Dr Richard Matthews
Associate Professor
Level 2, Building 5, Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University
Accepting PhD StudentsContact details
Professional biography
Dr. Richard Matthews is a political philosopher, social justice activist and Associate Professor of Medical Ethics at Bond University. He leads the Health Advocate and Professional Theme at the School of Medicine. His research interests centre on the nature and ethics of violence, medical ethics, and health ethics with Indigenous peoples. He has published on the nature and ethics of torture, most prominently in The Absolute Violation: why torture must be prohibited. (Montreal & Kingston: MQUP; 2008), along with multiple essays on torture, social justice and music education and medical ethics. His current research includes ethics and genocide, conscientious provision, and ecological justice.
Research interests
I received my PhD in Philosophy from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada in 1999. Since then I've taught in multiple philosophy departments, Social Justice and Peace Studies, and in two Medical programs. I also spent over 3 years working as a clinical and public health bioethicist focussing on First Nations Health, bullying and harassment education, and Aged care. Under the auspicies of Lakehead University's Centre for Healthcare Ethics, this work was carried out across 6 different healthcare institutions in Northwestern Ontario.
My research interests are focussed around understanding violence and its ecological, social and interpersonal impacts, above all in healthcare. How to respond effectively to violence, and how to behave ethically under intersectional conditions of privilege and oppression are the main drivers of my thinking and teaching. Specific subdisciplines include
- Intersectionality of privilege and oppression
- Violence, whether epistemic, systemic, interpersonal or internalized,
- Colonialism and its ethical implications
- Medical ethics
- Health ethics with Indigenous peoples
I have published a book The Absolute Violation: why torture must be prohibited, as well as a variety of articles on medical ethics, torture, and social justice and music education.
Qualifications
- Philosophy, PhD, Queen's University Kingston, Award Date: 20 May 1999
Fields of Research
- Other health sciences