Dr Kathryn MacKay
Senior Lecturer in Bioethics
Kathryn MacKay is a Senior Lecturer at Sydney Health Ethics. She has a BA in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario (Canada), an MA in philosophy from McGill University (Canada), and a PhD in bioethics from the University of Birmingham (UK). Kathryn's research brings a feminist theoretical lens to the field of bioethics, and especially public health ethics. Her work involves examining issues of human flourishing at the intersection of moral theory, feminist theory, and political philosophy. Kate's main programme of research is focussed on examining the structures of society that shape people’s lives, the processes of public decision-making about health, and the manner in which such decisions are expressed to the broader community. She is currently developing a theory of institutional virtue for public health ethics, and is part of a team exploring the impact on reproductive autonomy of expanded genetic screening technologies. In 2024, Kate is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics.
- Feminist Philosophy
- Normative Ethics
- Applied Ethics - Bioethics, Public Health Ethics
- Social & Political Philosophy
Kate currently teaches Methods of Bioethics, and has previously taught Moral Theory, and Public Health Ethics.
Students have said about Kate's teaching that:
- "Dr MacKay always prompted us to engage in critical reflection of our own experiences, examples in the real world, and how we can go about making ethical decisions."
- "Group discussions were always great. Whenever there was a lull or resistance to engage we were prompted by Dr MacKay. This could be her answering the questions herself and asking for perspectives, or providing clarifying information."
- "Kate is a fantastic facilitator and has a great approach which makes people feel comfortable and inclined to present their perspectives (verbally or written) during the sessions. I couldn't recommend her classes highly enough."
For prospective research project, MPhil, or doctoral students, Kate is interested in supervising projects related to reproductive ethics in general, and public health ethics specifically in the areas of health promotion, social justice, and virtue theory.
Core competencies:
- Feminist philosophy
- Public health ethics
- Political theory
- Moral theory
Kate is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy – University of Sydney Educational Fellowship Programme, Awarded 2021.
‘Public Health Virtue Ethics’ – This project is focussed on developing a theory of virtue at the level of populations as might be appropriate for public health. This program of research is focussed developing ideas around ‘structures of virtue,’ and aims to conceptualise group-level virtues particular to public health, such as justice, friendship, and compassion. A virtue ethics of public health should provide guidance on communication, health promotion, and policy-setting to help create a more flourishing society. As the work progresses, journal articles will be produced (such as my recent contribution to Public Health Ethics) before inclusion in a monograph in expanded format.
‘Theories of Autonomy in Reproductive Genomic Technologies (TARGET)’ – I am a chief investigator in this ARC Discovery Project. This grant is held at the University of Sydney, with co-investigators at the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne, and Memorial University, in Canada. My contribution to the project includes supervising a PhD student, Isabella Holmes, on a project that seeks to theoretically investigate reproductive autonomy in light of new genetic and genomic screening practices.
- Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law
- British Philosophical Association
- Canadian Bioethics Society
- Canadian Philosophical Association
- International Network on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics
- Society for Women in Philosophy
- 2024 Visiting Fellow, University of Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics
- 2023-2024 FMH Emerging Stars Funding Awardee - $80,000.00
- 2020-2025 ARC2020 Discovery Project (DP) DP200100006 - 'Reproductive Autonomy in the Genomic Age'; Principal Investigator
- 2014-2017 Wellcome Trust Foundation, ‘Medical Humanities, Society, and Ethics’ Studentship Funding. £79,350.00
- 2017 Post-Graduate Researcher Teaching Award, University of Birmingham, for excellence in teaching and supporting student learning.
- 2016 Elizabeth Watson Davidson Award, in support of travel to present at a conference. £250.00
- 2008-2009Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Philosophie Politique de Montréal(GRIPP)Fellowship Award. $3000.00
Publications
Book Chapters
- MacKay, K., Dawson, A. (2021). BIOETHICS - Critical reflections and future directions. In Kerry Chamberlain, Antonia Lyons (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Critical Issues in Health and Illness, (pp. 249-260). United States: Taylor & Francis Group. [More Information]
- MacKay, K. (2019). Feminism and Feminist Ethics. In George Matthews and Christina Hendricks (Eds.), Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics, (pp. 67-77). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Rebus Community.
