Corporations in Political Philosophy: Political Status, Duties of Justice, and Legitimacy

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Neuhäuser
• Subject Area: Practical Philosophy ; Plastics Engineering
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 314018954

The main goal of the project is to identify the importance of corporations for theoretical work in political philosophy. The project will investigate the normative role of corporations as political actors and on their political power. The project will focus on transnational corporations, because with this type of corporations the political agency of corporations and their political power is especially visible. However this focus does not exclude the discussion of small and medium enterprises operating only within a single state, if such a discussion is crucial for important questions regarding the political role of corporations. The project consists of three parts that mirror current gaps in research regarding the political status, the duties of justice and the legitimacy of political agency of corporations. In those parts of the project the project team will determine the political status of corporations, the extent of their rights and duties and the legitimacy of their political actions. This will help to clarify the place corporations should have in theoretical works of political philosophy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants