Christoph Möllers, Dr. iur., LL.M.
Rector of the Wissenschaftskolleg, Professor of Public Law and Legal Philosophy
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Born in 1969 in Bochum, Germany
Studied Law and Comparative Literature in Tübingen, Munich, and Chicago
Project
Art—Liberty—Freedom of Art
In contemporary culture wars, artistic freedom has become one of many controversial goods. Beyond some interesting legal issues, especially with regard to the protection of publicly funded art, fundamental problems of political and aesthetic theory become apparent: Why should the arts be better protected than any other social practice? Does such a protection not presuppose the very distinction of art from non-art that is often denied by contemporary aesthetics’ emphasizing the political or intervening character of art? Finally, can any form of freedom that is required to enable artistic production be at all guaranteed by political or legal institutions? Historically, a stable connection between political freedom and successful aesthetic productivity cannot be established, but such a connection seems to be the condition for any justified privileged treatment of artistic freedom. The project will try to explore these questions and thus the intricate connections between political, legal, and aesthetic freedom.Recommended Reading
Jelavich, Peter. Kunstfreiheit: Eine deutsche Ideologie. Klostermann, 2025.
Die juridische Funktion und die politische Ordnung des Rechts
Colloquium, 29.09.2026
Dilemmas of Artistic Freedom
One might think that free art flourishes in a free society. But things are more complicated. Different forms of artistic freedom (legal, social, political) do not mutually reinforce each other, but may create contradictions.
Köpfe und Ideen 2021
Analyzing the Aphorism
A conversation between Fellow 2018/2019 Juliane Vogel and Permanent Fellow Christoph Möllers
Publications from the Fellow Library
Möllers, Christoph (Göttingen, 2026)
Autoritäre Bedrohungen der Wissenschaftsfreiheit
Möllers, Christoph (Berlin, 2026)
Öffentliche Kunstfreiheit Suhrkamp taschenbuch wissenschaft ; 2490
Möllers, Christoph (München, 2025)
Unverbindlicher Eigensinn : über Freiheiten und Unfreiheiten der Kunst Themen ; Band 111
Möllers, Christoph (Berlin, 2025)
Demokratie und Gewaltengliederung : Studien zur Verfassungstheorie suhrkamp taschenbuch wissenschaft ; 2463
Möllers, Christoph (Hamburg, 2024)
Theorien der Verfassung zur Einführung Zur Einführung ...
Möllers, Christoph (Oxford, United Kingdom, 2020)
The possibility of norms : social practice beyond morals and causes Die Möglichkeit der Normen
Möllers, Christoph (Berlin, 2020)
Freiheitsgrade : Elemente einer liberalen politischen Mechanik edition suhrkamp ; 2755
Möllers, Christoph (Oxford, United Kingdom, 2020)
The German Federal Constitutional Court : the court without limits Das entgrenzte Gericht
Möllers, Christoph (Tübingen, 2018)
Demokratiesicherung in der Europäischen Union : Studie zu einem Dilemma
Möllers, Christoph (Baden-Baden, 2018)
Human dignity in context : explorations of a contested concept Recht im Kontext ; volume 5
Lectures & Keynotes 01/14/15
Auf der Suche nach Akzeptanz. Über Legitimationsdefizite und Legitimationsressourcen der EU
Workshop (Convener) 03/13/24
Observatorium: Wie viel Theorie braucht das Recht?
Workshop (Convener) 10/27/16
Constitutionalisms in Europe: Britain, France, Germany
Workshop (Convener) 11/06/14
What Makes New Forms of Authoritarianism so Attractive? - Rethinking the Shades between Authoritarian and Democratic Rule
Made at Wiko 06/16/25
Events
Christoph Möllers | Andreas Voßkuhle
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers | Michel Friedman
Christoph Möllers
Petra Schleiter | Florian Meinel | Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers | Christoph Krenn | Ulrich Karpenstein
Christoph Möllers | Fellows
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Grabenwarter | Dieter Grimm | Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers
Dieter Grimm | Christoph Möllers | Deirdre Curtin
Christoph Möllers | Rainer Forst | Michael Zürn
Christoph Möllers | Rainer Forst | Michael Zürn
Norbert Lammert | Christoph Möllers
Christoph Möllers