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Prof. dr. B. (Beate) Roessler

Philosophy (with a specific focus on the History of Ethics)
Faculty of Humanities
Capaciteitsgroep Philosophy and Public Affairs
Visiting address
  • Oude Turfmarkt 145
  • Room number: 2.04A
Postal address
  • Postbus 94201
    1090 GE Amsterdam
Contact details
  • Profile

    I am professor of ethics at the University of Amsterdam and chair of the Capacity group of Philosophy and Public Affairs.

    From 2003-2010 I was Socrates-Professor for the Foundations of Humanism at Leiden University. Before, I taught philosophy at the Free University, Berlin, Germany, and at the University of Bremen, Germany.  

    I studied philosophy at Tübingen, London, Oxford, and Berlin and completed my Ph.D. in 1988 at the Free University Berlin (on theories of meaning in analytic philosophy and hermeneutics). I finished my habilitation in 2001 at the University of Bremen (on the value of privacy).

    In 2003/2004 I was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) in Berlin; in November (2011) I was a fellow at the Macquarie University Research Centre for Agency, Value and Ethics, Sydney. In 2015 in November and December I was a research fellow at Melbourne University, Law School. In the spring of 2017, I was a visiting professor at New York University.

    In 2016 I was elected a corresponding member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities at Göttingen, Germany. Recently (2022) I’ve been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

    I'm a founding member of the Amsterdam Platform for Privacy Research (APPR) and Platform for the Ethics and Politics of Technology (PEPT). 

    I'm in the team of the ongoing NWO funded project: Political Microtargeting: Safeguarding Public Values.

    Since 2009, I have been a co-editor of the European Journal of Philosophy, and I’m a co-editor of the recently founded Privacy Studies Journal.

    My board memberships also include the Editorial Board of the book series Essex Studies in Contemporary Critical Theory (Rowman and Littlefield) and the International Advisory Board of the Institute for Social Research, Frankfurt/Germany.

    I teach Bachelor and Master courses in ethics and social philosophy, and I also teach a course on Literature and Ethics.

    My research fields include theories of freedom and autonomy, theories of privacy, ethical and political questions of the digital society, the ethics of technology, justice and equality, ethics and the good life, and feminist theories.

    Some recent publications:

    Autonomy. An essay on the Life Well-Lived, Cambridge: Polity 2021 (German edition in Autonomie. Ein Versuch über das gelungene Leben, Berlin: Suhrkamp, 2017; Dutch 2018 with Boom Publishers)

    "Online Manipulation. Hidden Influences in a Digital World", co-authored with Daniel Susser and Helen Nissenbaum 

    "Privacy as a Human Right", in: Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 2017, 2

    "Wie wir uns regieren. Soziale Dimensionen des Privaten in der Post-Snowden Ära", in: WestEnd. Neue Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung, Jg 13, Heft1, 2016. S. 103-119 

    "Privacy and/in the Public Sphere", in: Yearbook for Eastern and Western Philosophy, 2016,1, p 40-60, Berlin: De Gruyter, 2016

    Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited with Dorota Mokrosinska, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015

    "Are Private Data Tradable Goods", in: Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited with Dorota Mokrosinska, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015

    "What is there to lose? Privacy in offline and online friendships" Eurozine Febr 2015

    "Autonomy, Self-Knowledge, and Oppression", in: Oshana, M. (ed.), Personal Autonomy and Social Oppression, London: Routledge, 2014

    "Desperately seeking Women" Eurozine Febr 2014

    "Kantian Autonomy and its social Preconditions: On Axel Honneth's Das Recht der Freiheit", in:  Krisis. Tijdschrift voor Aktuele Filosofie, 2013 issue 1

    "Privacy and Social Interaction", co-authored with Dorota Mokrosinska, in: Philosophy & Social Criticism October 2013 39: 771-791

  • Publications

    Books (edited)

    Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited with Dorota Mokrosinska, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2015

    Handbuch der politischen Philosophie und Sozialphilosophie , herausgegeben mit Stefan Gosepath und Wilfried Hinsch, Berlin, de Gruyter 2008

    Von Person zu Person. Zur Moralität persönlicher Beziehungen, herausgegeben mit Axel Honneth, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp 2008

