The Time Magazine listed our guest today among America’s 25 most influential people in 1996. And with that, we are truly honored to welcome Professor Carol Gilligan in this episode! Carol is one of the most influential psychologists and ethicists of our time. She is the author of the groundbreaking book In a Different Voice, which not only reshaped moral development theory but also introduced the now widely recognized ethics of care. Currently based at New York University, she has held distinguished positions at Harvard and Cambridge. Her work has had a lasting impact not only in psychology and philosophy but also in education, gender studies, and democratic theory. In this episode, we speak with Carol about the origins of In a Different Voice, the overlooked abortion study that inspired it, and the paradigm shift she helped initiate—from abstract principles of justice to an ethics rooted in care, relationship, and responsibility. We also explore the role of embodied knowledge, the resurgence of patriarchy, and why helping children—and societies—find their voices is more urgent than ever.

00:01:16 – A bit about Carol’s personal story

00:09:56 – About the abortion decision study which lead to In a Different Voice

00:16:57 – About the paradigm shift towards the ethics of care

00:21:47 – What does responsibility mean to Carol?

00:27:32 – What role does intuition have with regard to the human voice?

00:31:58 – What would it look like in practice if we were to teach teacher students or nursing students in a way that would enhance their intuition?

00:33:16 – What does the voice of resistance sound like?

00:41:50 – Why did Carol call her book Darkness Now Visible?

Literature:

• Gilligan, C. (1982): In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674445444.
• Gilligan, C (1991) Women, Girls and Psychotherapy. Reframing resistance.
• Gilligan, C. Between Voice and Silence (1996): Women and Girls, Race and Relationships.
• Gilligan, C. (2011). Joining the resistance. Cambridge, UK Malden, Massachusetts: Polity Press. ISBN 9780745651705.
• Gilligan, C and David Richards (2020). Darkness now visible - Patriarchy`s Resurgence and Feminist resistance
• Gilligan, C. (2023): In a Human Voice. Cambridge: Polity Press ISBN 9781509556809.