Helpful information regarding academic research, writing, presenting and on how to find a topic and develop a rationale in the field of political theory can be found on the German part of our website (in German only).

Current taught courses in winter term 2024/2025

(Detailed information in English is only available for those courses taught in English.)

15182 Advanced Seminar
Slavery and Freedom in Political Theory

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Gädeke

Schedule: Tuesday, 12-14h (Class starts on: 2024-10-15)
Location: Ihnestr.22, Seminarroom UG 1

Freedom is often cast as the opposite of slavery. But what exactly does that mean? And what role does (the experience of) actual slavery play in conceptualizing freedom? The seminar will start from the contrast between freedom and slavery in contemporary theories of freedom, both liberal and republican. We will then shift focus to the notion of slavery and discuss how to understand slavery and freedom against the background of actual chattel slavery. And we will explore how the notion of slavery has been used to capture other forms of unfreedom, from ‘wage slavery’ and the subordination of women to contemporary forms of ‘debt slavery’ or ‘penal slavery’. What do such analogies with slavery reveal – and what do they conceal – about freedom and unfreedom? Particular attention will be paid to reading texts from authors subjected to unfreedom, including formerly enslaved persons, to stimulate reflection on what political theories of freedom can learn from actual experiences of unfreedom. In addition to conveying knowledge about theories of freedom and slavery, the seminar will train skills in conceptual analysis and philosophical argumentation and invite critical reflection on the experiential basis of political theory. Please note: The reading material is in English, and the seminar will be conducted in English. It thus also presents an opportunity to train discussing theoretical material in English. Term papers may be written in either English or German.

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15549 Colloquium
Colloquium Political and Legal Theory

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Gädeke

Schedule: Monday, 18-20h (Class starts on: 2024-10-14)
Location: Ihnestr.22, Seminarroom UG 4

The research colloquium Political and Legal Theory is a weekly discussion of work in progress in political and legal theory. It is run in English; participants are expected to read the paper to be presented in advance. In the winter term 2024/25, the colloquium will collaborate with the Colloquium Practical Philosophy run by Stefan Gosepath. Readings are distributed through an email list. If you would like to participate, please send an email to: PLT[at]polsoz.fu-berlin.de

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15041 Proseminar
Basic Concepts of Political Theory: Current Debates

Prof. Dr. Markus Patberg

Schedule: Monday, 12-14h (Class starts on: 2024-10-14)
Location: Ihnestr. 22, Seminarraum UG 3

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15431 Seminar
Global Constitutionalism: Crisis and Renewal

Prof. Dr. Markus Patberg

Schedule: Monday, 14-16h (Class starts on: 2024-10-14)
Location: Ihnestr. 22, Seminarraum UG 2