Benjamin Ferguson

I am a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. I also serve as the Philosophy department's Director for International. Previously, I was a visiting faculty fellow at Tulane University’s Murphy Institute, and held positions in Philosophy at VU Amsterdam and the University of Bayreuth. My work focuses on moral and political philosophy, especially theories of exploitation, fairness, and the ethics of markets. I have also recently begun research in African bioethics. My papers have been published in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, The American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Medical Ethics, and Analysis. My research has been funded by the Dutch Research Council and the British Academy. You can find a list of my current projects and publications on my research page.

I have three current research projects. The first develops a comprehensive theory of exploitation. It examines what it is, why it is wrong, and how it should be addressed. I combine philosophical analysis with empirical research to explore how people apply the concept of exploitation across contexts such as labour, housing, and healthcare.

The second project examines the relationship between supererogation, moral reasons, and permissibility. It investigates how we can make sense of actions that are morally better than required yet still optional, and what this reveals about the structure of moral reasoning.

I also have a growing interest in African bioethics, two topics in particular: the role of consent in communitarianism and the intersection of public health and labour exploitation in an African context.

Journal Articles

Co-creation and Interdisciplinary Teaching in Philosophy: Reflections from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (with L. Gelhaus) Teaching Philosophy Forthcoming

What Exploitation Is (with P. H. Matthews, D. Ronayne, and R. Veneziani) American Journal of Political Science Forthcoming

Altruism or Exploitation? Rethinking the Ethics of Unpaid Lay Community Health Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Case of Zambia (with G. L. Mwinsa and F. Griffiths) Journal of Bioethical Inquiry Forthcoming

International Bioethics, Ubuntu and HIV Testing in Sub-Saharan Africa (with G. L. Mwinsa, K. Kasoka, and F. Griffiths) Journal of Medical Ethics, 52 (9): 643–650, 2026. Editor's Choice

@article{mwinsa2026international,
  author = {Mwinsa, Golden L. and Kasoka, Kasoka and Griffiths, Frances and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {International Bioethics, Ubuntu and HIV Testing in Sub-Saharan Africa},
  journal = {Journal of Medical Ethics},
  volume = {52},
  number = {9},
  pages = {643--650},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1136/jme-2024-110043}
}

Data-Driven HIV Humanitarianism, Data Colonialism, and Data Ethics: A Sub-Saharan African Perspective (with G. L. Mwinsa and F. Griffiths) Law, Technology and Humans, 8 (2): 139–157, 2026.

@article{mwinsa2026data,
  author = {Mwinsa, Golden L. and Griffiths, Frances and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Data-Driven HIV Humanitarianism, Data Colonialism, and Data Ethics: A Sub-Saharan African Perspective},
  journal = {Law, Technology and Humans},
  volume = {8},
  number = {2},
  pages = {139--157},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.5204/lthj.3989}
}

Exploitation as Domination? (with R. Veneziani) Analysis, 85 (2): 545–558, 2025.

@article{ferguson2025domination,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Veneziani, Roberto},
  title = {Exploitation as Domination?},
  journal = {Analysis},
  volume = {85},
  number = {2},
  pages = {545--558},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1093/analys/anae007}
}

Moderate Structural Exploitation (with L. McKittrick-Sweitzer) Journal of Applied Philosophy, 42 (5): 1454–1475, 2025.

@article{ferguson2025moderate,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and McKittrick-Sweitzer, Lavender},
  title = {Moderate Structural Exploitation},
  journal = {Journal of Applied Philosophy},
  volume = {42},
  number = {5},
  pages = {1454--1475},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1111/japp.70034}
}

Exploitation’s Grounding Problem Economics & Philosophy, 41 (2): 357–375, 2025.

@article{ferguson2025grounding,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation's Grounding Problem},
  journal = {Economics and Philosophy},
  volume = {41},
  number = {2},
  pages = {357--375},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1017/S0266267124000397}
}

Are We All Exploiters? Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 103 (3): 535–546, 2021.

@article{ferguson2021exploiters,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Are We All Exploiters?},
  journal = {Philosophy and Phenomenological Research},
  volume = {103},
  number = {3},
  pages = {535--546},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.1111/phpr.12730}
}

Territorial Rights and Colonial Wrongs (with R. Veneziani) European Journal of Philosophy, 29 (2): 425–446, 2021.