    Privacies. Philosophical Evaluations, Stanford University Press, 2004

    Autonomy. Problems and Limits (Special Issue of the Philosophical Explorations), Vol V, Nr. 3 October 2002

    Quotierung und Gerechtigkeit. Eine moralphilosophische Kontroverse , Frankfurt: Campus 1993 

     

    Books (monographs)

     

    Autonomie. Ein Versuch über das gelungene Leben, Suhrkamp, Berlin 2017; Dutch translation (Boom) 2018; English translation forthcoming 2020 (Polity Press)

    Der Wert des Privaten, Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 2001; English translation:  The Value of Privacy , Polity Press 2005

    Die Theorie des Verstehens in Sprachanalyse und Hermeneutik. Untersuchungen am Beispiel M. Dummetts und F.D.E. Schleiermachers, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot 1990 

     

    Selected Articles

    Handbuch Gerechtigkeit, Metzler 2015

    Eurozine 2015

    Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, edited with Dorota Mokrosinska, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015

    Freiheit in Theologie und Philosophie, hg. Martin Laube, Goettingen 2014

    Personal Autonomy and Social Oppression, London: Routledge, 2014

    Krisis. Tijdschrift voor Aktuele Filosofie, 2013, issue 1

    APA Newsletter Philosophy and Law, ed. by Steven Scalet and Christopher Griffin, Vol 13, Fall 2013, Edition in Tribute to Anita L. Allen, 13-17

    Philosophy & Social Criticism October 2013 39: 771-791

    Eigene Gruende, Muenchen 2012

    Politische Vierteljahresschrift,  2012

    Die Jagd nach dem Glueck, Wien 2012, 

    Journal of Political Philosophy, Vol. 20, Issue 1, 71-93, 2012 

    Philosophy and Social Criticism, Vol. 38, (4-5), 445-455, 2012

    Handbuch Angewandte Ethik , hg. v. R. Stoecker, C. Neuhäuser, M.-L. Raters, Stuttgart: Metzler 2012

    Die Grenzen des Privaten , hg. v. S. Seubert & P. Niessen, Baden-Baden 2010

    Sozialphilosophie und Kritik , hg. v. R.Forst e.a., Frankfurt, Suhrkamp 2009

    European Journal of Philosophy , August 2001

    Konzeptionen der Gerechtigkeit , Baden Baden: Nomos 1999

    Politische Theorien in der Aera der Transformation , Opladen 1996

    Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 6 1994

    Philosophische Rundschau 1 1994 (zu M. Dummett, The Logical Basis of Metaphysics und Frege and Other Philosophers)

    Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 6 1993

    Analyse und Kritik 14 1992
  • CV

    Positions/Job titles:

    2012: Head of the Department of Philosophy 

    2009: Chair of Ethics and its History, Depart­ment of Philosophy, University of Amster­­dam; head of the capaciteitsgroep Philosophy and Public Affairs.

    2004 - 2010: Socrates-Professor for Philosophical Anthropology and the Foundations of Hu­ma­nism at the University of Leiden.

    1997 - 2009: Associate Professor of Philosophy, Depart­ment of Philosophy, University of Amster­­dam.

    1994 - 1997: Assistant Professor ("Hochschulassistentin") of Political Theory and the History of Ideas, Department of Political Science, University of Bremen.  

    Fellowships:

    2011: Fellow at the Research Center for Agency, Value and Ethics Macquarie University Sydney, Australia

    2003 – 2004: Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (Wissenschaftskolleg) Berlin 

    1998: Visiting Fellow at the Institut fuer die Wissenschaften vom Menschen, Vienna

    Academic service

    2012- currently: Member of the Commissie Ethiek of the Facuty of Humanities, UvA

    2011- currently: Member of the Board of the Amsterdam Platform for Privacy Research 

    2010- currently: Member of the Senate of the University of Amsterdam

    2010- currently: Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Vienna 

    2009- currently: Member of the Board of the National Research School in Ethics, The Netherlands

    2006- currently: Member of the Board of the Vereniging van Ethici in Nederland 

    2000- currently: Member of the Board of the Amsterdam School for Cultural Ana­­lysis, (ASCA)

    2012-2013: Member of the Wetenschappelijk Adviescollege of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research 

