Bürger-Universität
The Research Center Normative Orders at Goethe University participates in the Frankfurt Citizens’ University, in which academics report on current research in a generally understandable way. With these diverse lecture series, Goethe University, which has once again adopted the legal form of a foundation since 2008, is reflecting on its civic tradition. The university was founded in 1914 as a civic foundation by predominantly Jewish citizens for citizens. With the choice of different venues, including outside the university, and the variety of topics on offer, the individual public lecture series are what they want to be: a citizens’ university in the literal sense.
News from the research center
Frieden retten! Friedensgutachten 2025
Der Frieden ist auf dem Rückzug: Russlands Krieg in der Ukraine destabilisiert Europa, der Krieg in Gaza stürzt den Nahen Osten in Leid und Gewalt, und im Sudan hat der Konflikt die größte humanitäre Katastrophe der Welt ausgelöst. Zugleich fällt der globale Stabilitätsanker USA aus. Das Friedensgutachten 2025 zeigt, warum Europa selbst für seine Sicherheit und Verteidigung sorgen und zugleich am Ziel des Friedens festhalten muss.
more information ›Shaping the future - a review
As part of the exhibition "Fixing Futures. Planetary futures between speculation and control", our four-part lecture series "Shaping the future - between climate change, technology and social responsibility" took place.
more information ›What remains of "1968" - event review
What can we learn from the 1968 movement for our own time and where do we perhaps need new ideas and utopias? The event "Utopia and awakening of the 1968ers - What remains of political rebellion and individual self-liberation" on July 14, 2025 at the Historisches Museum was dedicated to these questions
more information ›Impressions from the Crisis Talk "Europe in a multipolar world"
The Crisis Talk "Europe in a multipolar world - How can the EU meet the challenges of major powers?" held on July 1, 2025 at the Representation of the State of Hesse to the European Union was dedicated to the question of how the EU should shape its influence and assume its responsibilities in this international environment.
more information ›Reflections on the defense of democracy - Two crises of democracy
The challenges are global, but we still act nationally. In addition, we lack the terms to orient ourselves politically and normatively. An article by Rainer Forst in the FR about the two crises of democracy.
more information ›How the erosion of modern governments threatens our future - Impressions from Jeffrey Kopstein's lecture
On June 16, Jeffrey Kopstein, Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine, gave a public lecture entitled "Trump and the Assault on the State" at the Research Centre Normative Orders. The starting point of his presentation was the observation that attacks on modern statehood are increasing in many countries: Politicians are coming to power who deliberately want to weaken or even destroy central institutions.
more information ›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.
more information ›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.
more information ›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
more information ›