David Wiens

David Wiens has written on a range of topics at the intersection of political philosophy, philosophy of social science, political economy, and international organization. His primary research uses resources from choice theory to model core features of the arguments theorists give to justify normative political principles. This model yields insights regarding (among other things) the possibilities for sound normative evaluations of political institutions and the ways in which feasibility considerations constrain normative judgments. These insights motivate adoption of an approach to normative political theory that focuses on analyzing and overcoming institutional failures (as opposed to the conventional practice of analyzing institutional ideals). Wiens is also interested in sorting out what we can learn about the nature and value of justice from formal models of collective choice, social bargaining, and institutional development.

Wiens holds a PhD in philosophy and a MA in political science from University of Michigan. Prior to arriving at UCSD, he was a Research Fellow in the School of Philosophy at the Australian National University.

PhD, University of Michigan, 2011

Curriculum Vitae