Charles Beitz

Charles R. Beitz (born 1949) is an American political theorist known for his contributions to the field of global justice. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Colgate University and advanced degrees in philosophy and politics from the University of Michigan and Princeton University. Beitz has held academic positions at Swarthmore College, Bowdoin College, and Princeton University, where he is currently the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics. His work, particularly his 1979 book Political Theory and International Relations, has been highly influential in the literature on global justice. Beitz has received numerous fellowships, served as editor of Philosophy and Public Affairs, and was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008.

Early life and education Born in 1949, Beitz graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history from Colgate University. He graduated with a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Michigan. He continued his education at Princeton University, graduating with a master's degree and a Ph.D. in politics and the Program in Political Philosophy. At Princeton, he studied under Dennis Thompson and Thomas Scanlon.

Academia Beitz's first academic post was at Swarthmore College, where taught from 1976 to 1991 and chaired the department of political science. He joined Bowdoin College in 1991 as dean for academic affairs and professor of government and legal studies. He returned to Princeton in 2001 as professor of politics and was appointed to the Edwards S. Sanford Chair in 2006. At Princeton, he has been director of graduate studies in the Politics Department and director of the University Center for Human Values. Of significant interest is his promotion of a cosmopolitan translation of John Rawls's Justice as Fairness domestic theory to the international sphere. His The Idea of Human Rights (2009) won the Estoril Global Issues Book Award in 2011

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