Tim Reiß , M. A.
curriculum vitae:
| Employment |
|
| since October 2009 |
Member of the graduate school of the cluster of excellence “Religion and Politics” at the WWU Münster |
| March to September 2009 |
Research assistant at the Institute of Philosophy (Chair of Theoretical Philosophy, Prof. Dr. Schneider), University of Potsdam |
| January to February 2009 |
Research assistant at the Human Rights Centre of the University of Potsdam |
| May to September 2008 |
Graduate assistant at the Institute of Philosophy (Chair of Prof. Dr. Menke), University of Potsdam |
| October to December 2007 |
Student and graduate assistant at the Institute of Philosophy (Chair of Prof. Dr. Menke), University of Potsdam |
| July 2001 to August 2004 |
Student assistant at the Institute of Philosophy (Chair of Ethics and Aesthetics, Prof. Dr. Menke), University of Potsdam |
| Winter semester 1999 to winter semester 2000 |
Student assistant at the Institute of German Studies, University of Potsdam |
| University education |
|
| 1998 to 2007 |
Studies of Philosophy and German Language and Linguistics at the University of Potsdam (German master’s thesis on: “The meaning of religion in the democratic constitutional state according to the more recent writings of Jürgen Habermas”, 145 pages) |
Ph.D. project
“Fact of pluralism” or “pre-political basics”? On the meaning of religion for the democratic constitutional state
In political philosophy, a multitude of questions has been discussed of late under the heading “religion and the democratic constitutional state”. For example, one of the discussions concerns the degree of inner loyalty going beyond formal adherence to the law that the state may, can or should expect from its citizens. The starting point can generally be seen in the question as to what extent certain religions generate and strengthen such an attitude of inner loyalty (as is claimed today with regard to the Christian churches in particular) or to what extent they much rather dissipate such an attitude or hinder or even prevent its development (of which, historically, the Catholic church was first suspected, then the Jewish religion, and today, this suspicion is often expressed about the Islamic religion). To answer this question, another question would have to be answered first: Which attitude can or must the liberal state actually expect of its citizens? The answers to this question from political philosophy range from a position that puts every authoritative claim of the state to any loyalty exceeding the formal adherence to the law under suspicion of a “value systems fundamentalism” (Böckenförde) to sophisticated “common welfare oriented” concepts. In current disputes, particularly those about the relationship of “Islam and democracy”, for example, it becomes increasingly clear that these are not so much about the democratic suitability of religions but about the self-conception of democracy and of the constitutional state.
In this, the relationship of democracy, constitutional state and religion is often discussed with recourse to the following formulation of problems which is prevalent in the philosophy of law (“Böckenförde dilemma”): The modern political order, “liberal” in the broad sense, is characterised by the fact that it grants extensive individual liberties in such a way as is unique in historical comparison. But at the same time, this order relies on that scopes of liberty are not exceedingly made use of because otherwise the self-preservation of the institutions granting the liberties would already be put at risk. However, the own constitutional liberal claim to “liberality” would prohibit trying to bring about the required degree of integration with means of coercion.
The conservative theory’s answer to this dilemma is: The extensive guaranteeing of individual liberties is only possible at all in a political organisation that rests upon something like relative “homogeneity” as a “pre-political basis”. The liberal theory answer, on the other hand, is that the “fact of pluralism” (Rawls) is the basic fact of modern society. This means that there is no longer any consensus about the binding character of a religion or, generally, of a “conception of the good” and that strong ethical reasons prohibit trying to restitute such a consensus. State action and the public discussion will be committed to a principle of ethical neutrality, even if to varying degrees.
In my dissertation, I would like to elaborate on the fundamental democratic theoretical and legal philosophical propositions that the conservative answer and the liberal one depend on, respectively, and the relationship of these propositions. It is one assumption here that these disputes, which at first mostly centre around a certain understanding of the constitutional state, are derived from controversial ideas relating to the notion of democracy. In the conclusion of the dissertation, from the discussion of these very different assumptions, inferences will then in turn be made as to the systematic place of religion in democracy and in the constitutional state.
