Joe Wiinikka-Lydon

Education

Ph.D. Religion, Ethics, and Society, Emory University
M.Div. Religious Studies, Harvard University
B.A. Religious Studies, Georgetown University

Research

I look at the ways conflict can transform moral development and society, particularly in contexts where religion is significant in some way. Over the last several years, I have focused on moral injury, the experience of feeling that one is no longer able to strive to be a good person, however that is defined, by what they did, saw, or failed to do. This has led to collaborations looking into moral injury and trauma and chaplaincy, as well as research in bioethics, religious ethics, moral injury and philosophy, moral change, and military ethics. Right now I am looking at moral injury, character, and virtue to explore the ways moral injury challenges, and can be better understood through, notions of character and virtue ethics. I am also exploring the ways that technology affects character, also in contexts of conflict where religion is a salient dimension.