BAS VAN DER VOSSEN

I am a Professor in the Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy, as well as the Philosophy Department at Chapman University. My research focuses on questions of political philosophy, primarily of political economy, global justice, and the Lockean theory of property rights. I also write about the ethics of political activism in the academy .

My books include Political Philosophy: The Basics (Routledge, 2024), In Defense of Openness: Why Global Freedom Is the Humane Solution to Global Poverty (Oxford University Press, 2018), with Jason Brennan, and Debating Humanitarian Intervention: Should We Try to Save Strangers? (Oxford University Press, 2017), with Fernando Tesón. I'm also an Associate Editor of Social Philosophy and Policy.

At the Smith Institute, we integrate the study of philosophy, economics, and the humanities. Our goal is to develop innovative and interdisciplinary courses that are taught in seminar-form. We hope to encourage students to think for themselves, take an active role in their education, and engage in research projects with faculty. Here and here are two sample syllabi of courses I have recently taught. I also founded and directed Chapman’s Law and the Liberal Arts program.