Research interests:
- Philosophy of law
- Political philosophy
- Aesthetics
- Literary studies and literary theory in the GDR
- Socialist theory of heritage
Publications:
- „ ‚Die Weltuntergangsmaschine muß nicht abrollen...’ Franz Fühmanns Adaptionen des Nibelungenlieds“, in: Brigitte Krüger (ed.), Dichter sein heißt aufs Ganze aus sein. Zugänge zu Poetologie und Werk Franz Fühmanns, Frankfurt a. M.: Lang 2003, p. 159-186.
- „Das liberale Gute und die Philosophie“, in: Andrea Kern / Christoph Menke (eds.), Raymond Geuss: Glück und Politik. Potsdamer Vorlesungen. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschaftsverlag 2004 (=Menschenrechtszentrum der Universität Potsdam, Band 24), p. 94-105.
- together with Nina J. Haering: „Unverschmerzt. Johannes Bobrowski – Leben und Werk. Internationale Konferenz vom 7.-9.11.2003 in Berlin“, in: Zeitschrift für Germanistik 3/2004, p. 619 [conference report]
- „Ideologiekritik und Erbetheorie“, in: Brigitte Krüger / Helmut Peitsch / Hans-Christian Stillmark (eds.): Lesarten. Beiträge zur Kunst-, Literatur- und Sprachkritik. Berlin: Frank & Timme 2007 [de facto 2006] (=Literaturwissenschaft, Band 8), p. 25-35.
- „Homogenität oder Demokratie als ‚einigendes Band’? Zur Diskussion der ‚Voraussetzungen des Rechtsstaats’ bei Böckenförde und Habermas“, in: MenschenRechtsMagazin, H. 2 / 2008, p. 205-219.
- „Vom ‚Klassencharakter der Literatur’ zum ‚nationalen Kulturerbe’: Zum Zusammen¬hang von Kulturpolitik und Literaturwissen¬schaft in der DDR der siebziger und achtziger Jahre“, to be published in: Contested Legacies – Constructions of Cultural Heritage in the GDR (Edinburgh German Yearbook 3), ed. by Matthew Philpotts und Sabine Rolle, 2009.
Translations:
- Judith N. Shklar, „Antike und Moderne“ (Rezension zu: Hannah Arendt, Between Past and Future), in: Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 56 (2008), p. 976-981.
- Nelson Goodman, „In Verteidigung des Irrealismus“; Asher Seidel, „Keine Sorge“; Erwiderung von W. V. Quine; Nelson Goodmann, „Vorrang der Materie vor dem Geist“ (exchange on Quine's review of Goodmans Ways of Worldmaking), in: Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 56 (2008), p. 989-991.
Lectures (in german):
- “Critique of ideology and theory of heritage” at the colloquium “Readings. Helmut John’s contribution to German studies in Potsdam”, 7 October 2005 in Potsdam.
- “Compensation or utopia? On the meaning of religion for the democratic culture in the more recent writings of Jürgen Habermas” at the colloquium “Religion in the post-secular society. A critical examination of Jürgen Habermas’ philosophy of religion”, 14-16 September 2006 at the Katholische Akademie in Berlin.
- “Restoration in the German studies in the GDR of the 1970s and 1980s” at the conference “German studies in the GDR” (Rostock, 13-17 May 2008). Also, participation in the panel discussion “Methodical orientation of literary studies in the GDR” Rosenberg, Jörg Schönert, Heinz-Jürgen Staszak.
Courses (in German):
- Tutorial on the basic course “The German language of the present: Grammar and lexicon” (winter semester 1999-2000, summer semester 2000 and winter semester 2000-2001, Institute of German Studies, University of Potsdam)
- Proseminar “Habermas on religion and democracy” (summer semester 2009, Institute of Philosophy, University of Potsdam)
- Seminar “On the political theory of Carl Schmitt” (together with Dr. Matthias Schloßberger, summer semester 2009, Institute of Philosophy, University of Potsdam)
Contact:
Tim Reiß M. A.Geiststraße 24
Room 108
D-48151 Münster
Tel.: +49 251 83-23516
Fax: +49 251 83-23340
tim.reiss@uni-muenster.de
