Research

Research at the Chair

The Chair conducts research and teaches in the field of political philosophy, political theory, and the history of political ideas, including the philosophy of science and methodological reflection.

In the chair’s tradition, we are committed to a broad foundation in the history of political ideas and to a political science that conveys normative orientation and assumes social responsibility in teaching and research.

Beginning with 10/2020, we focus on the policy of emergent technologies (biotechnology, digital technology), climate policy, and the politics of European integration. With conceptual expertise in democratic theory (basic values of democracy: freedom, equality, justice, autonomy, recognition, human dignity, and human rights, etc.), we want to contribute to a responsible and reflected public debate in the field of bio-, digital- and climate policy as well as the politics of European integration and provide normative criteria for the assessment of policy design alternatives.

Another focus is research on the theory and history of political liberalism: As a member of the Executive Committee der European Hobbes Society, Dr. Odzuck is regularly involved in organizing international events and works closely with international colleagues in research on political philosophy and the history of political liberalism.

We continue to maintain the chair’s previous orientation (a broad basis in the history of ideas), and we care for the valuable intellectual-historical holdings of the chair (Gerlach Archive, Voegelin Library) as part of our work. The chair regularly welcomes national and international visiting scholars who are conductiong research in the Gerlach Archive and the Voegelin Library.

In teaching, we focus on the application of theoretical principles to contemporary problems. In promoting young academics, Dr. Odzuck works closely with colleagues within the Bavarian Doctoral College for Political Theory.

As political scientists, we cooperate with colleagues at FAU, both disciplinarily and interdisciplinarily, e.g., at FAU in the framework of ZIWIS, the EFI project Digital Sovereignty, the Research Training Group Human Rights and Ethics in Medicine for the Elderly, and in the working group “Climate Change Conflicts – The Relevance of Human Rights Framings.” Beyond the FAU, research cooperation takes place nationally and internationally within the framework of the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Erforschung des Politischen Denkens, the European Hobbes Society, and other disciplinary professional associations (DVPW, ECPR, APSA).