Belén Pueyo-Ibáñez Postdoctoral Fellow Resident at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften: October 2023 – August 2025 Research topic at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften: »Rationality in a Polarized Society: Exploring the Socio-Affective Preconditions of Collective Discourse« Project outline: The point of departure of this research project is the idea that the exercise of democracy consists, in a fundamental sense, in the exercise of thinking with others and, therefore, that of engaging in joint conversations on the basis of which to make coordinated decisions on matters of common concern. The degree of democratic health of a given society can be determined by considering the quality and effectiveness of these conversations as occurring not only between political and social leaders, but also between leaders and citizens, and between citizens themselves. Now, the extent to which public discourse has become polarized in recent years in the United States, Europe, and beyond, is raising serious concerns about the present and future of democracy worldwide. While reform and improvement of both political institutions and practices are certainly indispensable to preserve and strengthen the democratic order, they alone cannot guarantee its survival and success. Rather, it is equally important—if not more so—to think about and reconsider our approach to the crucial epistemic exercise of thinking with others. This, I contend, demands critical reflection not only on the dynamics of interpersonal conversations but also, ultimately, on the very nature of interpersonal relationships. Contributing to this analytical task is the main purpose of this project. (Belén Pueyo-Ibáñez) Research partner: In 2023/24, Belén Pueyo-Ibáñez was a postdoctoral fellow at the Forschungskolleg at the invitation of Rainer Forst, Professor of Political Theory at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, and the Justitia Centre for Advanced Studies funded by the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel Foundation. In 2024/25 she is part of the research focus »Democratic Vistas: Reflections on the Atlantic World«. Scholarly profile of Belén Pueyo-IbáñezBelén Pueyo-Ibáñez received her PhD in Philosophy—along with a Graduate Certificate in Mind, Brain, and Culture—at Emory University, Atlanta, in spring 2023. Supported by a generous doctoral scholarship and an Andrew W. Mellon dissertation fellowship, her dissertation, (Im)possible Communities: The Cooperative Structure of Moral Thinking, was ranked as one of the top three among the two hundred submitted in the humanities and social sciences at her university in 2023.Before starting her PhD program, a Fulbright Scholarship enabled her to earn an MA in Philosophy at The New School for Social Research (New York City). Additionally, she obtained a postgraduate degree in Contemporary Art History from Goldsmiths, University of London, and pursued bachelor's degrees in Journalism and Music (violin performance) in Barcelona. Her articles have been published in highly renowned specialized peer-reviewed journals. Currently, she is working on her first monograph. Website: Contact: Main areas of research: Moral, social, and political thought, philosophical psychology, critical theory (especially Habermas), and American pragmatism (especially Dewey). Selected publications:
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