@article{ferguson2021territorial,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Veneziani, Roberto},
  title = {Territorial Rights and Colonial Wrongs},
  journal = {European Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {29},
  number = {2},
  pages = {425--446},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.1111/ejop.12583}
}

Why Buy Local? (with C. Thompson) Journal of Applied Philosophy, 38 (1): 104–120, 2021.

@article{ferguson2021local,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Thompson, Christopher},
  title = {Why Buy Local?},
  journal = {Journal of Applied Philosophy},
  volume = {38},
  number = {1},
  pages = {104--120},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.1111/japp.12459}
}

A Dilemma for Permissibility-Based Solutions to the Paradox of Supererogation (with M. Uzunova) Analysis, 80 (4): 723–731, 2021.

@article{ferguson2021dilemma,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Uzunova, Marina},
  title = {A Dilemma for Permissibility-Based Solutions to the Paradox of Supererogation},
  journal = {Analysis},
  volume = {80},
  number = {4},
  pages = {723--731},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.1093/analys/anaa033}
}

Betterness of Permissibility (with S. Köhler) Philosophical Studies, 177 (9): 2451–2469, 2020.

@article{ferguson2020betterness,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and K{"o}hler, Sebastian},
  title = {Betterness of Permissibility},
  journal = {Philosophical Studies},
  volume = {177},
  number = {9},
  pages = {2451--2469},
  year = {2020},
  doi = {10.1007/s11098-019-01319-8}
}

Virtues, Consequences, and the Market Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, 13 (1): 19–29, 2020.

@article{ferguson2020virtues,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Virtues, Consequences, and the Market},
  journal = {Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics},
  volume = {13},
  number = {1},
  pages = {19--29},
  year = {2020},
  url = {https://ejpe.org/journal/article/view/467}
}

The Value of Robustness: Promotion or Protection? Moral Philosophy and Politics, 5 (1): 9–27, 2018.

@article{ferguson2018value,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {The Value of Robustness: Promotion or Protection?},
  journal = {Moral Philosophy and Politics},
  volume = {5},
  number = {1},
  pages = {9--27},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1515/mopp-2017-0059}
}

On Love’s Robustness Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 21 (4): 915–925, 2018.

@article{ferguson2018love,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {On Love's Robustness},
  journal = {Ethical Theory and Moral Practice},
  volume = {21},
  number = {4},
  pages = {915--925},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1007/s10677-018-9929-z}
}

Sweatshops and Consumer Choices (with F. Ostmann) Economics & Philosophy, 34 (3): 295–315, 2018.

@article{ferguson2018sweatshops,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Ostmann, Florian},
  title = {Sweatshops and Consumer Choices},
  journal = {Economics and Philosophy},
  volume = {34},
  number = {3},
  pages = {295--315},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1017/S026626711800010X}
}

Can Libertarians Get Away With Fraud? Economics & Philosophy, 34 (2): 165–184, 2018.

@article{ferguson2018fraud,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Can Libertarians Get Away With Fraud?},
  journal = {Economics and Philosophy},
  volume = {34},
  number = {2},
  pages = {165--184},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1017/S0266267117000311}
}

The Paradox of Exploitation Erkenntnis, 81 (5): 951–972, 2016.

@article{ferguson2016paradox,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {The Paradox of Exploitation},
  journal = {Erkenntnis},
  volume = {81},
  number = {5},
  pages = {951--972},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.1007/s10670-015-9776-4}
}

Exploitation and Disadvantage Economics & Philosophy, 32 (3): 485–509, 2016.

@article{ferguson2016disadvantage,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation and Disadvantage},
  journal = {Economics and Philosophy},
  volume = {32},
  number = {3},
  pages = {485--509},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.1017/S026626711500036X}
}

Kant on Duty in the Groundwork Res Publica, 18 (4): 303–319, 2012.

@article{ferguson2012kant,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Kant on Duty in the Groundwork},
  journal = {Res Publica},
  volume = {18},
  number = {4},
  pages = {303--319},
  year = {2012},
  doi = {10.1007/s11158-012-9191-5}
}

Book Chapters and Encyclopedia Entries

Restitution After Conquest, Colonialism, and Territorial Acquisition (with J. L. Byas) Springer Global Encyclopedia of Territorial Rights, ed. K. Gray. Springer, 2026.

