Trust is an essential factor in establishing, maintaining, and developing interpersonal relationships and communities. Breakdowns in trust, breaches of trust, and misplaced trust lie at the heart of many of the global challenges faced by humanity today. It is essential to tackle the global erosion of trust by bringing together different disciplines, shared experiences, and ideas from across disciplines and cultures. That is why we created Trust & Society — The Global Network on Trust.
Dr. Matthew Pawlak Wins Award for Sarcasm in Paul’s Letters
02 July 2024
Matthew Pawlak, our Academic Network Leader has just won the Beare Award from the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (CSBS) for his book Sarcasm in Paul’s Letters (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Named for renowned Canadian biblical scholar Francis W. Beare, the Beare Award recognizes one outstanding book per year in the areas of Christian Origins, Post-Biblical Judaism, and/or Graeco-Roman Religions.
The LSRS is an affiliate institute of the University of Bonn!
25 September 2023
The University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) and the Luxembourg School of Religion & Society (LSRS) have signed a cooperation agreement that establishes the LSRS as an affiliate institute of the University of Bonn. A ceremony followed by a reception took place on September 25, 2023 in the ballroom of the University of Bonn to mark the implementation of this collaboration agreement, which represents a very important milestone for the LSRS since its founding in 2015...
The Trust & Society Conference 2023
20 July 2023
On July 19-20 2023, the Trust & Society network held its first international conference in Luxembourg. The Trust & Society Conference connected interdisciplinary researchers with practitioners facing a range of challenges related to the crises of trust that society is currently facing...
The Transformative Impact of AI on International Relations - A Panel Discussion Moderated by Diego Brasioli
03 March 2025
In the 21st century, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed from a theoretical wonder to a real force, and with it the race to dominate new technologies is proving to be a key geopolitical concern. The panel discussion aims at presenting the forthcoming Handbook on AI and International Relations. The participants will focus on the ways in which AI is transforming the landscape of international relations and the challenges this brings, as well as on the need for regulations and oversight to make sure that AI is used in an ethical way; AI’s role in conflict resolution and peacekeeping and its influence on economic alliances; the ethical and moral dilemmas posed by autonomous systems making life-or-death decisions; frameworks that ensure responsible and accountable use of A; how the choices we make today will define the contours of global equilibrium for generations to come. AI significantly impacts trust in international relations by influencing perceptions of reliability and transparency among nations. As countries integrate AI into decision-making and security frameworks, concerns arise about the ethical use of these technologies, particularly regarding surveillance and information manipulation. The ability of AI to alter diplomatic dynamics necessitates new norms and standards to foster mutual trust. Establishing clear guidelines for AI deployment can enhance cooperation and reduce fears of misuse, ultimately shaping a more stable international landscape in the face of rapid technological evolution. Participants: Diego Brasioli, Special Envoy for Cybersecurity of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International CooperationAndrea de Giorgio, Founder & CEO at Artificial Engineering, LuxembourgGiovanna Gnerre Landini, Expert in international human rights law and international humanitarian lawEnzo Maria Le Fevre Cervini, Head of Sector in the Commission’s Directorate for Digital Services (DG DIGIT)Marco Chini, Senior Research and Technology Associate, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)Alessandro Politi, Director of NATO Defense College FoundationBeatrice Biffi, University of Luxembourg Diplomacy Lab The event is organized under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy.Monday, 3rd March 2025 – From 6.30 pm to 8.00 pmPanel discussion followed by a reception starting at 8.00 pm Please register following this link.
Trust in AI — Global Perspectives Conference
23 May 2024 - 23 May 2024
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), the "Trust in AI" conference serves as a gathering for researchers, AI experts, and practitioners to delve into the critical intersection of trust, society, and the practical use of AI technologies. Through a series of insightful talks and a panel discussion, this event fosters a deep, interdisciplinary dialogue and gives a global perspective on how to build, maintain, and enhance trust in AI systems across various business sectors as well as society in general. This conference is organized by The Italian Embassy in Luxembourg, Two Impulse and Trust & Society – The Global Network on Trust (an LSRS project).
What Keeps Us Together When We Disagree
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Dr. Jean Ehret
Organizers: Luxembourg School of Religion & Society
21 March 2024 - 22 March 2024
International Conference at the Luxembourg School of Religion & Society, in cooperation with the Faculty of Catholic Theology of the University of Bonn, the European Society for Catholic Theology, the International Federation of Catholic Universities, and the Pontifical Academy of Theology.
(Whom) Can We Still Trust? (Whom) Should We Still Trust? Trust in Light of Global Challenges
Speakers: Dr. Matthew Pawlak
12 August 2024 - 17 August 2024
Trust is an important for establishing, maintaining, and developing interpersonal relationships and an essential factor for creating thriving communities. However, society is facing crises of trust; trust in government, religion, experts, and news media is in decline, while misinformation flourishes online. As a result, we find two interrelated problems: on the one hand, there can be too much trust when trust is misplaced in an object that is not trustworthy...
