Civility gUG
Civility theory research and analysis
Joke and reality
Losses can be devastating. Those who remain cheerful and composed despite them are considered humorous – a quality that has been judged very differently throughout the history of civilization. Humor relates to reality in two ways: as its transcendence and as communicative reality.
- a dual structure that is also and especially politically significant and can be understood in greater depth from a civility theory perspective - see the attached text (red button).
Civil policy
...aims to preserve and promote civility to the best of its ability. It is based on analysis, orientation, and self-regulation in a complex environment (civil navigation), but can also purposefully influence other actors and framework conditions.
What constitutes nationalist thinking?
In what way is it populist?
Learn!
Political Journalism - Political Education - Social Sciences
A controversial dialogue
Gates-Xi dialogue initiative
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has publicly announced his initiative to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. What is this initiative about, and how should it be interpreted?
AI as a subject of civility analysis
Currently, AI is considered to be function-specific and subject to weak oversight; however, isolated AI "outbreaks" are met with alarm. This contrasts with more or less exaggerated perceptions of the dangers/prospects of a technological transition to general (strong) AI or even to AI superintelligence.
What do such forms of AI mean according to civility criteria? You can find the text "Governance Challenge Artificial Intelligence" (Theory of Civil Modernity, pp. 286-393), which dates back to 2018, as well as a current dialogue on AI actors.
In what ways is China's economy superior? And why?
A complexity and civilization theory analysis
Rail problems caused by migration?
Leisurely cycling - UN policy
New aspects of civil navigation
Disaster paradox and civility theory
What does the catastrophe paradox state? How are capacity theory (catastrophe paradox) and civility theory related?
Attached you will find a substantial AI dialogue on this topic (Gemini).
Citizenship based on functional criteria?
Citizenship is still primarily acquired by birth in a country; however, other criteria can also be decisive – from functional criteria to a country's potential for contributing to society. This creates corresponding competition between nation-states...
Do we live in a capitalist system?
Sure, you might think. But we believe it's worth considering. See the attached texts (buttons in the middle): an AI dialogue on the topic, a critique by Peter Behnen/Die Linke Freiburg and a response by Volker von Prittwitz, and finally a dialogue on "Capitalism in the space of civil-theoretical variables".
Vague terms promote populism and extremism.
Those who describe our society as "capitalist," "socialist," or "democratic" are using vague terms; these don't allow for a precise and comprehensive understanding of society. Instead, they resort to more or less obtuse buzzwords that, often charged with friend-or-foe logic, block analytical thinking and thus promote populism and extremism.
Popper - Luhmann - Huizinga - Watzlawick - Scharpf
How the theory of civilization originated and what it achieves in comparison to other theories
New: The General Theory of Civility (AZT) in twelve keywords
Gender and generational equality
Civil disobedience
Tensions between secured and developed civility
Civility theory is becoming increasingly differentiated, leading to a precarious approach: civil disobedience.
Germany and Poland
Theory building!
The meteoric rise of algorithmic AI stands in stark contrast to decades of theory aversion in the social sciences, political education, and science administration. This deprives the social sciences of their most important learning and innovation driver: knowledge-oriented theory building. This contrasts sharply with the knowledge- and innovation-oriented logic of research—a logic from which we can learn much from the philosopher of science Karl Popper.
Further current analyses and discussions
- What is populism? A dialogue...
- Can support for the AfD be reduced through sound policy?
- What constitutes a civil-strategic election campaign?
- Mamdani - for political classification
- Are the concepts of intergenerational justice and aging with dignity related?
- State neutrality as a subsequent concept
- How can conversations be analyzed according to civility criteria?
Civilian foreign policy ...
... includes military security requirements, but strives for respectful coexistence.
Other AI dialogues
AZT analysis:
From the basic model to a global resource order
Realism - Liberalism - Civilization Theory
How does civility theory differ from realism and neo-institutionalism (liberalism)? In what ways does it go beyond them?
Pretendians
Pretendians in Canada and the USA falsely claim an Indigenous identity. How can this phenomenon be understood from a civil theory perspective?
Legal concept
A dialogue that was initially arduous, then creative, about the concept of law in civil theory....
Global Diversity
Diversity traditionally refers to regional/national openness to migrants. However, it can also be conceived globally – with a view to the diversity of different people and cultures in different regions of the world. Both perspectives contain civic elements, since diversity in any case requires mutual respect and shared responsibility.
Secured borders -
a global value
The existence of every state depends on secure borders – reason enough to advocate for the strengthening and reform of the United Nations.
Transition to the logic of power
If subject areas, such as economics or science, can organize themselves according to their own logic, it becomes worthwhile to make every operational effort, and overall welfare increases. This constellation, also known as complex interdependence (Keohane/Nye 1977), fundamentally undermines and attacks the populist power-thinking and actions of Trump, Putin & Co. – resulting in global welfare losses...
USA:
From democrat to kleptocracy
Donald Trump thinks and acts unilaterally, according to the motto: Trump's America First. However, tariff increases hinder global trade and reduce overall economic productivity. Furthermore, economic unilateralism promotes general political and military unilateralism, thereby increasing the potential for violence. Finally, Trump and his cronies enrich themselves shamelessly at the expense of the public: thieves in power (kleptocracy).
Trump's kleptocracy should be openly discussed not only in the USA, but also in the United Nations.
Equality
through quotas?
The notion that equality can only be achieved through fixed shares (quotas) of power or positions is prevalent not only in the women's movement – a view that can be justified as a counterpoint to a rigid power structure. However, quotas privilege the group subject to them, and within that group, especially those who represent them.
Equality exists when all participants have equal rights and can effectively exercise them, such as the right to vote, which guarantees active and passive suffrage without discrimination, equal voting power, and a guaranteed opportunity to participate freely. See, for example, a discussion on this topic from 2018 in the book: Theory of Civil Modernity (link below).