Against the institutional backdrop of the Émile Durkheim Research Unit: Crisis Analysis, and funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme (Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society), the research project “Judicial Cultures of Independence and Their Meaning for the Rule of Law Compliance: Law in Crisis (JCILC)” is launching today. Building on the paradigm developed at the Käte Hamburger Research Centre 'Law as Culture'-which was explicitly highlighted during the evaluation process for this consortium project - we are addressing the disturbing reality of the growing threat to the 'rule of law' and an 'erosion of the law'. This is all the more dramatic given that the European Union has constituted itself as a community based on the 'rule of law', and that one of the often neglected functions of law is to diagnose crises, prevent them where possible, or limit their consequential damage. Consequently, for us - and for the European Commission's funding body - the 'cultural significance' of this issue is beyond question.  The consortium brings together partners from across Europe and beyond, including Werner Gephart, Matthias Herdegen, Ryszard Bobrowicz, Pierre Brunet, Diana Villegas, Marta Bucholc, Lior Barshak and Angela Condello. What sets our approach apart is our collaboration at an international level and the multidisciplinary nature (ranging from law to cultural studies); and the evaluators have expressly emphasised not only the legal-theoretical aspect but also the humanities component when comparing the legal cultural manifestations of 'Rule of Law', 'État de Droit' and 'Rechtsstaat' in Europe. To this end, the project will develop a 'Rule of Law Crisis Framework' and test it in individual country studies, with the aim of developing practical guidelines for an 'early warning system' and also suitable resilience strategies, with potential implications for legal education in Europe. At the Émile Durkheim Research Unit, we are particularly excited to contribute our expertise in crisis analysis and the sociological study of institutions, legitimacy, and social cohesion. The project reflects our commitment to understanding crises not only as moments of disruption, but also as opportunities to rethink the foundations of democratic societies.We look forward to the coming years of collaborative research and exchange with our partners, stakeholders, and wider academic community. Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.

Einleitung: Climate Change as a Crisis of Nature? Gegenwärtige Krisen scheinen nahezu jeden Aspekt der menschlichen Existenz und alle Sphären der Spätmoderne zu betreffen. Die Émile-Durkheim Forschungsstelle: Krisenanalyse nimmt sich diesen zentralen Fragen im postglobalen Zeitalter an und legt seinen Schwerpunkt auf die vergleichend-historische Analyse von Poly- und Metakrisen. Dabei gilt es sowohl die Eigenlogik/Eigenrationalität der einzelnen Krisensphären als auch deren Verflechtung zu analysieren – mit dem Ziel, das erzeugte Wissen anderen gesellschaftlichen Akteur:innen zur Verfügung zu stellen und mit ihnen in einen Dialog zu treten. Unser erstes Jahresthema „Discourses of Justice. Indicators of Crises?“ verknüpfte die Krisensemantik mit Fragen der Gerechtigkeit, da Krisen zunehmend auch als Erfahrungen sozialer Ungleichheit, politischer Ohnmacht oder Wut über Lebensbedingungen wahrgenommen werden. Der letztjährige Fokus auf „Krieg als Krise der Gesellschaft“ richtete den Blick auf die Geschichte, Gegenwart und Struktur des Krieges sowie auf die Rolle von Technologie und Kriegskultur in gesellschaftlichen Transformationsprozessen. An diese beiden Perspektiven knüpft das diesjährige Thema an, indem es den Klimawandel als eine überbordende globale und möglicherweise irreversible Krisenverdichtung in den Mittelpunkt stellt. Denn der menschengemachte Klimawandel ist nicht nur eine ökologische Herausforderung, sondern eine Krise, welche die Grundlagen unseres Verhältnisses zur Natur, unseren Mitmenschen und Nicht-Menschen, zu gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung und unserer zukünftigen Lebensform auf dem Planeten Erde in Frage stellt. Die Tagung geht dabei von der Einsicht aus, dass sich die Krise in mehreren Dimensionen zeigt und unterschiedliche Lösungsstrategien initiiert: in religiösen und kulturellen Deutungen, in Fragen politischer Steuerung und globaler Verantwortung, in ökonomischen Interessen und Konflikten, in der Kunst sowie in normativen Vorstellungen von Gerechtigkeit und den Rechten der Natur. Im Spiegel dieser Entwicklung stellt sich erneut die Gretchenfrage, wie wir zusammenleben wollen und wer wir als Gesellschaft im Verhältnis zu Natur sind. Der Klimawandel berührt damit tiefgehende Strukturen und Dynamiken spätmoderner Vergesellschaftung und fordert dazu heraus, das Verhältnis von Mensch, Natur und sozialer Ordnung neu zu bestimmen. Programm Vor diesem Hintergrund organisierte die Émile-Durkheim-Forschungsstelle ein Symposium mit dem Titel „Climate Change as a Crisis of Nature?“, an dem renommierte internationale Gäste aus unterschiedlichen Disziplinen teilnahmen.

