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The Independence
The Thalidomide Society's Newsletter
No.21 Spring 2005 - p4
Accounting for Thalidomide by Prof. Ken McPhail, University of Glasgow
Five years ago, before Enron, the Department of Accounting and Finance, at the University of Glasgow, developed one of the UK’s first accounting and business ethics courses specifically for accounting undergraduates. The course is designed to develop the students’ abilities to identify, engage with and analyse ethical issues. Despite the growing importance of accounting systems and the permeation of notions of accountability into most areas of public and private life, accounting is still viewed as a fairly innocuous and technical subject that requires no ethical reflection at all, even by the majority of students who have completed four years of university education!
The course was based on the premise that a large part of the process of identifying and grappling with ethical issues requires well-developed emotional sensitivity and reflectiveness (or emotional skills) as well as critical and analytical skills. A number of different techniques are employed in order to realise these objectives, including a visit to a local prison, a retreat at Loch Lomond and a case study of the Thalidomide scandal.
We study the Thalidomide case in order to challenge student’s emotional sensitivities and we encourage them to reflect on the feelings of the individuals involved. The seminar was originally taken by Simone Baker, however, for the past three years Daphne Allan has presented the case. The students generally find the seminar challenging. One student really caught the objective of the session when she said, ‘It’s one of these issues that you don’t really appreciate until you hear someone who has experienced it themselves.’
Presenting the case to financial students by Daphne Allan CoM
For the last three years I have caught the ’red-eye’ flight from Bristol to Glasgow to attend this ethics seminar. Ken introduces the subject with some facts & stats. I begin by talking briefly about the drug, Thalidomide - what it is, why our mothers took it, the deformities it caused & the roles of the Trust & the Society. I continue the presentation with my story, spanning from when I was born, through school, work, hobbies, family life, & achievements. The session concludes with questions. This year they lasted over half an hour, & the students were very keen to hear my views on the ethics of the use of Thalidomide. They also wanted to know if I felt bitter about life - maybe it surprised them to hear I wasn’t! Ken then takes me for a late lunch as my reward for attending his ethics seminar!
Next Page
Contents:
Co-ordinator’s Report
Karaoke in Tokyo…
The Statement
Conference 2005
Accounting for Thalidomide
A Video for Brazil
Book Review – Riverworld
Bits and Pieces
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