Carolin Bohn
© Vivien Schulte

Dr.*in Carolin Bohn

Managing Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) &                                                                                                    Research Fellow at the ZIN 


carolin.bohnt[at]uni-muenster[DOT]de
 

 

News

On June 18 and 19, the ZIN and the Franz Hitze Haus will host the interdisciplinary conference "Virtues as Drivers of Sustainable Democracies: Between Tradition and Innovation" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity).

We have been planning this conference for many months, and I am very much looking forward to discussing, together with scholars from various disciplines, the potential and limitations of virtues, their context-sensitive reinterpretation, and their possible contribution to strengthening democracy in four panel sessions and a public evening discussion.

Further information about the conference can be found here. I will not only be chairing several panels but will also have the opportunity to contribute my own ideas to the discussion through an introductory lecture and a short presentation on "Ecological Virtues as Civic Virtues" (lecture given in German; title translated by the author for clarity).

  • (Sustainable) political judgement in participatory processes

    • Supervisors: Prof. Doris Fuchs, Ph.D.; Prof. Dr. Antonia Graf
    • Doctoral Subject: Political Science
    • Doctoral Degree: Dr. phil.
    • Awarded by: Department 06 – Education and Social Studies

    My doctoral thesis entitled „Transformation durch Tugend? 'Grüne politische Urteilsbildung' als Schlüssel zu nachhaltigkeitsförderlichen Beteiligungsverfahren“ was recently published in the University and State Library Münster publication series and is freely accessible to all interested parties here.

    In this work, I argue that citizens must critically question their positions in dialogical participation processes related to sustainability in order to come to decisions fostering the sustainable common good. Key element for this “common good-oriented preference transformation” are civic virtues, in particular political judgment (phronesis). In addition to comprehensive conceptual work on this virtue, my work includes an empirical study on participation processes. It shows that some of their elements are currently working against the realization of this virtue and that they need to be redesigned if participation processes are to enable the “common good-oriented transformation of preferences” and thus promote sustainability.

    I am very pleased that my research results are now available to a broad public and that I have been awarded the University of Münster's Dissertation Prize for the best doctoral thesis in Department 6 Educational and Social Sciences in 2024 for my work.

    If you are interested in my research results or have any questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail!

 
Research Foci
  • Democracy and Sustainability
  • (Deliberative) Bürger*innenbeteiligung im Kontext Nachhaltigkeit
  • Bürger*innenschaft im Kontext Nachhaltigkeit (Umweltbürger*innenschaft/environmental citizenship)
  • Umwelttugendethik (environmental virtue ethics), speziell: politische Urteilsbildung
CV

Academic Education

Doctoral Studies in Political Science, University of Muenster
Master of Arts: International Migration and Intercultural Relations at the Institute of Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (University of Osnabrück)
Bachelor of Arts: Political Science and Cultural and Social Anthropology, University of Münster
Exchange Semester at the Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

Positions

Managing Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN), University of Muenster
Research Fellow at the Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, University of Münster
Junior Scholar at the Centre of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research
Research fellow in the research project "BIOCIVIS"
Research Fellow at the Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, University of Münster
Student Assistant at the Chair of International Relations and Sustainable Development (Institute of Political Science, University of Münster)
Tutor for the basic courses "Introduction to International Relations" (Summer Semester 2012, 2013 and 2014) and "Introduction to Political Theory" (Winter Semester 2012/13 and 2015/16)
Teaching
  • Intermediate seminar: Deliberative Beteiligung in der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation - Zwischen demokratischem Anspruch und politischer Wirkung [066967]
    • [ – | Wed, – | | SCH 100.124]
  • Reading course: Der vergessene Körper: „Embodied democracy“ verstehen und erleben [064959]
    • [ – | Single Course | SCH 100.107]
    • [ – | Single Course | SCH 100.107]
    • [ – | Single Course | SCH 100.107]
  • Seminar: Kleine Müllsammler*innen, unheimliche Umweltmonster, verschwindende Meere - Die Transformation zur Nachhaltigkeit in Bilder- und Kinderbüchern [067564]
    (in cooperation with David Rott)
  • Intermediate seminar: Die Zukunft alter Ideen [064940]
    (in cooperation with Anne Käfer)
  • Practical: Praktikum in der Politikwissenschaft [064865]
  • Standard course: Inter- und transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung [062080]
  • Reading course: Bürger*innentugenden - Mehr als eine Idee von gestern? [060098]
  • Standard course: Citizenship in der Klimakrise [060096]
  • Standard course: Demokratie und Nachhaltigkeit [068059]
  • Bachelorseminar: Nachhaltigkeitsforschung am Beispiel der Stadt Münster [066050]
  • Practical: Begleitkurs zum Praktikum für IEG-Studierende [064116]
  • Intermediate seminar: Nachhaltigkeit durch Partizipation auf kommunaler Ebene? [062109]
  • Standard course: Nachhaltigkeit - Eine Einführung [060090]
  • Reading course: Umwelt und Citizenship [068102]
  • Reading course: Nachhaltigkeit als politische Herausforderung [066259]
Publications
Talks
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Umwelttugenden als Bürger*innentugenden. Zur Integration von ‚grünem‘ Republikanismus und Umwelttugendethik“. „Tugenden als Motor zukunftsfähiger Demokratien. Zwischen Tradition und Innovation“. Interdisziplinäre Fachtagung des Zentrums für Interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung (ZIN) der Universität Münster und der Akademie Franz Hitze Haus., Akademie Franz Hitze Haus, Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Einführungsvortrag zur Tagung ‚Tugenden als Motor zukunftsfähiger Demokratien. Zwischen Tradition und Innovation‘ des Zentrums für Interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung (ZIN) der Universität Münster und der Akademie Franz Hitze Haus“. „Tugenden als Motor zukunftsfähiger Demokratien. Zwischen Tradition und Innovation“. Interdisziplinäre Fachtagung des Zentrums für Interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung (ZIN) der Universität Münster und der Akademie Franz Hitze Haus, Akademie Franz Hitze Haus, Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Kompassnadeln – oder: Handeln mit Haltung“. Öffentlicher Vortrag für die vhs Arnsberg, Arnsberg, .
  • Siepker, Lena; Bohn, Carolin; Mamut, Pia : „Deliberation for change: Transformation durch Disruption, aber wie?“ , Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Siepker, Lena : „Demokratische Teilhabe für eine nachhaltige Zukunft? Die Bedeutung von Bürger:innenräten in Deutschland“. , Landau und Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Keine Transformation ohne Tugend? – Potenziale und Probleme einer alten Idee“. Öffentliche Ringvorlesung „Facetten sozial-ökologischer Transformation“, Universität Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Siepker, Lena : „Demokratien in der (Klima)krise - Transformation durch Bürger*innenbeteiligung?“ Ringvorlesung "Weichenstellungen? Krisen im interdisziplinären Fokus" der Kontaktstelle Studium im Alter, Münster, .
  • Carolin Bohn : „Herausforderungen und Chancen politischer Urteilsbildung in nachhaltigkeitsorientierten Deliberationsverfahren“. Themenabend „Partizipation und Nachhaltigkeit“ der Gesellschaft für Nachhaltigkeit, online, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „"Demokratie und Nachhaltigkeit"“. Ringvorlesung REACH for Sustainability, Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Bürger*innenbeteiligung in der Klimapolitik“. Ringvorlesung "Nachhaltigkeit & Demokratie", WWU Münster, .
  • Victoria Hasenkamp, Carolin Bohn, Prof. Doris Fuchs, Prof. Bodo Philipp, Wiebke Walleck : “BIOCIVIS: Participation for securing the sustainability of and societal partaking in the bioeconomy”. Bioeconomy Policy and Governance: Origins, Impacts, and Recommendations, Online, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Fuchs, Doris; Hasenkamp, Victoria : “Participation – Key Driver to a Democratic Transition into a Circular Bio-economy? A Critical Reflection using the Example of Processes for the Production of Biogas through Biowaste”. , Freiburg, Germany, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Fuchs, Doris : “Participation – Key to transformational change? A critical reflection using the example of bioeconomic processes in the circular economy”. , Boston & Stockholm, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Zukunftsvision Bioökonomie - Wegbereiter für die Transformation zur Nachhaltigkeit?“ , WWU Münster, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : „Ein neues Bürger*innen-Verständnis als Antwort auf die Klimakrise?“ , Haus auf der Alb, Bad Urach, .
  • Fuchs, Doris; Bohn, Carolin : „Gerechtes Urteilen: Rahmenbedingungen nachhaltigkeitsorientierter bürger*innenschaftlicher Partizipationsformate“. , Friedrich-Schiller Universität, Jena, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Gumbert, Tobias : „'Grüne' liberale Freiheit als Baustein einer sozial-ökologischen Ethik der Grenzen“. , Katholische Akademie, Schwerte, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Gumbert, Tobias : „Herausforderungen eines suffizienten Lebensstils“. Eröffnung des Projekts „Klimaschutzbürger 2.0“ des Vereins energieland 2050 e.V., Steinfurt, NRW, .
  • Fuchs, Doris; Bohn, Carolin : „Transformation durch Partizipation?“ , Katholische Akademie Franz Hitze-Haus, Münster, Deutschland, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Gumbert, Tobias : „Die Regierung der Freiheit innerhalb biophysischer Grenzen – Zur Notwendigkeit der Rekonzeptualisierung eines Begriffs ‚grüner liberaler Freiheit‘ im Kontext neoliberaler Nachhaltigkeitspolitiken“. 27. Wissenschaftlicher Kongress der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft (DVPW) „Grenzen der Demokratie / Frontiers of Democracy“ , Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland, .
  • Bohn, Carolin; Fuchs, Doris : “Transformation through Participation? The Pivotal Role of Political Judgement Formation”. , Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : “On the Republican Capability of Political Judgement Formation as Key to the Implementation of Sustainability through Participation in Liberal (Post-)Democracies”. , University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus, .
  • Bohn, Carolin : “Arguing for Political Judgement as Key Capability of Republican Environmental Citizens”. , Anglo-American University, Prague, Czech Republic, .

