Background
Hans Joas was born on November 27, 1948 in Munich, Germany, into the family of Alois and Gertrud (Buckel) Joas.
Hans Joas was born on November 27, 1948 in Munich, Germany, into the family of Alois and Gertrud (Buckel) Joas.
In 1972 Hans received a Diploma in Sociology at Free University of Berlin. Then he continued his studying there and earned Doctor of Philosophy in 1979 and Habilitation in 1981.
In 1985 Hans worked as a visiting professor at the University of Chicago, and then in 1986 he held that position at the University of Toronto. In 1987 - 1990 he served as an associate professor in the University of Erlangen. After that he moved to Berlin and was appointed professor of sociology and North American studies in Free University of Berlin in 1990. In 2002 - 2011 Hans worked as a director of Max-Weber-Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies University Erfurt.
In 2012 Joas was the first scholar to be Visiting Professor of the Joseph Ratzinger Pope Benedikt XVI. Foundation at the University of Regensburg. The topic of his lectures was “Sacralization and Secularization”. Since November 2015 Joas is a member of the advisory board of the Federation of German Scientists.
Hans is a Roman Catholic.
Hans Joas’ research focuses on social philosophy and sociological theory, mainly American Pragmatism and Historicism; the sociology of religion and the sociology of war and violence; as well as value change in modern societies. The emergence and formation of values are the core theme of Hans Joas’ work. He developed a theory of “Affirmative Genealogy” of values, especially with regard to human rights. According to Joas values originate in experiences of self-formation and self-transcendence. He developed a phenomenology of experiences of self-transcendence. Joas emphasizes that his account of the contingency of value-formation is not to be seen as a plea against the claims of a universalistic morality.
On May 26, 1976 Hans married Heidrun Boehme, with whom he has a child Christian.