Roberta Sala

Roberta Sala is a Full Professor of Political Philosophy and Public Ethics at the Faculty of Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. She holds a permanent tenure position and has served as Director of CeSEP (Center of Studies on Ethics and Politics) since 2016. Her career includes visiting fellowships at Harvard University, the University of London, and Nuffield College, Oxford, alongside collaborations with European institutions like the European University Viadrina. She has been a key member of multiple research initiatives, including EU-funded projects on bioethics and multiculturalism, and chairs interdisciplinary committees in gender studies and nursing ethics.

Education: She graduated from Scientific Lyceum Legnano (1983) and earned a PhD in Political Philosophy (1989) with magna cum laude honors, focusing on John Locke’s theory of toleration. Additional training includes a PhD in Bioethics and extensive scholarly work in medical humanities.

Research Interests: Her work spans political philosophy (particularly John Rawls and toleration theory), public ethics, bioethics, and secularism. She explores topics like multiculturalism, the inclusion of 'unreasonable' groups in liberalism, and ethical challenges in healthcare (e.g., moral distress in elderly care). She has pioneered studies on modus vivendi beyond mere toleration, emphasizing shared values in diverse societies.

Publications: Her recent work addresses global challenges like populism, Brexit’s democratic impact, and pandemic ethics. She has authored/co-authored books on bioethics, public metaphysics, and nursing ethics, and edited volumes on toleration and Rawls’ legacy. Her articles frequently appear in journals like Phenomenology and Mind and European Journal of Political Theory.

• 2024: Ferrara's Intergenerational Vision... (constitutional theory vs populism)
• 2021: Rawls’ Centenary (revisiting truth and politics)

Scientific Awards: She has held prestigious fellowships at Harvard, Nuffield College (Oxford), and the University of London. Her 1989 PhD with magna cum laude underscores her academic excellence. She was also a Partner in EU projects on xenotransplantation ethics and multicultural bioethics.

Advising & Grants: While no explicit student advising is listed, she has directed research projects like Valori civili e convivenza interculturale nelle scuole (2008-2009) and contributed to national grants (PRIN 2008, 2015, 2017). Her work bridges theory and practice, collaborating with institutions like Fondazione Cariplo and Regione Lombardia on social innovation and elderly care.

Labs/Teams: She leads CeSEP and chairs the Interfaculty Center Gender Studies (GENDER) at Vita-Salute San Raffaele. She also serves on the editorial boards of Phenomenology and Mind and Biblioteca della Libertà, and reviews for journals like European Journal of Political Theory and Philosophical News.