As a political scientist Elisabeth Conradi takes up ideas and arguments of the continental philosophical tradition to systematically address contemporary issues via explanatory and interpretative theory-building. She works with theoretical reflection, hermeneutics, and practical reason in the fields of political theory, ethics, and social integration.
Conradi conducts research to increase the understanding of issues or to question the way these issues are taken for granted. This is done by systematically investigating a topic and exploring its social, political, or cultural context. She poses and reflects questions via a revision of accepted theories from the past in the light of new interpretations.
In the field of Political Theory Conradi’s research is centred on democratic theory exploring forms of participation and representation as well as questions of citoyenneté, for example the scope of the demos and the criteria for being part of it. She is concerned with inclusion and the cultivation of the democratic debate and reflects on the relationship between civil society and democracy.
Her ethical thinking approaches the move from Reflecting the Practice to Developing a Theory, the bridge from thinking about the concrete situation to conceptualizing some generality. Thus she aims to develop Ethics both as a philosophical concept and as a normative approach that is inspired by practical reasoning.
Conradi is interested in rethinking contemporary social relations and reflecting on societal transformation. She also explores present socio-cultural memories of the past in order to aim at historical responsibility. This informs her thinking about intercultural transition, which social scientist also conceptualize as Social Integration. Conradi analyses causes of societal marginalisation as well as discrimination and aims at delineating processes that might reduce exclusion.