In a Different Voice, published in 1982, challenged established psychological frameworks by critiquing Lawrence Kohlberg’s gender-biased research on moral development. This pivotal work established the foundations for the ethics of care, positioning interpersonal relationships and the needs of others as central components of ethical decision-making, rather than viewing these traits as developmental deficiencies in women.
Academic Trajectory
Born in 1936 in New York City, Carol Gilligan pursued extensive studies at Swarthmore College, Radcliffe College, and Harvard University. Her doctoral research focused on responses to temptation. She held teaching positions at the University of Chicago, Harvard University, and New York University. Additionally, she served as the Pitt Professor of American History and Institutions at the University of Cambridge during the 1990s and later returned to the university as a visiting professor.
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While serving as a research assistant to Lawrence Kohlberg, Gilligan observed that his developmental stages prioritized masculine, justice-oriented values. She proposed an alternative framework, identifying a feminine voice that emphasizes care and connection. Her research suggested that integrating these masculine and feminine perspectives allows for a more comprehensive realization of human potential, a model that has since been applied to analyze workplace ethics.
Theatrical Adaptations and Writing
In 1991, Gilligan co-founded the Company of Women, an all-female theater group. Her interest in the concept of voice eventually led to a collaboration with her son, Jonathan Gilligan, to write a stage adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. The play debuted in 2002 at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. She also authored the novel Kyra in 2008 and contributed to the anthology Sisterhood Is Forever.
Fast facts
- Born: 1936, New York City
- Notable Work: In a Different Voice (1982)
- Alma Mater: Harvard University
- Key Field: Ethics of Care
- Grawemeyer Award: 1992
- Heinz Award: 1998
- Novel Published: Kyra (2008)
- Theater Work: The Scarlet Letter (2002)
Questions readers ask
What is the ethics of care?
It is a moral framework emphasizing the importance of interpersonal relationships and responsiveness to the needs of others, which Gilligan identified as distinct from justice-based ethical models.
Why did Gilligan criticize Lawrence Kohlberg?
She argued that his research on moral development used male-oriented stages that incorrectly labeled women as morally deficient for prioritizing care over abstract rules of justice.
Achievements
- Notable work: In a Different Voice
- Held posts at Harvard University, New York University and University of Cambridge
- Fields: feminism and gender studies
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