Since his early days as a graduate student, Alexander Motchoulski has been dedicated to exploring fundamental questions of justice and equality. His research, which has been supported by IHS for several years, examines how social hierarchies can be analyzed through an egalitarian conception of justice. It also challenges conventional assumptions and strengthens the philosophical foundation for a society rooted in human dignity and freedom.
Motchoulski first engaged with IHS in 2017 through the academic mentoring program while pursuing his PhD in philosophy at the University of Arizona. Recognizing the promise of his scholarship, IHS provided several grants—including multiple Humane Studies Fellowships—which played a crucial role in allowing him to refine his research and expand his contributions to the field.
In 2022, he received a $6,000 grant to support his article on the relationship between moral standing and social status—a key project that deepens our understanding of how human dignity is intertwined with social and legal recognition. By then, IHS support had already contributed to four of his published academic articles in 20 top philosophy journals, positioning him as a rising thought leader on justice and equality. This investment ultimately helped him secure a prestigious faculty position where he continues to shape the discourse on these foundational topics.
That same year, Motchoulski was appointed as the John L. Nau III Assistant Professor of the History and Principles of Democracy at the University of Virginia, home to one of the country’s top philosophy programs. From this position, he advances IHS’s vision of a society where individual freedom and equality are protected and nurtured. His work not only defends the moral necessity of treating all individuals as equals but also illustrates the practical frameworks that can ensure such treatment in institutions.
His recent article in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy, “Reciprocity and the Rule of Law,” expands on this theme. With IHS’s support fueling his scholarship, Motchoulski builds on the “principle of public equality,” which holds that individuals must be treated as equals within legal and political institutions. His research bridges philosophical principles with real-world applications, reinforcing the necessity of the rule of law as a foundation for a just society. He argues that the rule of law cannot be sustained if individuals selectively choose which social obligations they fulfill. Instead, for a just society to function, people must reciprocate the benefits they receive by complying with the legal and institutional frameworks that sustain them. His work underscores the importance of individual responsibility in maintaining the free institutions that protect human flourishing.
At the core of Motchoulski’s work is a deep commitment to human dignity—the idea that all individuals, by virtue of being human, deserve freedom, justice, access to civil society, and equal treatment under the law. His scholarship continues to push forward the philosophical discourse on equality, helping to refine and defend principles essential to a free and just society.
By supporting scholars like Motchoulski, IHS remains committed to advancing rigorous academic inquiry into the principles that uphold human dignity and justice for all.
By supporting IHS, you invest in scholars at a formative stage in their careers—not only with crucial financial support, but also with inspiration and connections to other like-minded and driven intellectual collaborators that they can’t find anywhere else.
