Personal Ethics and Ordinary Heroes

Book excerpt: Personal Ethics and Ordinary Heroes: The Social Context of Morality examines what it means to be an authentic hero and provides real-life narratives that underscore the ethical principles guiding decision-making in the justice system and beyond. This engaging work revolves around a collection of excerpts from students studying ethics and social justice. The essays were responses to an invitation to write about and discuss a hero in their lives who motivated them to be more just, compassionate and morally responsible persons. These essays, collected over several years, portray shared meanings of heroism rooted in themes like sacrifice, perseverance and wisdom. The authors set student narratives in dialogues related to ethics and leadership that are both entertaining and useful for contemporary students and practitioners. This book illustrates the lessons of ethics in criminal and social justice practice and makes them tangible to students. Fostering the benefits of experiential learning, it brings real meaning to students of criminal justice as well as professionals in the criminal justice field and other areas of human and social service practice. It is an essential accompaniment to primary texts used in ethics courses and training seminars. This book is intended for use in undergraduate classes in applied human sciences and services like criminal justice, criminology, social work and political science. It is particularly well-suited for classes in the areas of ethics, organizations and administration, and leadership. It is also worthwhile reading for the active justice practitioner.