It is early August and the summer holidays are over. So is my time on parental leave. Since this past Sunday I work for Uppsala University as Lecturer in practical philosophy. This is only a temporary position, however. In June I finally received positive news on a post doc application. Sometime next year I will start a three year research project on Libertarian Paternalism – the idea that people can be made to make better choices without any restrictions of their liberty. This alleged new ism has received increased attention with the publication of the book Nudge (2008), that I reviewed for Tidskrift för Politisk Filosofi this spring (forgot to tell you). The first two years I will be located at Keele University in England, working with Dr. Angus Dawson. The last year I will be located at Stockholm University, working with Professor Torbjörn Tännsjö and Dr. Niklas Juth of the Karolinska Institute.

Grading my course at Örebro University used up a lot of my working time in June – too ambitious perhaps to give personal feedback on the written assignment to 140 students. July was completely free of philosophy, dedicated instead to organizing a camp on communal living and co-counseling at Mundekulla Retreat Centre, and taking part in the Live Role-playing game Krigshjärta, as a sadistic pirate priest(!).

Since I didn’t do enough relaxing in July, it spilled over into August. At the moment, I enjoy finding my way back to my philosophical pursuits!