News
30.06.2025

Article “Ideology and Suffering: What Is Realistic about Critical Theory?” by Amadeus Ulrich published in EJPT

The article “Ideology and Suffering: What Is Realistic about Critical Theory?” by Amadeus Ulrich has just been published open access in the European Journal of Political Theory (EJPT). Ulrich brings the perspective of radical realism into a productive dialog with Adorno’s critical theory.

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News
30.06.2025

Prof. Dr. Franziska Fay awarded the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose University Prize 2025

Prof. Dr. Franziska Fay (Junior Professor of Ethnology with a focus on Political Anthropology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and former postdoctoral researcher at the Research Center Normative Orders at Goethe University) receives the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose University Award 2025 in the category Humanities and Social Sciences.

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Publication
25.06.2025 | Online article

Ideology and Suffering: What Is Realistic about Critical Theory?

Ulrich, Amadeus (2025): Ideology and suffering: What is realistic about critical theory? European Journal of Political Theory, 0(0).  https://doi.org/10.1177/14748851251351782

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News
24.06.2025

New series “Vertrauensfragen” in the Frankfurter Rundschau initiated by Hendrik Simon

Democracy thrives on debate – if it serves the joint search for solutions. There is often a problem with this cooperation. The new FR series “Vertrauensfragen”, initiated by Hendrik Simon (Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC) Frankfurt location at Goethe University’s Research Centre Normative Orders ), examines why this is the case and how we can do better.

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Publication
23.06.2025 | Working Paper

Untrustworthy Authorities and Complicit Bankers: Unraveling Monetary Distrust in Argentina

Moreno, Guadalupe (2025): “Untrustworthy Authorities and Complicit Bankers: Unraveling Monetary Distrust in Argentina”. Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies Discussion Paper 25/3.

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Publication
19.05.2025 | Anthology

Klimaethik. Ein Reader

Sparenborg, Lukas; Moellendorf, Darrel (Hrsg.) (2025) : Klimaethik. Ein Reader. Suhrkamp.

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Event
24.07.2025 | Frankfurt am Main

Ruptures Beyond the Frame

Movie

Film screening of “Soleil Ô (Oh, Sun)” and “Dreaming Rivers” and lecture by Awa Konaté (Abu Dhabi / London)

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Event
25./26.09.2025 | Frankfurt am Main

Historical science in dialog

Conference, Conference
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Theodor W. Adorno Prize awarded to Prof Dr Seyla Benhabib

On Wednesday, 11 September 2024, the renowned political philosopher Prof. Dr Seyla Benhabib was awarded the Theodor W. Adorno Prize 2024 in the Paulskirche for her outstanding services to critical theory, political philosophy and democracy research.

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F.A.Z.-Foto Frank Röth

Commemorative publication published on Rainer Forst’s 60th birthday

Prof. Dr Rainer Forst, Philosopher and Director of the Research Centre Normative Orders, celebrated his 60th birthday on 15 August 2024. To mark the occasion, Suhrkamp-Verlag published the commemorative publication “Die Macht der Rechtfertigung – Perspektiven einer kritischen Theorie der Gerechtigkeit”, in which internationally renowned thinkers analyse his extensive work.

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The public use of reason. Jürgen Habermas turns 95 years old.

By Rainer Forst

On 18 June, Jürgen Habermas, who has left a lasting mark on the humanities and social sciences at Goethe University, was honoured with a special birthday. Our academic community sent its warmest congratulations. To this day, Habermas’ academic and intellectual voice is one of the most widely heard nationally and internationally, and we sincerely hope that it will remain so for a long time to come.

 

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Press

9. July 2025 | Guest article

Wem nützt die Moralismus-Keule?

Gastbeitrag von Cord Schmelzle (FGZ) (Frankfurter Rundschau)

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4. July 2025 | Rezension

Von Reue keine Spur: Hat der einstige SS-Offizier für Pinochets Geheimpolizei gearbeitet?

Rezension zu Philippe Sands: „Die Verschwundenen von Londres 38“. Über Pinochet in England und einen Nazi in Patagonien. Aus dem Englischen von Thomas Bertram und Henning Dedekind. S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 2025. 624 S., geb., 29,– €. von Hendrik Simon (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

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8. July 2025 | Artikel

Überlegungen zur Verteidigung der Demokratie – Zwei Krisen der Demokratie

Artikel von Rainer Forst (Frankfurter Rundschau)

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24. June 2025 | Interview

Sonntagsreden werden den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt nicht retten

Interview with Hendrik Simon (Frankfurter Rundschau)

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About Normative Orders

How do political, legal, religious or economic orders establish and change, how do power structures crystallize, how are power and life chances distributed – also on a transnational level? The researchers involved in the Research Centre Normative Orders  reflect on these questions. The focus is on current social conflicts, in particular the just ordering of society in times of globalization, and their long history. The normative ideas that play a role in such processes and conflicts are examined. The questions are complex. This is why the Research Centre Normative Orders at Goethe University Frankfurt works on an interdisciplinary basis: from philosophy, history, political science and law to ethnology, economics, sociology and theology.

Research

The Research Centre Normative Orders is home to various research projects. Up-to-date information on all current and past projects can be found under Research.

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Publications

The Research Centre maintains a publication database with current publications by participating researchers. In addition, the Centre publishes a series of its own publications with Campus-Verlag. The volumes document the interdisciplinary collaboration at the Centre and are each dedicated to the examination of important topics from the Normative Orders research program.

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Events

The Research Centre Normative Orders organizes events, workshops, conferences and practical forums at Goethe University, in the city of Frankfurt and beyond. In the event calendar you will find all current and past events in the context of the work of the Research Center as well as information on how to participate.

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Media library

The Research Centre publishes video recordings of many lectures, discussions and other events, such as the well-known Römerberg Talks. You can find and watch these and other videos in a media library.

Media library