15.08.2024

Festschrift “The power of justification” published on Rainer Forst’s 60th birthday

The philosopher and director of the “Normative Orders” research center Prof. Dr. Rainer Forst 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 discuss his extensive work.

Born in Wiesbaden in 1964, Forst studied philosophy, political science and American studies in Frankfurt am Main, New York and Harvard. In 1993, he completed his doctorate with a dissertation on theories of political and social justice under Jürgen Habermas, and in 2003 he habilitated (then as an assistant to Axel Honneth) with his book “Tolerance in Conflict”. In addition to several visiting professorships, Forst is Professor of Political Theory and Philosophy at Goethe University Frankfurt; he has turned down various calls to teach at home and abroad (including Chicago, Princeton and Berlin). In 2012, he was awarded the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize of the German Research Foundation.

Rainer Forst is considered an important representative of the so-called “third generation” of the Frankfurt School and is known in particular for his work on the theory of justice, democracy, tolerance, power and freedom. His extensive work is widely discussed internationally and has had a significant influence on contemporary philosophy, political theory and political debate. The book “The Power of Justification” brings together contributions from renowned thinkers who discuss the diverse aspects of Forst’s work and at the same time provide an insight into the latest developments within critical theory. It was edited by Mahmoud Bassiouni, Eva Buddeberg, Mattias Iser, Anja Karnein and Martin Saar.

We would like to congratulate Rainer Forst once again from the bottom of our hearts on his special birthday, together with all good wishes for the coming years of his academic work, not only in our international academic community, which has sent congratulations from near and far. Above all, we wish him all the best and much joy for the many more years of his work here at Goethe University and, of course, here with us at Normative Orders. We are looking forward to it!

News from the research center

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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Event
15.07.2025 | Frankfurt am Main

Klimaethik - Ein Reader

Book Presentation

Presentation of the book with Lukas Sparenborg (Research Associate at the Institute of Political Science at Goethe University) and Prof. Dr. Darrel Moellendorf (Professor of International Political Theory and Philosophy at Goethe University, Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg, Member of the Research Centre Normative Orders)

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Event
14.07.2025 | Frankfurt

Utopie und Aufbruch der 1968er – Was von politischer Rebellion und individueller Selbstbefreiung geblieben ist

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion with Rainer Langhans, Christa Ritter, who has been a member of Langhans' self-awareness group since 1978, and the social philosopher Martin Saar is dedicated to utopian ideas that emanated from the 1968 movement and sheds light on its ideals, impulses, individual and socio-political after-effects.

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Event
10.07.2025 | Frankfurt am Main

Territorial Justice by Lea Ypi

Workshop

Workshop on the new book by Lea Ypi (LSE). With, among others: Andrea Sangiovanni and Ayelet Shachar.

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