RESPECTRESEARCHGROUP:
Research on consequences and causes of respect in the interpersonal co-operation (in economy, politics, education and partnership)

Contact:

Abstract:

Respect and its antonym “disrespectfullness” seem to be more than ever omnipresent in our current time. Whether in organisations, politics, education systems oder partnerships - respect is required and demanded but only given to a few and lost by many. The consequences are extensive - on every level and noticeable to everyone.

The RespectResearchGroup was founded in 2003 at the University of Hamburg as an interdisciplinary association of young researchers. Coming from diverse disciplines these researchers are dedicated to systematically studying the abstract concept of respect and to conceptualising a stringent theoretical framework as to make a practical deduction possible.

The basic notion of the research agenda is the following:

In times of increasing industrialisation well known conventions, rules and standards are questioned. This, if anything, often leads to more uncertainty of each individual instead of the further liberation of thought. For the society as such this also leads to a governance problem. If citizens, co-workers or pupils start to question traditions it gets increasingly more difficult for the governing or mighty to continue to demand for and exert their influence. If this entitlement to take influence is challenged so strongly that the established leadership is questioned as such then we have a call and need for new models of legimitation. Models in which the individual endorses and supports the governance again instead of working against it or diverting into parallel systems.
In our modern time this legimitation has to follow an indiviualised model as it has to do justice to the complexity of structures found in any relationship between individuals. Respect is such a model - if it is not merely understood as a standard of conduct or manners but as a concept of the individual value system of a subject.
The complexity of these individualised value systems is thereby not to be seen as impedimentary for a consistent governance system but more as an incentive to try and reduce the variety of life models to a commonly assessable logic. It is outdated to assume that there are mutual superficial criterias valid for all. The large variety in every aspect of our society such as partnerships, education, politics or economy, is one of the chances and challenges our modern democracy has to handle.
RespectResearchGroup Homepage: Research on consequences and causes of respect in the interpersonal co-operation (in economy, politics, education and partnerships)

RespectResearchGroup Homepage: Research on consequences and causes of respect in the interpersonal co-operation (in economy, politics, education and partnerships)

Beginning:

08.01.2003

planned Duration:

for the present open end

Funding: