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Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Government Ethics

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics explores Government Ethics issues including campaign ethics, conflicts of interest, gifts to officials, transparency, budgeting, and other topics.

What Is Government Ethics?

by John Pelissero, Director, Government Ethics and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Loyola University Chicago

"On taking office, every public servant, elected or appointed, enters into a covenant with the people: that as a public official they will seek to promote the public interest in all political processes and ensure that policy adoption and service provision occur without favoritism or discrimination. Moreover, a public official must not use her or his position for personal gain and should avoid even the appearance of having a conflict of interest. An ethical awareness of the obligation to act in the public interest will normally promote fairness and justice, and advance the common good."

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Voting for Ethics: A Guide for U.S. Voters

“Voting for Ethics” is a non-partisan, how-to guide for U.S. voters. It will help you identify the hallmarks of an ethical candidate and make a more informed decision -- whether for your local school board or a national election.

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Campaign Ethics: A Field Guide

This guidebook is designed to help those managing or engaging in political campaigns do so in an ethical manner. It also serves as a valuable resource to voters, helping them identify the hallmarks of an ethical campaign.

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Empowering Democracy: Educating an Ethical Citizenry

A collection of resources designed to support civic education and learning for higher education and high school curriculum.

A democratic society requires an informed citizenry that understands the purpose of democratic government and how the processes of a democracy work, especially voting and elections. Learn more about how the Ethics Center is enhancing the education of young people on civics and ethics.

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Commentary on Government Ethics
Map of the United States. The northwestern corner displays an American flag. The lower half of the map displays the U.S. Constitution showing the words,

Governments must ensure that representative democracy is preserved through the responsible use of AI by the citizens’ representatives.

A phone with several AI apps installed. Photo by Solen Feyissa/Pexels.

The headlines this election cycle have been dominated by unprecedented events, it’s no wonder other important political developments have been drowned out, including the steady drip of artificial intelligence-enhanced attempts to influence voters.

President, Joe Biden (right) and Former President, Donald Trump (left). Photo by Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

The common good would be better served by debates that elevated voters’ confidence in our ability to engage in civil discourse, restoring some of the trust the public has lost in its elected officials.

Pro-Palestinian student encampment at the University of Oregon, 1 May 2024 Spacemace1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

During recent student protests, the universities able to find common ground with students have done so by engaging with them directly in dialogue, setting boundaries that are consistently applied, and working to achieve compromise, rather than digging in firmly with a resolute stance against discussions of divestment from Israel and the arms industry.

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Conflicts of Interest in Government

Five Common Conflicts of Interest in Government and How to Prevent Them

How officials can avoid and prevent even the appearance of acting to benefit their personal and financial interests, at the cost of the public’s interest.

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Code of Ethics Guidelines

Writing a code of ethics? View samples curated from professional associations and state and local governments.

Browse Samples

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Government Ethics Fellowship

The Government Ethics Fellowship is open to juniors and seniors with a major or minor in social sciences, humanities, or business.

Fellows work approximately four to five hours per week on projects at the intersection of policy and ethics with Professor John Pelissero, director of government ethics at the Ethics Center. 

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The Ethics of Voting: John Pelissero on Voting Rights and Voter Suppression

Are laws always ethical? How have voting rights recently been restricted within the United States? Are state officials abusing their power in unethical ways to change voting regulations?

In this episode of the Wild Beasts podcast, John Pelissero, director of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics discusses voting rights, disinformation, discrimination, and voter suppression.

Listen to Wild Beasts

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Government Ethics Resources
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Browse our commentaries on civic virtue, campaign ethics, lobbying, and current events.


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Dive deep into real-life conflicts of interest, whistleblowing, gifts and bribes, and cronyism.


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Hear what our staff and fellows are saying about voting, public trust, transparency, and more.


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Government Ethics Advisory Council

This team of professionals from public, private, and academic sectors collaborates with the Ethics Center to identify and prioritize complex, government-related ethical issues. 

Meet the Government Ethics Advisory Council

Recent Media Mentions

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by The Washington Post.

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by Arizona Central.

San Francisco Standard logo.

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by the San Francisco Standard and the Washington Examiner.

Empowering Democracy: An Ethical Civic Education Project

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics has developed a curriculum on the ethical value of democracy, especially the duty to participate in voting and elections. The goal of this educational program is to enhance the education of young people on civics and ethics that will expand knowledge, empower democratic participation in our electoral processes, and help restore trust in government. The Empowering Democracy Curriculum can be taught as a special undergraduate course in colleges and universities or in the high school curricula.

 

 

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