  • Organization of and Participation in Knowledge Transfer Events

    • Organization and implementation of the interdisciplinary conference "Virtues as Drivers of Sustainable Democracies: Between Tradition and Innovation" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), organized by the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) in cooperation with the Franz Hitze Haus Akademie Münster on 18–19 June 2026, including an introductory presentation and the moderation of three panel sessions.
    • Organization and implementation of the workshop "Saving the World—Just a Moment? An Idea Lab with Young Heroes" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), conducted as part of a project week with 5th and 6th grade students at Gymnasium Laurentianum in Arnsberg in July 2025.
    • Co-organization of the interdisciplinary panel discussion "Does Freedom Need Limits?" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity) and participation as a panelist alongside Prof. Christian Klein-Bösing, Prof. Nexhmedin Morina, and Dr. Bernd Rosslenbroich. The event took place on 21 July 2024 aboard the MS Wissenschaft.
    • Contribution to the organization and moderation of the conference "Just Democracy? Socio-Ecological Transformation and the Distribution of Resources" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), organized by ZIN and the Franz Hitze House Academy Münster on 18–19 January 2024.
    • Co-organization and moderation of the "Circular Dinner"(event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), an experimental event organized by ZIN, the vhs Münster, and fairteilbar as part of the Compost Festival on 17 June 2023.
    • Participation as a panelist at the 1st Climate City Forum Münster on 15 June 2023 in the Meranti Hall: "Münster Becomes a Climate City" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity).
    • Organization of the workshop "On the Path to Sustainability: When Is Good Also Right? Normative Competencies and Critical Judgment" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), together with Tillmann Buttschardt and Asma El Maaroufi. The workshop was held on 27 November 2023 as part of the University of Münster's Day of Teaching. Carolin Bohn and Felix Freytag reported on the workshop's process and outcomes in their article "Without Values, It Doesn't Work" on the ZIN blog Nach(haltig)gedacht.
    • Moderation of the panel "City Partnerships for Sustainability – From Local to Global or Vice Versa?" as part of the study day "From Root to Crown" (event held in German; titles translated by the author for clarity), organized by ZIN and the Franz Hitze House Academy Münster on 31 October 2020.
    • Co-organization of the online conference "Politics in Times of Climate Change" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), organized by ZIN and the Franz Hitze House Academy on 18–19 December 2023.
    • Moderation of the Münster Climate Dialogue "Münster's Climate Policy and the Paris Climate Agreement" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity) on 7 November 2019.
    • Participation as a panelist in the panel discussion "Climate Protection and Democracy" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), organized by KSHG Münster on 27 June 2019.
    • Co-organization of the academic conference "Transformation towards Sustainability" (event held in German; title translated by the author for clarity), organized by ZIN and the Franz Hitze House Academy Münster on 4–5 October 2018.

