Topic: Creativity – Self-Transcendence - Violence

The "2010 Bielefelder Wissenschaftspreis" [Bielefeld academic prize], awarded by the Sparkasse Bielefeld Foundation in remembrance of the sociologist Niklas Luhmann, goes to Professor Dr. Hans Joas, the sociologist and social philosopher at Erfurt University. The award ceremony, to be held on the evening of 19 November at Bielefeld City Art Gallery, will be accompanied by a "Prizewinner's Colloquium" to start at 11 a.m. on the same day in the Senate Meeting Room at Bielefeld University. Chaired by the Bielefelder theologist and sociologist Professor Dr. Dr. Heinrich W. Schäfer, the title will be "Creativity – Self-Transcendence – Violence".

Hans Joas' main research interests focus on social philosophy and sociological theory – particularly against the background of American pragmatism. He also works in the field of value research, the sociology of religion, and the sociology of war and violence.
The broad spectrum of his research is documented in major works such as "Pragmatismus und Gesellschaftstheorie" [Pragmatism and the theory of society] (1992), "Die Entstehung der Werte" [The origin of values] (1997), "Braucht der Mensch Religion? Über Erfahrungen der Selbsttranszendenz [Do we need religion? Experiences of self-transcendence] (2004), or Kriegsverdrängung. Ein Problem in der Geschichte der Sozialtheorie" [The repression of war: A problem in the history of social theory] (2008). He is a co-editor of two books published this year: "Religion und die umstrittene Moderne" [Religion and the contested modern age] and "Begriffene Geschichte. Beiträge zum Werk Reinhart Kosellecks" [Conceptualized history: Essays on the work of Reinhart Koselleck].
In four one-hour blocks, the colloquium will address central aspects of Joas' work, namely "Pragmatism", "Normativity", "Religion" and "War".

Hans Joas is Max Weber Professor and Head of the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at Erfurt University and also a Professor at the University of Chicago. Since 1998, he has been a full member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and he is a non-resident fellow of the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies in Uppsala.

The award ceremony for the Bielefelder Wissenschaftspreis will be held at 7 p.m. in Bielefeld City Art Gallery.

Date and location of colloquium:
19 November, 11 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
 Bielefeld University, Room A3-126

Please address queries directly to the chair of the colloquium
Prof. Dr. Dr. Heinrich W. Schäfer, Bielefeld University
Department of Theology/Evangelical Theology
E-Mail: heinrich.schaefer@uni-bielefeld.de