The day-to-day decisions of technologists have a profound role in shaping people’s interactions with the world. As many philosophers of technology have argued, every technological decision can also be seen as an ethical one. The shape and affordances of technologies determine what people can do with them, and how social systems evolve around them. Most technologists generally have positive intentions and strive to do good, but the ethical outcomes of their work can be particularly complex and unpredictable. Adverse consequences can often arise not from malice but from failure to appreciate the full implications of technological advancements amidst the delicate interplay between technology, human behavior, and social dynamics.

In our roles at Google, we have heard a strong desire to reshape technology development processes to explicitly incorporate ethical and social considerations.

This chapter focuses on the figures of Antonio Genovesi, Immanuel Kant, and Adam Smith. It begins by exploring the similarities and differences in their biographies and historical-intellectual contexts. Next, it examines the influence of Genovesi’s and Smith’s philosophies on Kant. Lastly, it provides a critical and selective review of the secondary literature regarding these authors’ perspectives on the morality of commercial life.

For traditional textiles, geographical indication (GI) protection offers improved brand visibility while insulating a hard-earned reputation against misuse. This form of IP has additional synergies with the shift towards more sustainable production and consumption in the global fashion industry. These textiles have conventionally used natural fibres, organic dyes and artisanal methods. They are also meant to be reused, unlike fast fashion. This chapter investigates this ‘GI optimism’, asking whether there are legal and institutional mechanisms to systematically reinforce sustainability commitments. It unpacks a recent regulatory reform in the EU, whereby the GI product specification can incorporate voluntary ‘sustainability undertakings’ by producer groups. The chapter concludes by observing that synergies between different aspects of sustainability should not be taken for granted, if GI law is to truly deliver on ‘threads that last’.

In this final chapter from the authors we consider in some ways the meeting of our previous ideas and cases with the hegemonic operation of capitalism as envisaged with moral imagination

Introduction

Professional social work has existed as an organized profession in Australia for nearly 100 years, but nevertheless remains a relatively small component of the larger human services workforce and largely unregulated (except for the very recent passage of a registration bill in the state of South Australia) by government authorities. This chapter uses two interviews with AASW representatives and a content analysis of secondary data from the AASW website to examine the aims, objectives, and advocacy activities of the professional social work association, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), which accredits social work qualifications. Attention is drawn to the major frameworks – practice standards, education and accreditation statements, and Code of Ethics – used to inform and regulate social work practice, and also the formal policy statements and submissions that represent the AASW's involvement in public policy agendas. Utilizing case studies of what are arguably the three most important and effective policy campaigns initiated by the AASW, some conclusions are drawn about the impact of the AASW's advocacy activities. Whether its overall advocacy has largely gravitated towards advancing self- centred professional goals, rather than promoting the rights of the poor and the excluded and the public good, remains unclear.

8.1. The context of social work practice in Australia

Australia has a population of nearly 27 million people (ABS 2024), and is the sixth largest country in the world. It is an economically affluent country that has the seventh highest rate of household disposable income in the OECD.

This chapter introduces the Rashomon effect – a cinematic reference – to illustrate the power of perspectivism. We extensively present details of the UK Post Office case concerning their attempts to deny defects in software provided by Fujitsu.

This chapter reviews the fashion industry’s uses of utility patents. It first provides an overview of the fashion industry’s patenting activities, looking at how many patents are granted for fashion-related inventions and how large apparel companies obtain those patents. It then examines companies’ use of patents, looking at how patent litigation in the fashion industry compares to other industries. Finally, it turns to the uneasy tension in fashion between function and aesthetics, examining the specific technologies and inventions being claimed in fashion patents to see what can be inferred about the relationship between fashion and intellectual property

In this chapter we take the two concepts as developed in Chapter 5 and bring them together conceptually and with some regard for practice. We consider the potential of objectivity in argumentation along with the view from nowhere/somewhere. We more fully consider Amartya Sen’s work with respect to the Boeing 737 MAX. We explore the potential for seeing transpositional assessments as though they are paradigms that can be shifted (as suggested by Thomas Kuhn). We return to Michael Walzer’s concepts of thick and thin and consider the potential of moral minimums in the eventual context of justice (as projected by John Rawls).

Introduction

In recent years, the field of social work has increasingly embraced a global perspective. More precisely, social work is increasingly becoming ‘glocalized’. Roudometof (2016) describes glocalization as the fusion of global and local dynamics, significantly impacting social work. Traditionally focused on community- specific needs, social work is now influenced by global trends, with professional organizations expanding beyond national boundaries. This shift highlights the complex interplay between local practices and global standards, emphasizing social work's dual nature as both locally rooted and globally responsive.

This chapter aims to explore the significant roles played by major international Social Work Professional Organizations (SWPOs) in this evolving landscape. Specifically, it will examine the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), both of which have been instrumental in shaping global standards and promoting international collaboration. Additionally, the chapter will provide an overview of other key organizations that contribute to the global discourse on social work, thereby offering a comprehensive understanding of the international dimensions of the profession.

2.1. The historical path of global social work

The global dimension of social work has undergone substantial evolution over the past century, significantly shaped by its early international collaborations. Since its inception, the profession has been influenced by cross- border exchanges and the dissemination of innovative practices. This international engagement was evident from the late 19th century when social work pioneers facilitated the spread of innovations such as charity visitor programmes and settlement work from the United Kingdom to the United States, demonstrating the profession's inherently collaborative nature.

Introduction

Social Work Professional Organizations (SWPOs) in the United States are an important part of the human services ecosystem. Two main ones exist, in terms of size, membership, and/or breadth of interests. These are the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE). A third, sizeable SWPO is the Society for Social Work Research (SSWR). The vast majority of organizations, however, are small. They tend to be very dedicated to one topic or population that was not addressed adequately by the two larger organizations, or they are part of the regulatory system for social work licensing.

The next section of this chapter provides information on the basic characteristics of social workers and the social work profession in the United States with a small nod to the history of social work. The second section illustrates crucial structural aspects of SWPOs. The third section provides a deeper analysis of the two largest SWPOs in the United States, the CSWE and the NASW, at three levels, micro, meso, and macro. These levels refer to their intra- organizational dynamics and stresses, how they fit into the organizational environment, and their relations with policy makers.

7.1. Basic characteristics of social work in the United States

According to the National Association of Social Workers: ‘social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people's lives’ (NASW nda). With roots in the English Poor Laws of the 1600s, social work as a profession emerged early in the 20th century (McNutt and Hoefer 2021: 36– 38; The Shared Humanity Project 2024).