Law and Reality—A Contradiction?
Our new online series explores exactly this question and puts it to the test
Whether law and reality seem to align has a great deal to do with what we consider just and the experiences we have. The rule of law ensures that our laws deliver on their promises. Since July 24, you can find on our Instagram channel and the website rechtundrealitaet.de Our new series, „Law and Reality.“ In short posts, the foundation invites readers to take a „reality check.“. Taking major everyday social issues as our starting point, we explore the following questions: To what extent are these rights actually enshrined in law, and what challenges arise in enforcing them? These are not simple questions with simple answers—and that is exactly what „Law and Reality“ is all about. After all, in principle, 70 percent of people in Germany have „a great deal“ or „quite a lot“ of trust in the law (Roland Legal Report 2023, p. 11). According to surveys, however, the sense of fairness in Germany is low (Baarck et al. 2022, p. 5)—laws alone are not necessarily responsible for making us feel that we are being treated fairly.
Law and Reality: A Comparison
Starting July 24, 2023, we’ll be following up on Instagram and our website, rechtundrealitaet.de, to discuss law and reality. On our Instagram channel, posts and Reels will provide food for thought on current topics and issues to social justice, climate protection, equality, participation and Migration to spark a conversation and explore how each of these issues relates to the rule of law. The series is aimed specifically at young people.
A provocative opening thesis on areas of social conflict and a contemporary design invite readers to dive in. Each topic is examined from two perspectives: What does the law say, and what is the reality? Our posts cannot cover an entire complex topic in its entirety. The goal of the series is reflected above all in the question at the end of each informational post: „What do you think?“Users are directed to the Encouraging questions, reflection, and independent exploration. In collaboration with the community and moderated by the foundation, the posts provide opportunities for discussion and debate. For those interested in a more in-depth exploration of the topics, the website rechtundrealitaet.de brings together all the content and offers additional information, links to legal texts, and sources.
In our podcast “Justice, Baby!”, we talk with experts about diverse conceptions of justice and what that has to do with the law.
The one reality?!
The interplay of personal experience, the law, politics, society, the media, and many other factors determines how fairly we perceive our respective realities. Access to justice, case law, changes in legal culture and society—our society is diverse and constantly evolving—and the law must take this into account. The law provides the framework within which acceptable compromises are negotiated on a daily basis for everyone. Consequently, there are diverse social as well as legal perspectives on all of our issues. The „reality check“ brings this to light. For example, by referring to how civil society actors evaluate laws, or by highlighting changes in legal culture, as evidenced, for instance, by amendments to laws.
#LetsTalkAboutLaw #LawAndReality
References:
ROLAND Legal Protection Insurance AG, ROLAND LEGAL REPORT 2023.
Julia Baarck, Mathias Dolls, Kai Unzicker, and Lisa Windsteiger, *A Sense of Justice in Germany*, Gütersloh 2022 (commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation).