Conceptualisations of Modern Societies and Theories of Societal Change. From Democratic Unsustainability to Green Republicanism?

Democracy is increasingly interpreted as being in a critical phase. Doubts arise as to whether its norms and institutions can fulfill the promises associated with them. This also affects the project of liberal ecological politics. Although this project continues to be normatively endorsed in the literature, more academic observers question its feasibility and sustainability, which raises the question of what could and should replace it. Against this background, the research seminar will look at recent contributions to political theory that link the question of the future of democracy with proposals for strong ecological politics that respect planetary boundaries. Our focus will be on the idea of green republicanism, which seeks to overcome the environmental modesty of liberal politics and at the same time wants to avoid the anti-democratic excesses of climate authoritarianism. Green republicanism promises the best of both worlds: a renewal of democratic politics on the one hand and a strong commitment to environmentalism and sustainability on the other. We will examine whether this claim is justified.

Furthermore,

• PhD theses and other research proposals will be presented, discussed and further developed (in English);
• publication projects will be discussed and related drafts reviewed (in English); and
• we will critically look at articles (from a reviewer’s perspective) which have been submitted to academic journals (in English).

Participants acquire detailed knowledge about

• the interrelationship between current theories of late-modern societies and the challenges democratic regimes have to confront;
• new controversies about the meaning and feasibility of a socio-ecological transformation by means of democratic and non-democratic policy-making;
• contemporary proposals for democratic innovation and renewal, green republicanism in particular;
• how to develop a research proposal in the field of socio-scientific sustainability research;
• how to present a research project in the field of socio-scientific sustainability research;
• how to critically engage with academic material presented in written or oral ways.

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The Seminar consists in equal parts of inputs by the Professor and by the Seminar participants. The detailed discussion of the texts, and the presentation and defence of the participants’ own work will familiarize the seminar participants with modes of academic work at an advanced level.

Successful completion of this research seminar requires:

• Regular seminar attendance (monitored) and taking responsibility as lead discussant of academic texts (20%)
• Presentation and defence of the own research project (50%)
• Formal review and assessment of a research project or academic article that has been submitted for publication to a journal (30%)

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