Journals
- MacKay, K. (2024). Public health, pluralism, and the telos of political virtue. Monash Bioethics Review. [More Information]
- Kite, J., Chan, L., MacKay, K., Corbett, L., Reyes Marcelino, G., Nguyen-duy, T., Bellew, W., Freeman, B. (2023). A Model of Social Media Effects in Public Health Communication Campaigns: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25. [More Information]
- Hooker, L., Kerridge, I., MacKay, K., Lipworth, W. (2022). A Discursive Exploration of Values and Ethics in Medicine: The Scholarship of Miles Little. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 19(1), 15-20. [More Information]
2024
- MacKay, K. (2024). Public health, pluralism, and the telos of political virtue. Monash Bioethics Review. [More Information]
2023
- Kite, J., Chan, L., MacKay, K., Corbett, L., Reyes Marcelino, G., Nguyen-duy, T., Bellew, W., Freeman, B. (2023). A Model of Social Media Effects in Public Health Communication Campaigns: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25. [More Information]
2022
- Hooker, L., Kerridge, I., MacKay, K., Lipworth, W. (2022). A Discursive Exploration of Values and Ethics in Medicine: The Scholarship of Miles Little. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 19(1), 15-20. [More Information]
- Dive, L., Newson, A., Holmes, I., Deans, Z., MacKay, K. (2022). Intertwined Interests in Expanded Prenatal Genetic Testing: The State's Role in Facilitating Equitable Access. The American Journal of Bioethics, 22(2), 45-47. [More Information]
- MacKay, K. (2022). Public Health Virtue Ethics. Public Health Ethics, 15(1), 1-10. [More Information]
2021
- MacKay, K., Dawson, A. (2021). BIOETHICS - Critical reflections and future directions. In Kerry Chamberlain, Antonia Lyons (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Critical Issues in Health and Illness, (pp. 249-260). United States: Taylor & Francis Group. [More Information]
- MacKay, K. (2021). Mothers: The Invisible Instruments of Health Promotion. Hypatia, 36(1), 60-79. [More Information]
2020
- MacKay, K. (2020). Authenticity and Normative Authority: Addressing the Agency Dilemma with Values of One’s Own. Journal of Social Philosophy, 51(3), 349-370. [More Information]
- MacKay, K. (2020). The 'tyranny of reproduction': Could ectogenesis further women's liberation? Bioethics, 34(4), 346-353. [More Information]
2019
- MacKay, K. (2019). Feminism and Feminist Ethics. In George Matthews and Christina Hendricks (Eds.), Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics, (pp. 67-77). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Rebus Community.
- Mackay, K. (2019). Reflections on Responsibility and the Prospect of a Long Life. Public Health Ethics, 12(2), 130-132. [More Information]
2018
- Mackay, K., Quigley, M. (2018). Exacerbating Inequalities? Health Policy and the Behavioural Sciences. Health Care Analysis, 26(4), 380-397. [More Information]
- Lepenies, R., Mackay, K., Quigley, M. (2018). Three challenges for behavioural science and policy: the empirical, the normative and the political. Behavioural Public Policy, 2(2), 174-182. [More Information]
- Mackay, K. (2018). Utility and justice in public health. Journal of Public Health, 40(3), e413-e418. [More Information]
2017
- MacKay, K. (2017). A feminist analysis of anti-obesity campaigns: Manipulation, oppression, and autonomy. International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, 10(2), 61-78. [More Information]
2015
- Dawson, A., MacKay, K. (2015). Alcohol, liberty, and societal change: what should we do about our drinking problem? The American Journal of Bioethics, 15(3), 12-14. [More Information]
- MacKay, K. (2015). The restaurant food hot potato: Stop passing it on - A commentary on mah and timming's, 'equity in public health ethics: The case of menu labelling policy at the local level'. Public Health Ethics, 8(1), 90-93. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2022
- EMCR Emerging Star Funding, MacKay K, Faculty of Medicine and Health/EMCR Emerging Star Funding
2021
- Reproductive Autonomy in the Genomic Age, Newson A, McDougall R, MacKay K, Scully J, Hodgson J, Wilson B, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
FAB Gab - the podcast of the International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics
https://anchor.fm/fabgab-ijfab-podcast
Philosophy by Postcard: A project led by In Parentheses andAn Postto celebrate Iris Murdoch's philosophy, literature, and love of letter-writing by participating in an international postcard exchange.
https://www.philosophybypostcard.com/about/the-project/
In the media
16 June 2023 - The Conversation, Australian Edition, 'Scientists have created synthetic human embryos. Now we must consider the ethical and moralquandaries.' https://theconversation.com/scientists-have-created-synthetic-human-embryos-now-we-must-consider-the-ethical-and-moral-quandaries-207911
15 June 2023 - Daily Telegraph, Australian News Corp, 'Synthetic human embryo research sparks fierce debate,' by Hayley Goddard, News section. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/synthetic-human-embryo-research-sparks-fierce-debate/news-story/62975ac8be4b70de8ceef28e97c4795b (Paywalled)
15 Jan 2022 - Sydney Morning Herald, 'Mastering those hard, unavoidable COVID conversations,' by Samantha Selinger-Morris, Lifestyle section. https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/mastering-those-hard-unavoidable-covid-conversations-20220113-p59nvr.html
27 July 2021 - Radio National Big Ideas, 'What Covid Forgot'. https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/health-conditions-neglected-by-pandemic-focus/13466102
19 Jan 2021 – Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Rachael was in a yoga class when she realised wellness had a problem,’ by Sophie Aubrey. https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/rachael-was-in-a-yoga-class-when-she-realised-wellness-had-a-problem-20210119-p56v9y.html
28 May 2020 – ABC Radio National, Life Matters, ‘Who decides what happiness looks like?’ with Hilary Harper. https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/who-decides-what-happiness-looks-like/12294766