Professor
Faculty Dean & Department Chair
Ph.D., London School of Economics and Political Science
Areas of Interest: Political Philosophy, Ethics, Global Health
Personal Homepage: https://simon-wigley.com/
Email: wigley@bilkent.edu.tr
Phone: +90-312-290 3348/1457
Office: H249
About
Simon Wigley studied philosophy, politics and economics at Otago University. After completing his masters and doctoral studies at London School of Economics and Political Science he started working at the department of political science at Bilkent University. In 2003 he moved to the newly created department of philosophy at Bilkent. His research interests are varied, ranging from theoretical work in normative political philosophy to empirical work in comparative politics. At the moment much of his research time is devoted to a long term project on the impact of political institutions on population health. This has an important bearing on the question of whether democracy can be justified because of the outcomes it produces. He has published peer-reviewed research articles in journals such as The Lancet, The British Medical Journal, Lancet Global Health, World Politics, International Studies Quarterly, Social Science & Medicine, Public Choice, Human Rights Quarterly, Philosophical Psychology, Law and Philosophy, Politics, Philosophy & Economics, and the Journal of Political Philosophy.
Sample publications
Wigley, S. (forthcoming). Regime type and Data Manipulation: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic, Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
Wigley, S. (2023). Non-Communicable Disease Policy Implementation from 2014 to 2021: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Analysis of Global Policy Data, Lancet Global Health, 11(4), e525-e533 (with L.N. Allen, H. Holmer, and P. Barlow)
Wigley, S. (2022). Trust made the difference for democracies in COVID-19, The Lancet, 400(10353), P657 (with T. Bollyky, O. Angelino, J. L. Dieleman). [Correspondence]
Wigley, S. (2022). Assessing the association between Corporate Financial Influence and implementation of policies to tackle commercial determinants of non-communicable diseases: a cross-sectional analysis of 172 countries, Social Science & Medicine, 297(114825) (with L.N. Allen and H. Holmer)
Wigley, S. (2022). Pandemic preparedness and COVID-19: an exploratory analysis of infection and fatality rates, and contextual factors associated with preparedness in 177 countries, from Jan 1, 2020, to Sept 30, 2021, The Lancet, 299(10334), P1489-1512 (lead authors T. Bollyky, E.N. Hulland, and J. L. Dieleman)
Wigley, S. (2021). Implementation of non-communicable disease policies from 2015 to 2020: a geopolitical analysis of 194 countries, Lancet Global Health, 9(11), e1528–38 (with L.N. Allen and H. Holmer)
Wigley, S. (2021). Democracies Linked To Greater Universal Health Coverage Compared With Autocracies, Even In An Economic Recession, Health Affairs, 40(8), 1234-1242 (with T. Templin, J.L. Dieleman, J.E. Mumford, M. Miller-Petrie, S. Kiernan, and T. Bollyky)
Wigley, S. (2020). Autocratization and universal health coverage: a synthetic control study. The British Medical Journal, 371 (with J. L. Dieleman, T. Templin, J.E. Mumford, and T. Bollyky).
Wigley, S. (2020). “Democracy and implementation of non-communicable disease policies,” Lancet Global Health, 8(4), PE482-E483 (with J. L. Dieleman, T. Templin, Samantha Kiernan, and T. Bollyky). [Correspondence]
Wigley, S. (2019). “The relationships between democratic experience, adult health, and cause-specific mortality in 170 countries between 1980 and 2016: an observational analysis,” The Lancet, 393(10181), 1628-1640 (with T. Bollyky, T. Templin, M. Cohen, D. Schoder, and J. L. Dieleman).
Wigley, S. (2018). Is there a Resource Curse for Private Liberties? International Studies Quarterly, 62(4), 834-844.
Wigley, S. (2017). The Impact of Democracy and Media Freedom on Under-5 Mortality, 1961-2011. Social Science & Medicine, 190, 237-246 (with Arzu Akkoyunlu).
Wigley, S. (2017). The Resource Curse and Child Mortality, 1961-2011. Social Science & Medicine, 176, 142–148.
Wigley, S. (2011). The Impact of Regime-Type on Health: Does Redistribution Explain Everything? World Politics, 63(4), 647–677 (with Arzu Akkoyunlu).
Wigley, S. (2011). Do Electoral Institutions Have an Impact on Population Health? Public Choice, 148(3–4), 595–610 (with Arzu Akkoyunlu).
Wigley, S. (2009). Disappearing Without a Moral Trace? Rights and Compensation During Times of Emergency. Law and Philosophy, 28(6), 617–649.
Wigley, S. (2007). Automaticity, Consciousness and Moral Responsibility. Philosophical Psychology, 20(2), 209–225.
Wigley, S. (2006). Voluntary Losses and Wage Compensation. Politics, Philosophy & Economics, 5(3), 363–376.
Wigley, S. (2003). Parliamentary Immunity: Protecting Democracy or Protecting Corruption? Journal of Political Philosophy, 11(1), 23–40.