    2011- 2013: Member of the Jury for the Spinozalens  

    2003, 2005, 2009: Member of an evaluation committee of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) in 

    References and reports for: 

    Political Studies, Bioethics, British Journal of Sociology, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Philosophical Explorations, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie, Studies in Social Justice, Hypatia, Journal of Political Philosophy, Oesterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Springer Verlag, Suhrkamp Verlag, Verlag de Gruyter and Oxford University Press 

    Editorial Boards:

    2009- currently: Member of the Editorial Committee of the European Journal of Philosophy  

    2000-2009: Member of the Editorial Committee of the Journal Philosophical Explorations

    NWO-funded projects

    Social Dimensions of Privacy (2009-2013)

    Socializing Autonomy (2007-2013)

  • Publications

    2020

    • Roessler, B. (2020). Fashioning Our Selves? On Understanding and Criticizing the Digitized Society. In J. Christ, K. Leopold, D. Loick, & T. Stahl (Eds.), Debating Critical Theory: Engagements with Axel Honneth (pp. 205-224). (Essex Studies in Contemporary Critical Theory). Rowman & Littlefield. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2020). Solidarität unter Frauen? Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie, 68(4), 495-513. https://doi.org/10.1515/dzph-2020-0034 [details]

    2019

    • Roessler, B. (2019). Allen, Anita. In M. Sellers, & S. Kirste (Eds.), Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy (Living ed.). Dordrecht: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6730-0_239-1 [details]
    • Susser, D., Nissenbaum, H., & Roessler, B. (2019). Online Manipulation: Hidden Influences in a Digital World. Georgetown Law Technology Review, 4(1), 1-45.
    • Susser, D., Roessler, B., & Nissenbaum, H. (2019). Technology, autonomy, and manipulation. Internet Policy Review, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.14763/2019.2.1410 [details]

    2018

    • Roessler, B. (2018). Three Dimensions of Privacy. In B. van der Sloot, & A. de Groot (Eds.), The Handbook of Privacy Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction (pp. 137-142). Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.5117/9789462988095 [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2018). Autonomie: Een Essay over het Vervulde Leven. Amsterdam: Boom. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2018). Autonomie im Konflikt. Bemerkungen zum Problem der Einheit der Person im Handeln. In T. Khurana, D. Quadflieg, F. Raimondi, J. Rebentisch, & D. Setton (Eds.), Negativität: Kunst - Recht - Politik (pp. 233-246). (Suhrkamp Taschenbuch Wissenschaft ; Vol. 2267). Suhrkamp. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2018). Privatheit, Autonomie, Recht. In S. Baer, & U. Sacksofsky (Eds.), Autonomie im Recht - Geschlechtertheoretisch vermessen (pp. 93-118). (Schriften zur Gleichstellung; Vol. 47). Nomos. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2018). Wie wir uns regieren: Soziale Dimensionen des Privaten in der Post-Snowden Ära. In G. Böhme, & U. Gahlings (Eds.), Kultur der Privatheit in der Netzgesellschaft (pp. 29-48). Aisthesis Verlag. [details]

    2017

    2016

    2015

    • Mokrosinska, D., & Roessler, B. (2015). Introduction. In B. Roessler, & D. Mokrosinska (Eds.), Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (pp. 1-8). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107280557.001 [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2015). Autonomy, Self-Knowledge, and Oppression. In M. A. L. Oshana (Ed.), Personal Autonomy and Social Oppression: philosophical perspectives (pp. 68-84). (Routledge studies in contemporary philosophy; No. 65). Routledge. [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2015). Should personal data be a tradable good? On the moral limits of markets in privacy. In B. Roessler, & D. Mokrosinska (Eds.), Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (pp. 141-161). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107280557.009 [details]

    2014

    • Roessler, B. (2014). 'Freiheit'in der sozialen und politischen Philosophie. In M. Laube (Ed.), Freiheit (pp. 233-253). (Thermen der Theologie; No. 7). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. [details]

    2013

    • Roessler, B. (2013). Autonomy, Paternalism, and Privacy: Some Remarks on Anita Allen. APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Law, 13(1), 13-19. [details]
    • Roessler, B., & Mokrosinska, D. (2013). Privacy and Social Interaction. Philosophy and Social Criticism, 39(8), 771-791. https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453713494968 [details]