@incollection{ferguson2026restitution,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Byas, Jason Lee},
  title = {Restitution After Conquest, Colonialism, and Territorial Acquisition},
  booktitle = {Springer Global Encyclopedia of Territorial Rights},
  editor = {Gray, Kevin},
  publisher = {Springer},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-68846-6_206-1}
}

Introduction (with M. Zwolinski) Exploitation: Perspectives from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, ed. B. Ferguson and M. Zwolinski. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024: 1–10.

@incollection{ferguson2024intro,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Zwolinski, Matt},
  title = {Introduction},
  booktitle = {Exploitation: Perspectives from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics},
  editor = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Zwolinski, Matt},
  publisher = {Oxford University Press},
  address = {Oxford},
  pages = {1--10},
  year = {2024}
}

Exploitation (with M. Zwolinski) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ed. E. N. Zalta and U. Nodelman, Oct 2022.

@incollection{zwolinski2022sep,
  author = {Zwolinski, Matt and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation},
  booktitle = {The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy},
  editor = {Zalta, Edward N. and Nodelman, Uri},
  year = {2022},
  url = {https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/exploitation/}
}

Introduction (with M. Zwolinski) The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism, ed. M. Zwolinski and B. Ferguson. London: Routledge, 2022: 1–9.

@incollection{zwolinski2022intro,
  author = {Zwolinski, Matt and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Introduction},
  booktitle = {The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism},
  editor = {Zwolinski, Matt and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  publisher = {Routledge},
  address = {London},
  pages = {1--9},
  year = {2022},
  doi = {10.4324/9780367814243-1}
}

Colonialism and Territorial Rights The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism, ed. M. Zwolinski and B. Ferguson. London: Routledge, 2022: 401–413.

@incollection{ferguson2022colonialism,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Colonialism and Territorial Rights},
  booktitle = {The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism},
  editor = {Zwolinski, Matt and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  publisher = {Routledge},
  address = {London},
  pages = {401--413},
  year = {2022}
}

Exploitation and Consumption The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Economics, ed. C. Heilmann and J. Reiss. London: Routledge, 2021.

@incollection{ferguson2021consumption,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation and Consumption},
  booktitle = {The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Economics},
  editor = {Heilmann, Conrad and Reiss, Julian},
  publisher = {Routledge},
  address = {London},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.4324/9781315739793-12}
}

Exploitation (with H. Steiner) The Oxford Handbook of Distributive Justice, ed. S. Olsaretti. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018: 533–555.

@incollection{ferguson2018steiner,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Steiner, Hillel},
  title = {Exploitation},
  booktitle = {The Oxford Handbook of Distributive Justice},
  editor = {Olsaretti, Serena},
  publisher = {Oxford University Press},
  address = {Oxford},
  pages = {533--555},
  year = {2018}
}

Exploitation Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, ed. W. Thompson. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.

@incollection{ferguson2018orep,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation},
  booktitle = {Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics},
  editor = {Thompson, William},
  publisher = {Oxford University Press},
  address = {New York},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.113}
}

Exploitation and Labour The Routledge Companion to Business Ethics, ed. E. Heath, B. Kaldis, and A. Marcoux. London: Routledge, 2018: 490–505.

@incollection{ferguson2018labour,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Exploitation and Labour},
  booktitle = {The Routledge Companion to Business Ethics},
  editor = {Heath, Eugene and Kaldis, Byron and Marcoux, Alexei},
  publisher = {Routledge},
  address = {London},
  pages = {490--505},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.4324/9781315764818-36}
}

Reviews and Shorter Pieces

Paradox and Progress Dublin Review of Books Forthcoming

African Political Economy: Contemporary Issues (with K. Furman) Review of Social Economy, 84 (1): 1–5, 2026.

@article{ferguson2026african,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Furman, Katherine},
  title = {African Political Economy: Contemporary Issues},
  journal = {Review of Social Economy},
  volume = {84},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1--5},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1080/00346764.2026.2616532}
}

Exploitation as Domination: What Makes Capitalism Unjust (by N. Vrousalis) Ethics, 135 (1): 217–222, 2024.

