This research seminar explores the relationship between a) notions freedom, liberation and emancipation, b) notions of limits, limitation and planetary boundaries and c) the project of a Socio-Ecological Transformation of modern consumer societies that is widely demanded by scientists as well as political activists. The research seminar explores normative commitments and theoretical assumptions of different strands of literature – which in many cases remain unreflected and implicit. Understandings of liberation and emancipation as well as their relationship towards agendas of limitation, boundaries and rationing for a socio-ecological transformation will be covered.
· This Research Seminar focuses on selected theories and concepts of liberation and limitation, which very are commonly used in research on the condition of modern societies, their multiple crises and their projected transformation. This semester we will focus specifically on (a) competing ways in which different actors frame freedom and emancipation, on the one hand, and limits and limitation, on the other.
· PhD theses and other research proposals will be presented, discussed and further developed.
· Publication projects will be discussed and related drafts reviewed.
· Furthermore, we will critically look at articles (from a reviewer’s perspective) which have been submitted to academic journals.