    2012

    2011

    • Rössler, B. (2011). Autonomie. In R. Stoecker, C. Neuhäuser, & M-L. Raters (Eds.), Handbuch Angewandte Ethik (pp. 93-98). Stuttgart [etc.]: Metzler. [details]

    2010

    • Rössler, B. (2010). Privatheit und Autonomie: zum individuellen und gesellschaftlichen Wert des Privaten. In S. Seubert, & P. Niessen (Eds.), Die Grenzen des Privaten (pp. 41-55). (Schriftenreihe der Sektion Politische Theorien und Ideengeschichte in der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politische Wissenschaft; No. 16). Baden-Baden: Nomos. [details]

    2009

    • Rössler, B. (2009). Autonomie und Ambivalenz. In R. Forst, M. Hartmann, R. Jaeggi, & M. Saar (Eds.), Sozialphilosophie und Kritik (pp. 359-383). (Suhrkamp Taschenbuch. Wissenschaft; No. 1960). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. [details]

    2008

    • Honneth, A., & Rössler, B. (2008). Einleitung: Von Person zu Person: zur Moralität persönlicher Beziehungen. In A. Honneth, & B. Rössler (Eds.), Von Person zu Person: zur Moralität persönlicher Beziehungen (pp. 9-25). (Suhrkamp Taschenbücher Wissenschaft; No. 1756). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. [details]

    2007

    • Roessler, B. (2007). Work, Recognition and Emancipation. In B. van den Brink, & D. Owen (Eds.), Recognition and Power. Axel Honneth and the Tradition of Critical Social Theory Cambridge University Press. [details]

    2006

    • Roessler, B. (2006). Menschenrechte und Autonomie. In N. Scarano, & M. Suarez (Eds.), Die Moral der Wechselseitigkeit. Auseinandersetzung mit der Ethik Ernst Tugenhats Muenchen: Beck. [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2006). New Ways of Thinking about Privacy. In A. Philips, & B. Honig (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Political Theory Oxford: Oxford UP. [details]

    2020

    • Roessler, B., Susser, D., & Nissenbaum, H. (2020). Technologie, Autonomie und Manipulation. EPD-Medien.
    • Rössler, B. (2020). Gleichheit, Gerechtigkeit, Differenz: Warum sollte Ungleiches gleichwertig sein? In B. Rendtorff, C. Mahs, & A-D. Warmuth (Eds.), Geschlechterverwirrungen: Was wir wissen, was wir glauben und was nicht stimmt (pp. 26-32). Campus Verlag. [details]

    2015

    2014

    • van Eijk, N. (Author), Roessler, B. (Author), Zuiderveen Borgesius, F. (Author), Oostveen, M. (Author), et al., U. (Author), van Son, R. (Author), Verkade, F. (Author), Vliek, M. (Author), Alberdingk Thijm, C. (Author), Apt, K. (Author), Böhler, B. (Author), den Boon, A. (Author), Breemen, K. (Author), Breemen, V. (Author), de Goede, M. (Author), van Gompel, S. (Author), Guibault, L. (Author), Helberger, N. (Author), Hins, A. W. (Author), ... Taylor, L. (Author). (2014). Academics Against Mass Surveillance. Web publication/site http://www.academicsagainstsurveillance.org/ [details]

    2013

    • Roessler, B. (2013). Friends, Connections, and Social Norms of Privacy. Do Social Network Sites Change Our Conception of Friendship? Krisis, 2013(2), 114-119. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2013). Kantian Autonomy and its Social Preconditions: On Axel Honneth's 'Das Recht der Freiheit'. Krisis, 2013(1), 14-17. [details]

    2009

    • Roessler, B. (2009). De glazen samenleving en de waarde van privacy. Filosofie & Praktijk, 30(5), 20-29. [details]

