Political Theory and the History of Ideas

The department of Political Theory and the History of Ideas investigates the basic principles of political thought, the authors and their work: What do we understand by politics and state? What is meant by power and dominion or liberty and justice? How can state order be legitimized and at which point is it illegitimate? One research emphasis lies in the analysis of the shape of the intellectual in the history of political thought and its role as producer, mediator and disputer for political ideas. As a result, political thinkers and political texts regarding their public function and reception are of particular interest. At the present, we do research on the Intellectual History of the 20th century in Germany with an emphasis on the Weimar Republic and the Federal Republic in particular.