  • Media Contributions and Blog Posts

    • Guest appearance on the podcast "Fokus Frieden" (produced in German; title may be translated as "Focus Peace"), discussing "Demokratische Teilhabe für eine nachhaltige Zukunft?! Die Bedeutung von Bürgerinnenräten in Deutschland"* (discussion held in German; title may be translated as "Democratic Participation for a Sustainable Future?! The Role of Citizens' Assemblies in Germany"), together with Lena Siepker, February 2024.
    • Interview contribution to the article "Trotz guter Absichten oft kein 'nachhaltiges' Weihnachten" (published in German; title may be translated as "Despite Good Intentions, Christmas Is Often Not 'Sustainable'"), conducted by the Evangelischer Pressedienst and published in Evangelische Zeitung, 15 December 2023.
    • Author of the blog post "Bürgerin-Sein in Zeiten der Klimakrise – Was bedeutet das?"* (published in German; title may be translated as "Being a Citizen in Times of the Climate Crisis – What Does It Mean?"), published on the Nach(haltig)gedacht blog of the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, 23 February 2022.
    • Co-author (with Tobias Gumbert) of the blog post "Nachhaltig konsumieren mit Baby – Kinderleicht?" (published in German; title may be translated as "Sustainable Consumption with a Baby – Child's Play?"), published on the Nach(haltig)gedacht blog of the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, 1 June 2021.
    • Co-author (with Tobias Gumbert) of the blog post "Angriff auf die Freiheit? – Demokratische Nachhaltigkeitspolitik und die Angst vor Einschränkungen" (published in German; title may be translated as "An Attack on Freedom? – Democratic Sustainability Policy and the Fear of Restrictions"), published on the Nach(haltig)gedacht blog of the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, 17 December 2020.
    • Co-author (with Prof. Doris Fuchs) of the expert contribution "Nachhaltige Bioökonomie braucht Dialog" (published in German; title may be translated as "A Sustainable Bioeconomy Requires Dialogue"), published in the Köpfe des Wandels series on the website of the Science Year 2020|21 – Bioeconomy, 23 October 2020.
    • Co-author (with Anja Steingrobe) of the blog post "Mit T-Shirts aus Kaffeesatz zur 'nachhaltigen' Wirtschaft? – Einblicke in die Bioökonomie" (published in German; title may be translated as "Toward a 'Sustainable' Economy with T-Shirts Made from Coffee Grounds? – Insights into the Bioeconomy"), published on the Nach(haltig)gedacht blog of the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, 13 May 2020.
    • Author of the blog post "Besser 'gut' als 'besser' – vielleicht ein Neujahrsvorsatz" (published in German; title may be translated as "Better 'Good' than 'Better' – Perhaps a New Year's Resolution"), published on the Nach(haltig)gedacht blog of the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research, 31 December 2019.
    • Guest contributor to the WDR 5 program "Wissen im Gespräch" within "Quarks – Wissenschaft und mehr" (broadcast in German; titles may be translated as "Knowledge in Conversation" and "Quarks – Science and More"), focusing on excessive resource consumption and Earth Overshoot Day, 7 December 2018.
    • Presentation of the "nachhaltiger Adventskalender" (published in German; title may be translated as "Sustainable Advent Calendar") of the ZIN blog Nach(haltig)gedacht on the WDR regional television program Lokalzeit, 12 December 2017.
    • Contributor to a feature in the WDR 5 radio magazine "Leonardo" (broadcast in German) on the critical evaluation of the sustainability fair "fair friends", 11 September 2017.
    • Interview guest on the WDR television magazine "daheim + unterwegs" (broadcast in German; title may be translated as "At Home + On the Move"), including discussion of the added value of interdisciplinary sustainability research, 2 February 2017.