Trust & Society Conference
Speakers: Prof. Robert J. Bies, Prof. Dr. em. Karlijn Demasure, Prof. Epiphane Kinhoun, Prof. Dr. Šimo Maršić, Françoise Thoma, Tom Tripp, Antoinette Weibel, Christopher Jacobi, Chelsea Rae Kelly, Brandon Vaidyanathan, Marc Crochet, H.E. Fleur Thomas, Pierre Gramegna, H.E. Virginia Gamba
19 July 2023 - 20 July 2023
The Trust & Society Conference is a forum for connecting trust research from across disciplines to concrete social issues, by creating opportunities for academics and social actors to engage the conversation on trust together...
University Ethics in a Time of Threat to Democracy and in Need of Social Trust
Humanitas, 2024
The essay highlights that though universities teach every field of professional ethics (for physicians, nurses, business people, finance, journalism, etc.) the university does not teach any courses for administrators or
Subject: University Ethics, Adjunct Faculty, Ethics, Social Trust.
The Problem of Trust - Comparative Analysis of Two Research Approaches
COLLECTED PAPERS OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS AND YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES, 2023
Trust in a comparative analysis of Rother's social learning theory and social capital theory (in Bulgarian).
Subject: Social Trust.
Restoring Social Trust
From Populism to Synodality
Theological Studies, 2023
Social trust has been compromised locally, nationally, and globally, and very recently more and more social scientists, ethicists, theologians, and civic leaders have highlighted its necessity for the function of social
Subject: Religion, Ethics, Social Trust, Theology.
Social Trust and the Ethics of Our Institutions
Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 2022
Social trust is the basic resource for our institutions and is notably maintained by leaders who have what I call a vulnerable style and a vigilant capacity to recognize ethical challenges on the horizon. The essay follows five steps: a meditation on social trust, an introduction to the notion of style, and a proposal for a vulnerable style so as to become collectively capacious for recognition. Then it turns to the two institutions under examination at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics (SCE): the church and the academy.
Subject: Religion, Ethics, Social Trust, Theology.
Inspiring Trust
Church Communications and Organizational Vulnerability
Edusc, 2021
Cultural and social changes, together with scandals and the incoherence of some groups, led citizens to evaluate organisations more rigorously than ever before. Since then, a culture of suspicion towards political parties, financial institutions, trade unions, the media and also - of course - the Church, has been the norm. This book contains a collection of articles by a variety of authors on a central theme: trust. As a background, the current distrust of the Catholic Church is addressed in many cases.
Subject: Religion, Social Trust.
Ethics of Care
Values, Virtues and Dialogue
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021
When we want to provide good care, we often take the will of care users as our starting point. However, how do we do this for vulnerable people who are highly dependent on care? This book offers a practical and theory-based method for ethical deliberation. It encourages care providers to engage in ethical empowerment, making their own ethically responsible decisions based on values, virtues and dialogue. This method is applied to important social developments that care providers are challenging today: from evolutions around networks and confidentiality, decision-making capacity and informed consent, assertive care and restriction of freedom, to euthanasia. The foundation of this method is a relational care ethics, linking everyone who participates in care with the other parties involved. This relationship forms the link between the care user, the next of kin and the care providers. Good care starts from the connection between people. This book will appeal to all professionals in the various care sectors, as well as teachers and students the ethics of care.
Subject: Ethics.
Second Acts and Second Chances
The Bumpy Road to Redemption
Journal of Management Inquiry, 2021
Throughout history, there are numerous examples of business and government leaders who have fallen from grace only to rise again, and have a “second act” and a “second chance” as a legitimate social actor or leader—that is, they achieved redemption. We explore “the road to redemption” of leaders—when and why it occurs, and what “bumps” prevent it. In our analysis, we conceptualize redemption as a process with three elements—remorse, rehabilitation, and restoration—and as an outcome (the restoration of legitimacy). We argue that achieving redemption is not a product of chance; rather, it is a social construction process of narrative creation and identity construction involving many parties. Also, the road to redemption is shaped by cultural-specific factors—and it is temporally dependent. From this framework, we identify new directions for the theory and practice of leadership.
Subject: Redemption, Leadership, Management, Business.
Ohne Vertrauen geht es nicht
Zur praktischen Bedeutung von Vertrauen
Religionsunterricht an höheren Schulen 52 , 2009
The article explores the metaethical question of what specific normative structures trust has and how the normativity of trust differs from the normativity of norms.
Subject: Normativity, Trust, Ethics.
Vertrauen durch Selbstbestimmung – Selbstbestimmung durch Vertrauen
Ein Beitrag zur ethischen Reflexion professioneller Helferbeziehungen
Religionsunterricht an höheren Schulen 52 (2009) , 2009
Trust plays an important role in professional caregiver relationships. The article discusses the extent to which trust strengthens autonomy in helping relationships and how autonomy can promote trust.
Subject: Care, Autonomy, Normativity, Trust, Ethics.
Trust and Distrust
New Relationships and Realities
The Academy of Management Review, 1998
We propose a new theoretical framework for understanding simultaneous trust and distrust within relationships, grounded in assumptions of multidimensionality and the inherent tensions of relationships, and we separate th
Subject: Management, Distrust, Business.