The Pantheon of Public Values
Inaugural lecture by GSSS director Mark Rutgers
The focus on values in public governance has increased significantly in recent years. Mark Rutgers states in his inaugural lecture that normativity or the saturation of values in public governance should be a core issue. However, the idea that there is a clear distinction between facts and values is prevalent and obscures the fact that value research and the practice of governance are prescriptive.
What exactly are public values, really? Is there anything useful to say about values at all? Aren’t objective facts far more important in relation to societal governance? The focus on values in public governance has increased significantly in recent years. In recent literature, easily more than a hundred values can be identified as important for public governance. How to deal with this? Can core values be identified? Or is the governmental reality saturated with values?
Mark Rutgers states in his inaugural lecture that normativity or the saturation of values in public governance should be a core issue. However, the idea that there is a clear distinction between facts and values is prevalent and obscures the fact that value research and the practice of governance are prescriptive. Even the question which of the facts are relevant is ultimately a question of values.
Based on his research agenda, Rutgers outlines how origin, nature, and meaning of public values can be ascertained. Both in scientific research as well as in the practice of politics and governance, public values should be the point of departure. Private interests can only be served within the context of a public sphere that it recognizes and guarantees.
Locatie
UvA Aula
Singel 411
1012 WN Amsterdam
Free entrance, registration not required