Frankfurt Legal Theory Seminar
(Vesting / Wiethölter / Campos)
(Chersones, Columns of a Basilica, 11th century)
The weekly Frankfurt Legal Theory Seminar carries on the long tradition of legal and social critique at Frankfurt. Commonly referred to as the „Mittwochsseminar“ ('Wednesday Seminar'), the colloquium was established in the post-war period by Rudolf Wiethölter (succeeding Franz Böhm) who would lead it together with Gunther Teubner until 2009, beyond his retirement into emeritus status. Malte Gruber led the seminar from 2009 to 2014. Thomas Vesting and Ricardo Campos have continued this Frankfurt institution along with Rudolf Wiethölter since 2014.
The „Mittwochsseminar“ has always provided a space for theoretical experimentation, in which diverse academic perspectives can confront current legal developments. In this respect, the seminar focuses on interdisciplinary exchange between Jurisprudence and other disciplines, such as Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, Theology, History, Social Theory, Literary Studies, Cultural Theory, etc.
The seminar is comprised of a core of students, doctoral candidates, habilitation candidates and foreign guest researchers, all of whom stem from various academic backgrounds and seek participate in high-level debate and exchange within the area of Jurisprudence.
The seminar hosts respected authors and researchers every semester. Since 2014, some of these guests have included: Jan Assmann, Gunther Teubner, Jürgen Habermas, Axel Honneth, Karl-Heinz Ladeur, Hans Lindahl, Stephan Meder, Christoph Menke, Marcelo Neves, Anton Schütz, Fabian Steinhauer, Michael Stolleis, Rainer Forst, Chris Thornhill, Gunnar Folke Schuppert, Josef Vogel, Bernhard Waldenfels, Christoph Möllers, Marietta Auer and Isabel Hensel.
The thematic program featured by the Frankfurt Legal Theory Seminar can be found below. Please feel free to direct any inquiries to Ricardo Campos.
Current program WS 2021 - Topic: The social contract
Previous program:
WiSe 2021/11 - The social contract I
SoSe 2020 - Network Regulation - Freedom of Expression under New Conditions
WS 2019/20 - Recht und Wirtschaft: Soziale Voraussetzungen des Rechts
SS 2019 - "My Vision, as a productive Utopia: Legal Constitutional Law!"
On Rudolf Wiethölter's Political Theory of Law
WS 2018/2019 - The subject in law
WS 2017/2018 - Topic: Digitalization and Subjectivation I
SS 2017– Topic: On self-organisation of sociability
WS 2016/2017 - Topic: The possibility of modern orders
SS 2016 - Topic: The Transformation of Statehood II. Change of the State
WS 2015/2016 – Topic: The Transformation of Statehood I.
Emergence of the State
SS 2015 – Topic: New Theories of Fundamental Rights
WS 2014/2015 – Topic: Political Theology and Liberal Democracy
SS 2014 – Topic: Political Economy
WS 2013/2014 – Topic: The Shape of Rights in Global Society
Archive of the Mittwochsseminar before 2013 (Wiethölter/Teubner)