Der Tod von Jürgen Habermas erinnert an die große Bedeutung seiner Theorie für das Verständnis einer heutigen „Krise des Rechts“. Seine Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns prägt weiterhin kultursoziologische Analysen des Rechts, wie sie auch an der Émile Durkheim Forschungsstelle verfolgt werden. Angesichts aktueller Gefährdungen von Rechtsstaatlichkeit und internationaler Ordnung bleibt sein Einsatz für eine demokratische Rechtsgemeinschaft in Europa richtungsweisend.

Es ist uns eine besondere Freude, einmal wieder eine Publikation aus unserer Reihe „Recht als Kultur“ benennen zu können, die es in die „charts“ geschafft hat, als von der Juristenzeitung (JZ) gekürtem Buch des Jahres. So wurde es auf der Buchmesse jüngst verkündet:  Isensee, Josef: Hermeneutik Studien über den Umgang der Jurisprudenz mit Normtexten im Vergleich zur biblischen Theologie und zur Literaturwissenschaft2023. XXVI, 422 Seiten. Kt 49,00 €ISBN 978-3-465-04607-3Recht als Kultur 30, hrsg. von Werner Gephart Auch als e-book erhältlich

Raja Sakrani will give in the context of the Summer School Programme: "Citizenship and religious pluralism" the Key Note on the topic on Citizenship and freedom of belief: An impossible pluralism in the Islamic context? As part of the Anawati Chair “Combating Religious Extremism through Interfaith Dialogue,” the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies in Cairo, in partnership with the University of Insubria (Varese and Como), is organizing a Summer School in July 2025 on the theme of citizenship and religious pluralism. From an interdisciplinary perspective, the Summer School will welcome 25 students enrolled in doctoral studies or having defended their theses in 2023 or 2024, from all the universities and university institutes in the Mediterranean basin that are working on this issue within their discipline (political science, law, history, philosophy, theology, economics)

It was a truly insightful and engaging Summer School that we had the pleasure of conducting at our institution from 14.05 to 16.05.2025, conceptualized by Werner Gephart and organized by Jure Leko. Together, we explored the pressing challenges of our time – from climate change, war, and the rise of authoritarian systems to the long-term effects of the pandemic. 💡 Particularly valuable was the engagement with the theories of Émile Durkheim and Pierre Bourdieu, which not only offer historical insights but also allow us to analyze today’s societal challenges in a rigorous way. 📚 Key Highlights of the Week: Introduction to the theoretical foundations of crisis analysis by renowned experts including Werner Gephart (Bonn), Gisèle Sapiro (Paris), Paul Lagneau-Ymonet (Paris), Jörg Blasius (Bonn), and Daria Vystavkina (Bonn/Köln/Odessa).The program offered intensive discussions on theoretical, methodological, and artistic approaches—alongside personal reflections on crisis experiences concerning the definition of pheneomena as crisis loaden, semantics of crisis, explanations and reactions as well as resilience strategies to crises. Practical application of analytical tools to different crisis areas, from politics to economics.🤝 The Summer School provided an interdisciplinary platform for learning, networking, and collaborative research – in an atmosphere of collegial exchange at eye level. 🙏 A heartfelt thank you to all participants, speakers, and to Jure Leko for the seamless organization! We look back on three intensive days filled with input, discussions, and new ideas. 📖 We look forward to continuing the conversation on crisis analysis and resilience, and to future projects. 📸 Meanwhile, take a look at some impressions and contents from our academic exchange here: Photos

On the occasion of a special webinar hosted by the Sociology Club at Middle East Technical University Ankara (METU), Professor Werner Gephart delivered a thought-provoking lecture titled "Analyzing and Living in a World of Crises: Economy and Migration." The event was attended by approximately 40 students, who actively engaged with Prof. Gephart in a lively question-and-answer session following his presentation.

After the globally attention-grabbing speech by Vice President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference and the approving endorsement by President Trump, a number of unresolved questions arise for academic observers: How is it possible that the alleged weakening of democracy in European societies, through the supposed erosion of freedom of speech, is seen as a greater danger than Russia's military aggression under Putin, which aims to restore imperial power? And how is it conceivable that this complete miscalculation comes from a political camp that ennobles the storming of the Capitol - the symbol of American democracy - through a subsequent collective pardon of the perpetrators? How can the administration's actions be understood, not only publicly criticizing judges but also making massive interventions in the judicial system, while ideologically placing the president above the law? In Old Europe, we recognize this as a hallmark of absolutist rule. But how can all of this be reconciled with the observations and insights of Alexis de Tocqueville, who studied the particular sociological reasons behind Démocratie en Amérique? Therefore, a re-reading of this great classic of political science and sociology seems worthwhile, in order to better understand today's contradictions and misunderstandings in the interpretation of democracy, which are currently calling into question long-established transatlantic relations – as an expression of a global crisis of this form of domination. To address these questions, we invite you to a panel discussion with renowned international guests. We would be delighted to welcome you to this event.