@article{ferguson2024vrousalis,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Review of Exploitation as Domination: What Makes Capitalism Unjust, by Nicholas Vrousalis},
  journal = {Ethics},
  volume = {135},
  number = {1},
  pages = {217--222},
  year = {2024},
  doi = {10.1086/731429}
}

How to Pool Risks Across Generations: The Case for Collective Pensions (by M. Otsuka) Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, 17 (1), 2024.

@article{ferguson2024otsuka,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {How to Pool Risks Across Generations: The Case for Collective Pensions, by Michael Otsuka},
  journal = {Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics},
  volume = {17},
  number = {1},
  year = {2024},
  url = {https://ejpe.org/journal/article/view/864}
}

On Trade Justice: A Philosophical Plea for a New Global Deal (by M. Risse & G. Wollner) Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 24 (4): 1069–1071, 2021.

@article{ferguson2021risse,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Review of On Trade Justice: A Philosophical Plea for a New Global Deal, by Mathias Risse and Gabriel Wollner},
  journal = {Ethical Theory and Moral Practice},
  volume = {24},
  number = {4},
  pages = {1069--1071},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.1007/s10677-021-10230-3}
}

An Introduction to Moral Philosophy (by J. Wolff) Journal of Moral Philosophy, 16 (6): 781–784, 2019.

@article{ferguson2019wolff,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {Review of An Introduction to Moral Philosophy, by Jonathan Wolff},
  journal = {Journal of Moral Philosophy},
  volume = {16},
  number = {6},
  pages = {781--784},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.1163/17455243-01606009}
}

Exploitation and the Social Economy (with N. Vrousalis) Review of Social Economy, 77 (2): 91–93, 2019.

@article{ferguson2019social,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Vrousalis, Nicholas},
  title = {Exploitation and the Social Economy},
  journal = {Review of Social Economy},
  volume = {77},
  number = {2},
  pages = {91--93},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.1080/00346764.2019.1630947}
}

Exploitation (with R. Veneziani) Economics & Philosophy, 34 (3): 291–294, 2018.

@article{ferguson2018editorial,
  author = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Veneziani, Roberto},
  title = {Exploitation},
  journal = {Economics and Philosophy},
  volume = {34},
  number = {3},
  pages = {291--294},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.1017/S0266267118000287}
}

Selected Media & Press Coverage

Unter welchen Umständen wird ein Geschäft als Ausbeutung wahrgenommen? Table.Briefings, 30 Sep 2026.

The Left and Right Share a Moral Theory of Exploitation Jacobin, 11 Aug 2026.

A Deal Can Be Legal, Profitable, And Still Look Like Exploitation Forbes, 7 Aug 2026.

What Exploitation Is American Journal of Political Science Blog, 2 Apr 2026.

Weighing Informed Consent Journal of Medical Ethics Forum, 10 Apr 2025.

The PPE of Food Under Contract

Co-authored with Laura Gelhaus and Johanna Jauernig

An interdisciplinary examination of global food systems, agricultural markets, and food ethics through the lens of philosophy, politics, and economics.

Cambridge University Press, forthcoming.

Exploitation: Perspectives from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Co-edited with Matt Zwolinski

This volume brings together leading scholars from philosophy, politics, and economics to explore exploitation as a moral and structural concept. It examines exploitation in labour, markets, and global justice, tracing its implications for fairness, coercion, and consent.

Oxford University Press, 2024.

@book{ferguson2024exploitation,
  editor = {Ferguson, Benjamin and Zwolinski, Matt},
  title = {Exploitation: Perspectives from Philosophy, Politics, and Economics},
  publisher = {Oxford University Press},
  address = {Oxford},
  year = {2024},
  isbn = {9780190256968}
}

The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism

Co-edited with Matt Zwolinski

This collection surveys the history, foundations, and frontiers of libertarian thought. It includes contributions from philosophers, political theorists, and economists examining topics such as rights, property, markets, and justice from libertarian perspectives.

Routledge, 2022.

@book{zwolinski2022companion,
  editor = {Zwolinski, Matt and Ferguson, Benjamin},
  title = {The Routledge Companion to Libertarianism},
  publisher = {Routledge},
  address = {London},
  year = {2022},
  isbn = {9781032247557}
}