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Mit dem Begriff Heteronormativität wird die Naturalisierung und Privilegierung von Heterosexualität und Zweigeschlechtlichkeit in Frage gestellt. Kritisiert werden nicht nur die auf Alltagswissen bezogene Annahme, es gäbe zwei gegensätzliche Geschlechter und diese seien sexuell aufeinander bezogen, sondern auch die mit Zweigeschlechtlichkeit und Heterosexualität einhergehenden Privilegierungen und Marginalisierungen. Der Begriff tauchte erstmalig 1991 in Michael Warners Aufsatz 'Introduction: Fear of a Queer Planet' auf. Zentrale Bezugspunkte der Analysen von Heteronormativität stellen Foucaults Untersuchungen zum Zusammenhang von Sexualität und Macht sowie Butlers Theorie der Subjektkonstitution im Rahmen der heterosexuellen Matrix oder der heterosexuellen Hegemonie dar.

This essay presents a critical examination of trust in the context of minipublics (DMPs), with the aim of substantiating the notion of contingent trust and making recommendations for its formalization. Filling a gap in the literature on minipublics, it argues that proponents of DMPs have underestimated the conditions for public trust, risking a potential backlash against democratic innovations. It posits that trust in DMPs should not be based solely on their perceived benefits for democracy, but rather on the demonstrated trustworthiness of these mechanisms. And the trustworthiness of DMPs should be considered in terms of public justification. That is, the recommendations of DMPs should only be trusted if (a) their deliberations have been open to the public throughout, and (b) the outcomes of those deliberations can be reasonably justified by the deliberating citizens to their non-deliberating peers. Accordingly, the essay suggests that DMPs can only function as ‚trusted information proxies‘ if it can be ensured that deliberating citizens are not unduly influenced by special interests. It also highlights the potential of DMPs to provide descriptive representation, but warns of issues of attitudinal conformism and self-selection that may undermine their trustworthiness. Finally, the paper argues for improved communication between DMPs and the general public in order to foster horizontal trust between deliberative panelists and non-deliberative citizens. By addressing these key considerations, this essay contributes to a nuanced understanding of trust in DMPs and their role in enhancing democratic legitimacy

The article analyzes struggles about distributive justice in Austria, one of the wealthiest countries globally, and proposes a reinforced focus on how metaphors of redistribution and reciprocity create fiscal imaginaries. It analyzes how politicians, lobbyists, and activists strategically mobilize these metaphors in corporate and wealth taxation debates. Campaigns against wealth taxation portray wealth taxation as negative reciprocity and a threat to an imagined middle class. Those arguing in favor of them create images of unjustly appropriated value that needs to be redistributed. The article analyzes those shifts between notions of redistribution and reciprocity and the fiscal imaginaries created through these debates. Notably, the article argues for the necessity to embed discursive analysis within an understanding of contemporary capitalisms. It contrasts the fiscal imaginaries with challenges of fiscal relations, most importantly the distributed character of capital accumulation and the dilemma othe tax state, as governments orchestrate accumulation to capture parts of its value generated via taxation.

Das amerikanische Volk hat gewählt, Donald Trump hat eine deutliche Mehrheit der Stimmen erzielen können. Die Republikaner werden zudem über eine Mehrheit im Repräsentantenhaus und im Senat verfügen. Was bedeutet das Wahlergebnis nun für die globalen Machtverhältnisse? Expert*innen der Goethe-Universität aus der Amerikanistik, der Politikwissenschaft, der Wirtschaftswissenschaft, der Geschichtswissenschaft sowie der Rechtswissenschaft geben eine kurze und prägnante Einschätzung.

Eco-Islam is often discussed from a theological perspective, but there are hardly any studies on the activist's practices, their experiences and reasoning. In order to fill this gap and to emphasise the importance of studying lived religion, this article presents three interviews with young Eco-Islam activists in Germany. By using the method of cultural analysis, the author compares, summarises and abstracts their statements and activities, so that a comprehensive configuration is revealed. Cultural analysis focuses on cultural constellations and tries to think historical, social and biographical components together. To understand the Eco-Islam activist's perspectives at a deeper cultural level, the author firstly represents a thick description of the statements and activities of her three respondents. Afterwards, she scrutinises the actors' practices and processes by applying the dimensions of belief, practice and community on their everyday life and performative action. At last she filters three related themes on a cultural constellational level. Contribution: In this article, the author simultaneously highlights the implicit connections of eco-Islamic Activism to aspects of Othering and empowerment, aspects of (re-) interpretation of religious norms and aspects of transgressing environmental activism and the idea of an Islamic community.