Former Fellow

Sally J. Scholz

Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University

Research project title:
Inclusive Trust

Research abstract:
Political societies facing a so-called crisis often turn to security measures to exert state dominance, police borders, and defend the parameters of citizenship in an effort to maintain the trust of citizens. In doing so, they frame the crisis using the terms of conflict and appeal to an exclusive form of solidarity with identity-based membership criteria for citizenship status. My research examines the appeal to exclusive solidarities and contrasts itwith a model of inclusive solidarity that privileges equity, inclusivity, and diversity. Using the history and practice of sanctuary – an idea with roots in the history of war and tied to the principle of civilian immunity in conflict situations – I demonstrate the potential of practices of belonging that extend beyond the narrow confines of political citizenship to develop new models of epistemic trust. These practices create a space for engagement that fosters democratic trust both within and across borders. Replacing security-focused citizenship political discourse with sanctuary-based civilian discourse expands the sources of knowledge for participatioh in civil society and reveals how the social conflict issuing from a so-called crisis can instead issue or foster positive social ties in solidarity.

Events:

19 November 2021
Workshop

The Meaning(s) of Solidarity

4 November 2021
Roundtable at the First Annual Conference of the Research Initiative “ConTrust: Trust in Conflict – Political Life under Conditions of Uncertainty
With: Prof. Dr. Jan Delhey (Magdeburg), Prof. Dr. Sally J. Scholz (Villanova), Dr. Clara Weinhardt (Maastricht), Prof. Dr. Thomas Biebricher (PI ConTrust)
Moderation: Dr. Tobias Wille (Research Coordinator ConTrust)

  • Biografische Angaben

    Sally J. Scholz is Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University: Her research is in social and political philosophy and feminist theory. She has published extensively on solidarity, violence, oppression, just war theory, and related topics. She won the prestigious Lindback award.for Teaching Excellence in 2006, the Gallen Award for Faculty Service in 2011, and the Outstanding Faculty Research Award in 2014. Her books include On de Beauvoir, On Rousseau, Political Solidarity, and Feminism: A Beginner's Guide. She co-edited Peacemaking: Lessons from the Past, Vision for the Future (with Judith Presler); The Contradictions of Freedom: Philosophical Essays on Simone de Beauvoir's 'Les Mandarins' (with Shannon Mussett); and Philosophica/ Perspectives on Democracy in the 21st Century (with Anh Cudd). Scholz is a former editor of the APA Newsletter on Feminism and Philosophy, former co-editor of the Journal for Peace and Justice Studies, and former editor of Hypatia. She is also a leader in the profession, serving as chair of the American Philosophical Association Committee on Lectures, Publications, and Research (2011-2014), as well as the APA Committee on the Status and Future of the Profession (2015-2018). She was President of the North American Society for Social Philosophy (2015-2019).
  • Publikationen

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News from the research center

Event
08.07.2026 | Frankfurt am Main

Krisenhafter Wandel der Gegenwart. Einige soziologische Beobachtungen

Lecture

Der Vortrag von Prof. Dr. Steffen Mau beschäftigt sich mit den Krisensymptomen des liberalen Gesellschaftmodells. Krisenhafter sozialer Wandel ist dadurch zu charakterisieren, dass er nicht allmählich, sondern abrupt vor sich geht und zur Destabilisierung bestehender Institutionen, Ordnungen und Normen führt. Zugleich sollte er von den Menschen auch als krisenhaft erlebt werden und mit Orientierungslosigkeit, Vertrauensverlust und erhöhten Spannungen einhergehen. Der Vortrag findet im Rahmen der Kantorowicz Lectures in Political Language statt.

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Event
18.04.2026 | Frankfurt am Main

Das Prinzip Donald Trump und die Verrohung der Welt

Panel Discussion, Lecture

Ein neuer Politikstil macht international Karriere. Er ist gekennzeichnet von Vulgarität, Verrohung und erklärter Rechtsfeindschaft. Machtinteressen werden nicht mehr juristisch bemäntelt. Stattdessen wird das angebliche Recht des Stärkeren zur Staatsdoktrin gemacht – innenpolitisch wie außenpolitisch. Treibende Kraft hinter dieser Verrohung der politischen Sitten ist ein US-Präsident, der nicht nur die amerikanische Gesellschaft und Kultur, sondern auch die globale Ordnung nach seinen Vorstellungen und Interessen umgestaltet. Die Römerberggespräche wollen diesen Politikstil verstehen.

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Event
29.04.2026 | Frankfurt am Main

Kulturindustrie heute?

Panel Discussion

Das Gespräch „Kulturindustrie heute?“ widmet sich der Aktualität und Tragfähigkeit eines zentralen Begriffs der Kritischen Theorie. Die Filmwissenschaftlerin Gertrud Koch diskutiert im Rahmen der Gesprächsreihe "Frankfurter Schule" mit dem Filmkritiker Bert Rebhandl die gegenwärtigen Formen kultureller Produktion und Verbreitung vor dem Hintergrund von Digitalisierung, Plattformen und globalen Medienmärkten.

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Event
20.03.2026 | Frankfurt am Main

40 Jahre Schengen-Raum

Colloquium

Der 1984 geschlossene Schengen-Vertrag schuf einen heute 29 Staaten umfassenden Raum ohne Binnengrenzen, doch Migration über die Außengrenzen führte zuletzt zur Wiedereinführung von Kontrollen, auch durch die Bundesregierung ab 8. Mai 2025. Das Walter Hallstein-Kolloquium diskutiert die rechtliche Zulässigkeit, wirtschaftliche Folgen insbesondere für Arbeitsmigration und Arbeitsmarkt sowie die Zukunft des Schengen-Raums.

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News
12.02.2026

Satanist politics and the decline of reason in liberal democracies

For the last time in the winter semester 2025/26, the Research Center hosted the lecture series "Am Scheidepunkt. On the crisis of democracy". At the end, philosopher Michael Rosen from Harvard University presented his concept of "satanic politics" as a variant of the political interpretation of the world.

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News
09.02.2026

On the topicality of the concept of violence based on Camus and Derrida

Prof. Dr. Christine Abbt from the University of St. Gallen gave a lecture on democracies and the concept of violence as part of the lecture series "At the crossroads? On the crisis of democracy", she gave a lecture on democracies and the concept of violence. Under the title "Defending democracies. On the topicality of the concept of violence in Camus and Derrida", the philosopher discussed forms of violence and revolt and categorized them with regard to a democratic setting.

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Publication
04.02.2026 | Journal article

New Perspectives on Trust in International Conflicts

Wille, Tobias; Simon, Hendrik; Daase, Christopher; Deitelhoff, Nicole; Wheeler, Nicholas J.; Holmes, Marcus; Rathbun, Brian C.; Acharya, Amitav; Mitzen, Jennifer (2026): „New Perspectives on Trust in International Conflicts“. In: International Studies Review 28 (1), viaf027.

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News
02.02.2026

States competing for people - David Owen on civil geopolitics

As part of the lecture series "At the Crossroads - The Future of Democracy", David Owen from the University of Southampton presented his concept of civil geopolitics.

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News
20.01.2026

Christine Hentschel on reorientation in catastrophic times

As part of the lecture series "At the crossroads? On the crisis of democracy", the sociologist spoke about living in and dealing with catastrophic times. Against the backdrop of the destruction of living conditions, wars, permanent crises and threats to democracy, Hentschel addressed the infiltration of the catastrophic into everyday social life and a changing activist and literary approach to the future.

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