    2008

    • Gosepath, S., Hinsch, W., & Rössler, B. (2008). Handbuch der politischen Philosophie und Sozialphilosophie. Berlin: De Gruyter. [details]
    • Honneth, A., & Rössler, B. (2008). Von Person zu Person: zur Moralität persönlicher Beziehungen. (Suhrkamp Taschenbücher Wissenschaft; No. 1756). Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. [details]
    • Rössler, B. (2008). Der Wert des Privaten: liberale Theorie und Gesellschaftskritik. In K. Jurczyk, & M. Oechsle (Eds.), Das Private neu denken: Erosionen, Ambivalenzen, Leistungen (pp. 282-300). (Forum Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung; No. 21). Münster: Westphälisches Dampfboot. [details]

    2007

    • Roessler, B. (2007). Autonomie als kritisch begrip. Over de noodzaak en begrenzingen. In E. Wit, & e.a. (Eds.), De autonome mens. Nieuwe visies op gemeenschappelijkheid Amsterdam: SUN. [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2007). The Value of Privacy. In G. Stocker, & C. Schoepf (Eds.), Good Bye Privacy Linz: Ars Electronica.
    • Roessler, B. (2007). the Value of Privacy. In G. Stocker, & C. Schoepf (Eds.), Good Bye Privacy. Ars Electronica Linz. [details]

    2006

    • Roessler, B. (2006). De Waarde van de Democratie en de Status van het Publiek. Krisis, 2. [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2006). Vrouwen en Arbeid. Scenes uit de Maatschappelijke Theorie en Praktijk. Krisis, 3. [details]

    1993

    • Roessler, B. (1993). Quotierung und Gerechtigkeit. Eine moralphilosophische Kontroverse. Campus Verlag.

    2020

    • Roessler, B. (2020). De maat der natuur: over morele ordes en naturalistische drogredeneringen: [Bespreking van: L. Daston (vert. W. Visser)(2020) Tegen de natuur in]. De Nederlandse Boekengids, 5(6), 47-49.
    • Roessler, B. (2020). Een herwaardering van de democratie. In Na de quarantaine (pp. 29). Uitgeverij Balans.

    2015

    • Roessler, B. (2015). What is there to lose? Privacy in offline and online friendships. Eurozine.

    2014

    2013

    • Roessler, B. (2013). Autonom ist man nie allein: Chancen und Grenzen der Selbstbestimmung. Menschen.
    • Roessler, B. (2013). Self-knowledge through numbers. Over lifelogs, autonomie en identiteit. Cimedart, 43(3), 13-16. [details]
    • Roessler, B. (2013). Sind Quoten notwendig - und sind sie gerecht? Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie, 61(5-6), 829-830. https://doi.org/10.1524/dzph.2013.61.56.829

    2012

    • Rössler, B. (2012). Frauen verzweifelt gesucht? Über Quoten und Gerechtigkeit. Merkur, 66(756), 371-382. [details]

    Award

    • Helberger, N., de Vreese, C. & Roessler, B. (2019). Research funding project Saving Democracy in the Digital Age - NWO MVI program.
    • Roessler, B. (2018). Best Paper Award.

    Others

    • Roessler, B. (visiting researcher) (2-2017 - 6-2017). New York University (visiting an external institution).
    • Roessler, B. (visiting researcher) (11-2015 - 12-2015). Univ. of Melbourne (Australia) (visiting an external institution).

    2021

    2019

    • Basu, N. (2019). Is this civil? Transnationalism, migration and feminism in civil disobedience. [details]
    • Caycedo Casallas, C. B. (2019). Updating civil disobedience: Whistleblowing, anonymous hacktivism, and academic piracy. [details]
    • Roberts, A. J. (2019). Privacy in the republic. [details]

    2018

    • Groen-Reijman, E. (2018). Deliberative political campaigns: Democracy, autonomy and persuasion. [details]
      • Downloads

    2017

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  • Ancillary activities
    • Zeitschrift für Rechtsphilosophie
      Member of the Editorial Board
    • Zeitschrift für Philosophische Literatur
      Member of the Editorial Board
    • Journal of European Philosophy
      Co-editor
    • German National Scholarship Foundation
      Representative
    • Rowman and Littlefield
      Member of the Editorial Board
    • Universität Passau
      Co-opted member of the Graduiertenkolleg "Privatheit"
    • Institute for Social Research
      Member of the International Advisory Board
    • ITM
      Mitarbeiterin
    • ITAS
      Member of the Advisory Board of "Abida" (Assessing Big Data)
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