רשת מדעי הרוח והחברה

מועד: 8-9.5.2025
מקום: אוניברסיטת גתה, פרנקפורט על המיין, גרמניה

The human right to health reflects not only the recognition that people rely heavily on maintaining or restoring their health to lead a self-determined life, but it also assigns the primary responsibility for protecting and promoting health to the state. The rise of pandemics, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to global climate change, and the spread of non-communicable diseases clearly demonstrate that social and environmental factors play a decisive role in the health outcomes of a population. Addressing these threats and combating the health damage they cause is far less a matter of individual health behavior than a political responsibility. Against the backdrop of the human right to health, it therefore makes sense to speak of a “public responsibility for health” in a dual sense: the state, or government, is the primary addressee of the human right to health, and it also holds the legitimate political authority to regulate health matters, implement policies, or manage and oversee health initiatives conducted by third parties.

However, the concept of public responsibility for health raises many questions:
– Who exactly is to be addressed as the bearer of this responsibility? Where, in the reality of multi-level political systems and the complex structures of modern health systems, should this responsibility be located?
– Should the distinct roles and responsibilities of international actors such as the WHO or the European Union be considered? What about civil society actors and NGOs, without whom, for instance, the health needs of minorities and vulnerable populations may not be adequately addressed?
– How far does this responsibility extend? Does it encompass political decisions regarding priority setting (e.g., which health programs are established), the processes by which additional actors are involved and their interactions coordinated, or ultimately, even the achievement of specific health outcomes?
– How should priorities in public health be set responsibly, what should the state undertake directly, what should or could be delegated to other actors, and where might limits to this jurisdiction be drawn?

The workshop aims to bring together researchers from various disciplines for an interdisciplinary exchange on the concept, scope, application, and limitations of health responsibility. We invite scholars at all career stages from the social, political, and legal sciences, public health ethics, medical ethics, philosophical and theological ethics, social ethics, nursing sciences, and nursing ethics. Early career researchers are particularly encouraged to contribute.

We welcome papers that address topics such as:

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