPP, Athlone. [Details]
(2013) The BELONG Programme Final Evaluation Report.
Dolan, P, Canavan, J, McGarry, O, Forkan, F, Coen, L, Fives, A, Robins, L, O’Sullivan, P (2013) The BELONG Programme Final Evaluation Report. South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP), Dungannon. [Details]
(2013) Evaluation of the Childhood Development Initiative’s Restorative Practice Programme. Dublin: Childhood Development Initiative (CDI).
Fives, A., Keenaghan, C., Canavan, J., Moran L., Coen, L. (2013) Evaluation of the Childhood Development Initiative’s Restorative Practice Programme. Dublin: Childhood Development Initiative (CDI). CDI, Dublin. [Details]
(2013) Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Barnardos’ Wizards of Words Reading Programme.
Fives, A., Kearns, N., Devaney, C., Canavan, J., Lyons, R., Eaton, P., O’Brien, A., Russell, D.W. (2013) Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Barnardos’ Wizards of Words Reading Programme. Barnardos, Dublin. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2010) If I can make their life a little easier, then I'm happy: Study of Young Carers in the Irish Population, Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
Fives, A., Kennan, D., Canavan, J., Brady, B. and Cairns, D. (2010) If I can make their life a little easier, then I'm happy: Study of Young Carers in the Irish Population, Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Stationary Office, Dublin. [Details]

Newspaper Articles

  Year Publication
(2017) Unthinkable: Never mind Tiger Moms, how do you parent ethically?.
Allyn Fives (2017) Unthinkable: Never mind Tiger Moms, how do you parent ethically?. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2015) Unthinkable: Are parents entitled to rule their children? Dialogue with Joe Humphreys.
Allyn Fives (2015) Unthinkable: Are parents entitled to rule their children? Dialogue with Joe Humphreys. Newspaper Articles [Details]
(2012) How can we know when we are doing “the right thing” in politics?.
Allyn Fives (2012) How can we know when we are doing “the right thing” in politics?. Newspaper Articles [Details]

Book Review

  Year Publication
(2018) Review of Giunia Gatta: Rethinking Liberalism for the 21st Century: The Skeptical Radicalism of Judith Shklar.
Allyn Fives (2018) Review of Giunia Gatta: Rethinking Liberalism for the 21st Century: The Skeptical Radicalism of Judith Shklar. Book Review [Details]
(2018) Review of The Radical Fool of Capitalism, by Christian Welzbacher.
Allyn Fives (2018) Review of The Radical Fool of Capitalism, by Christian Welzbacher. Book Review [Details]
(2009) Review of Applied Ethics and Social Problems.
Fives, A. (2009) Review of Applied Ethics and Social Problems. Book Review [Details]
(2009) Morals, Rights and Practice in the Human Services: Effective and Fair Decision-Making in Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice.
Fives, A (2009) Morals, Rights and Practice in the Human Services: Effective and Fair Decision-Making in Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice. Book Review [Details]
(2007) The Liberal Conscience. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice.
Fives, A. (2007) The Liberal Conscience. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. Book Review [Details]
(2005) Preventing the Future. Irish Studies Review.
Fives, A. (2005) Preventing the Future. Irish Studies Review. Book Review [Details]
(2005) The Many Faces of Individualism. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice.
Fives, A. (2005) The Many Faces of Individualism. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. Book Review [Details]

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Teaching and Learning Committee, School of Political Science and Sociology Member /
University Research Ethics Committee Chair /

Teaching Interests

Main Teaching Responsibilities
1BA SP159 Concepts and Practices in Politics and Sociology
3BA SP406 Principles of Political Theory
3BA SP3111 Political Philosophy and Childhood 
3BA SP3112 Political Philosophy and Childhood 
MA Political Theory
PhD PS6114 Research Ethics and Pragmatics 
3rd Year CSS300 BA Connect Children Studies
3rd Year SPL310 BA Youth & Family Studies
MA Social Work/Gender Globalisation Rights


Teaching & Examining Experience  
I have taught and examined the following undergraduate courses during the years 2002 – 2015 at NUIG
‘Principles of Political Theory’: 3rd Year BA [SP406], Political Science & Sociology (2014-present)          
‘Problems in Politics & Sociology’: 1st Year BA [SP159], Political Science & Sociology (2013-present)       
‘Political Philosophy & Childhood’: 3rd Year BA [SP3111] Political Science & Sociology (2015-present)    
‘Theories of the Welfare State’: 3rd Year BA [SP507], Political Science & Sociology (2002-present)  
‘BA Connect Children Studies’: 3rd Year, [CSS300] (2010-present)
‘BA Youth & Family Studies’: 3rd Year, [SPL310] Project Planning and Evaluation (2010-present)
‘Modern Political Thought’: 2nd Year BA, [SP215] Political Science & Sociology (2007, 2009)
‘Moral and Political Philosophy’: [PI210] 2nd Year BA, Philosophy (2004-06)
‘Applied Ethics’: Diploma in Philosophy, Philosophy (2004-06) 
‘History of Political Philosophy’: Diploma in Philosophy, Philosophy (2004-06)  

I have taught and examined the following post-graduate courses during the years 2007 – 2015 at NUIG
‘Research Pragmatics’: Joint structured PhD in Child and Youth Research [PS708] (with TCD)         
‘Research Ethics’: Masters in Community Development, Social Work, Gender & Globalisation  

I have been a tutor on the following undergraduate courses during the years 2002 – 2015 at NUIG           
‘Introduction to Politics & Sociology’: 1st Year BA [SP160], Political Science & Sociology (2006, ’09, ‘14)
Second Year Seminars: 2nd Year BA, Political Science & Sociology (2006, ’09, ‘14)
Tutorials for First Year and Third Year, Philosophy (2002-06)  

I have provided ethics training for undergraduate students in the natural sciences at NUIG
‘Bio-ethics Workshops’: NCBES, 2008, with Dr Grace McCormack, Zoology.