The importance of the rule of law is frequently emphasised – and there are surely good reasons for such emphasis; this remains valid even if it is widely accepted that the application and even the process of law making are biased, oriented towards securing the status quo not least of inequality; importantly, the role of … Read more
The European the elections to the European Parliament showed a substantial shift to the right: the result disclose a major support of explicitly fascist or populist right-wing parties. And as so often in politics there is no clear line, it is justified to look in fear at the (further) shift and it is equally justified … Read more
It seems that it has never been as valuable as today: the protection of privacy and the right to freedom of speech. While this is in general terms appreciated, it is in reality often treated in a rather casual manner, already since a long time. Leaving control of letters, telephone tapping and other intelligence measures … Read more
There are obviously two major, and somewhat opposed, developments putting humanity and the way humans organise themselves to test: on the one hand we find the development of digitalization and so-called artificial intelligence, questioning the independence and exceptionality of humankind; on the other hand, nature and the perception of nature respectively are equally putting humankind … Read more
23rd of Mai Germany celebrated the 75th anniversary of the constitution – that is what they say. It is interesting how casually data is handled. In fact, the Basic Law had been originally seen as temporary – and as such agreed upon; only layer, after the former GDR had been taken over, had been taken over, the … Read more
It is again and again emphasised the freedom is one of the core values and right of human beings and central middle of societies and society to togetherness. The meaning of freedom, however, remains often unclear and what is more, conditions behind freedom not really investigated, at least in a deeper meaning – going beyond … Read more
Topic: Community matters – law and pre-legal/informal settings. Presenter: Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Professor and Principal Investigator, Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute and Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences; 2023 Chinese Government Friendship Award. He focuses on the ecological habits of large mammals in Asia, working with local communities in remote areas of … Read more
Varieties of capitalism had been often found …, or invented, depending on one’s standpoint: What some see as difference, as structural rupture is for others not much more than a tiny alteration, not making a real difference. However, one often forgotten question is to ask what capitalism is and in which way it links to … Read more
We witness since about 2022 a kind of hype around artificial intelligence – apparently it started with Chat GPT. And indeed, it is technologically a fascinating development and hard to believe: the idea that apparently part of what is generally seen as essential for human being or humanness can be replaced by technology. Looking at … Read more
On March 1, 2024, the HRUG regular seminar on “A Crisis of the Political and Legal System Concerning Human Rights” was successfully held. The seminar was chaired by Joe Finnerty (a social policy analyst, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland) and reported by Mehmet Okyayuz (a professor of political science … Read more