Political Philosophy in Essen

Welcome

to the pages of the Chair for Practical Philosophy with focus on political, legal and social philosophy. Our research focuses on questions of legitimacy and justice in transnational contexts, on social ontology, on the significance of law and rights for the constitution of political order, and on property theory. Our approach is primarily systematic, but we also engage with the history of philosophy.

Current Teaching

SE Klassenherrschaft, Patriarchat, Rassismus: Gibt es Herrschaft qua Gesellschaftsstruktur? (Niederberger)

SE Karl Marx "Das Kapital Band I" (Orha)

SE Was (daran) ist Recht und was Ordnung? (Tölle)

OS Neuere Forschung zur politischen Philosophie (Niederberger)

Blockseminar Grundprobleme europäischer Eigentumstheorien vom Mittelalter bis in die Gegenwart (Niederberger, Weiler)

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Current Research

  • November 12, 2026: presentation by Andreas Niederberger (Duisburg-Essen) "Can Democracy in Europe be Cosmopolitan? On the Future of an Idea Under Adverse Circumstances?" at the Núcleo de Filosofia do Cebrap in São Paulo

  • November 5–7, 2026: International Congress "O Fim dos Direitos Humanos" – Federal University of Pará, Belém – with a presentation by Andreas Niederberger (Duisburg-Essen): "Will a Pluralistic Foundation Undermine the Strength of Human Rights?"

  • November 3–4, 2026: International Workshop "Cosmopolitismo, (In)Justiça Climática, (In)Justiça Social" – ​Auditorium of the Headquarters of the Public Defender's Office of the State of Pará – with a presentation by Andreas Niederberger (Duisburg-Essen): "Do We Need to Save Politics from Climate Change? Toward a New Justification of Cosmopolitan Democracy"

  • August 13 – November 26, 2026: International Seminar of Social Philosophy (in remembrance of Jürgen Habermas), UNAM Posgrado, Mexiko City – with a presentation by Andreas Niederberger "Will a Pluralistic Foundation Undermine the Strength of Human Rights?" (Oktober 1st)

  • Publication: Review by Andreas Niederberger (Duisburg-Essen) of Stefanie Buchenau, Menschenwürde. Kant und die Aufklärung. Hamburg: Meiner, 2023.

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