In times of violent conflicts over identities and material goods, on the one hand, and an increasing yet somewhat ambiguous ethical universalism, on the other, the sociological and philosophical reflection on human creativity and self-transcendence by Hans Joas emerges as an important option for social thought. In the laureate’s colloquium these impulses have been debated in relation to four different themes that—as theoretical and material foci—also characterize Hans Joas’ work: ‘pragmatism’ as its most important philosophical source; ‘normativity’ and ‘religion’ shaped by human creativity and self-transcendence; and ‘war’ as a social reality that challenges normative creativity and capacity of self-transcendence.
The German sociologist and social philosopher Hans Joas is Max-Weber-Professor and Head of the ‘Max-Weber-Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies’ at the University of Erfurt and professor at the University of Chicago. Since 1998 he has been a member of the ‘Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften’ as well as a non-resident fellow of the ‘Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies’ in Uppsala. His research priorities are social philosophy and sociological theory, especially against the background of American pragmatism. He has also been working in the fields of value research, the sociology of religion as well as the sociology of war and violence. The broad spectrum of his work is reflected in central publications, such as: Pragmatism and Social Theory (1992), The Origin of Values (1997), Does Man Need Religion? On experiences of self-transcendence (2004) or Suppression of War. A problem related to the history of social theory (2008). This year appeared: Religion and the Controversial Modern Era as well as History Understood. Comments on Reinhart Koselleck’s works, co-edited by Hans Joas.
Participants
Thomas Assheuer (Hamburg), Martin Bauer (Hamburg), Hermann Deuser (Erfurt), Martin Fuchs (Erfurt), Karl Gabriel (Münster), Nikolai Genov (Berlin), Klaus Gilgenmann (Osnabrück), Udo Göttlich (Neubiberg), Joachim Hake (Berlin), Reinhold Hedtke (Bielefeld), Wilhelm Heitmeyer (Bielefeld), Bettina Hollstein (Erfurt), Friedrich Jaeger (Essen), Barbara Jantzen (Bielefeld), Hans Joas (Erfurt), Franz-Xaver Kaufmann (Bonn), Hans G. Kippenberg (Bremen), Wolfgang Knöbl (Göttingen), Christoph Markschies (Berlin), Sigrid Meuschel (Leipzig), Joanna Pfaff-Czarnecka (Bielefeld), Andreas Pettenkofer (Erfurt), Wolfgang Prinz (Leipzig), Michaela Rehm (Bielefeld), Gerhard Sagerer (Bielefeld), Sabine Sander (Erfurt), Magnus Schlette (Erfurt), Hans-Joachim Schubert (Mönchengladbach), Willibald Steinmetz (Bielefeld), Helmut Thome (Halle (Saale)), Hartmann Tyrell (Bielefeld), Lutz Wingert (Zürich), Patrick Wöhrle (Erfurt), Ina Wunn (Bielefeld)
