I’m an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California. I earned my Ph.D. in philosophy at the University at Buffalo. My research is primarily in moral and political philosophy.

I recently completed a book entitled Just Policing. It explores what just and legitimate policing looks like when there are failures in adjacent components of our political and criminal legal systems. I talked about it on The Curious Task, on Freedom, and on Radio New Zealand Nights. Here’s a short overview of the book via “the page 99 test.” I’ve also written some shorter pieces on policing at PEA Soup, at Liberal Currents, and at the Public Ethics Blog.

Before coming to USC, I was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Smith Institute for Political Economy & Philosophy at Chapman University and an Assistant Professor of Philosophy (research) at the university of New Orleans. Here ‘s my CV. 

When I was in New Orleans and not attending a parade I ran a reentry program hosted at the Orleans Justice Center. The program was a digital literacy and job application skills reentry course taught by UNO undergrads to soon-to-be released inmates at the Orleans Justice Center. It is now defunct. If you happen to be the Sheriff of Los Angeles County and would like to support a similar program, please send me an email. 

My email address is jmonagha@usc.edu. Feel free to get in touch.