How to be Trustworthy

Katherine Hawley’s book, Katherine Hawley, How to be Trustworthy (Oxford University Press), was published on 26 September 2019.

Hawley explores what trustworthiness means in our lives and the dilemmas which arise if we value trustworthiness in an uncertain world.

She argues there is no way of guaranteeing a clean conscience. We can become untrustworthy by taking on too many commitments, no matter how well-meaning we are, yet we can become bad friends, colleagues, parents, or citizens if we take on too few commitments.

Hawley shows that we can all benefit by being more sensitive to obstacles to trustworthiness, and recognising that those who live in challenging personal circumstances face greater obstacles than other members of society—whether visibly or invisibly disadvantaged through material poverty, poor health, social exclusion, or power imbalances.