Nächste Ausgabe

1/2025: Practices and institutions of solidarity - socio-ethical and political-theological perspectives

Solidarity is back – on the streets, in social salons and political speeches as well as in theoretical debates. After decades of the dominance of the neoliberal paradigm of privatization and sweeping modernization, the renaissance of the concept of solidarity is surprising for some and only logical for others. Others, on the other hand, diagnose an increased pressure to act responsibly out of solidarity with an overburdened society – and thus a new variant of neoliberalism. In particular, the diagnosis of an entrenched situation of multiple, overlapping crises initially makes recourse to solidarity seem plausible. Be it the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and its (global) economic and political consequences, the ecological catastrophe, the precarious situation of refugees and migrants or the emergence of new polarization issues: Solidarity seems to be an eternal fountain of youth when it comes to addressing a common (emergency) situation and mobilizing the power of cohesion and thus the willingness of individuals to work together to overcome it.

However, it is noticeable that solidarity does not simply return in its classic forms as a movement of the trade union movement and as a social principle realized in welfare state institutions. Contemporary debates on solidarity in particular emphasize its controversial, contested, ambivalent character: How far does solidarity go in the face of the ongoing destruction of the planetary foundations of life? Who does it include and who does it exclude under the impression of continuing colonial and patriarchal conditions? What solidarity efforts are demanded of whom - for whose benefit? Who has access to solidarity institutions, should support them and benefits from them? To what extent are solidarizations accompanied by desolidarizations and are these inevitable processes? Contrary to an apparently existing intuitive plausibility in social contexts, the concept of solidarity today requires a contouring that also turns to forms and structures of solidarity other than the familiar ones.

This suggests focusing primarily on the relationship between practices and institutions of solidarity and, in doing so, proceeding with a particular sensitivity for contexts, inclusions/exclusions and social (power) relations. A contemporary understanding of solidarity can only be developed through a variety of perspectives and contexts and in relation to other key concepts and basic categories. The discussion builds on a long tradition of dealing with the topic of solidarity in political theologies and Christian social ethics. Against the backdrop of the current crises, this tradition needs to be continued, updated or even readjusted. This issue aims to make a contribution to this.

Editors: Michelle Becka, Bernhard Emunds, Josef M. Könning, Walter Lesch

2/2025: Fair Taxes

Editor: Matthias Möhring-Hesse.

1/2026: No game. Wargaming and serious gaming in the age of AI

Can war be learned through play? Is it ethically justifiable to train how to fight enemy units in a gaming scenario? Does the presentation of realistic training as a 'playful simulation' carry the risk of blurring the categorical distinction between simulated scenarios and real conflicts?

These questions are not merely theoretical, but reflect existing practice. Military and civilian organizations around the world are increasingly relying on game-based learning and serious gaming to train complex and critical skills without taking real risks. This development raises ethical questions that affect peace policy, military, technological and civil society aspects in equal measure and require interdisciplinary discussion.

The contributions in this special issue can focus on considerations of the moral quality of technology ethics as well as on the epistemological, phenomenological or ontological status of such simulations. Equally, military and peace ethics as well as civil society considerations on the possible blending of reality and simulation are expressly welcome. We welcome interdisciplinary, empirical studies as well as contributions from military practice, the games industry and games research.

Editors: Kathrin Bruder, Lukas Johrendt, Gerhard Schreiber