Petran, Wolfgang
Congratulations on passing the examination on 1 July 2025.
Dissertation topic:
" Forced civilisation. The moral-religious educational programme in the penal reform
in the 19th century."
Contact address at the University of Würzburg:
Professorship of Christian Social Ethics
Bibrastraße 14
97070 Würzburg
First supervisor: Prof Dr Michelle Becka
Second supervisors:
Class in the Graduate School: "Antiquity, History and Religion"
Doctorate in the Graduate School from WS 2020/21.
Abstract:
The subject of the dissertation is the reconstruction of the moral-religious educational programme, which played a significant role in the discussion about penal reform in the period between 1790 and 1850 with regard to the correction of prisoners and the justification of imprisonment. In the history of the penal system and historical crime research, this topic has received relatively little attention to date. In practical theology and pastoral theology, a few works on prison chaplaincy in the 19th century have been published in the context of historical retrospectives.
The reconstruction is based on selected writings by authors of the prison reform debate. The focus is on the interpretation of central concepts such as repentance, atonement, penance, rebirth and selected biblical passages that were considered suitable for prisoners.
The working hypothesis of the dissertation is that the educational programme was aimed at 'catching up' on the formation of conscience and modelling affect in male and female prisoners. It also addresses the question of the conditions under which the penitentiary system can be regarded as a pacified regulatory space that promotes the moral development of prisoners.
The reconstruction of the educational model and its components will be embedded in the contexts of the history of ideas and social history. The contexts will be used to show that 'older', late Enlightenment ideas (e.g. on the 'perfectibility' of man) combined with contemporary religious and intellectual currents of the 19th century (e.g. revivalism, philanthropy, the idea of progress) to form the 'philosophy of improvement'.
Finally, the moral-religious educational programme will be assessed against the requirements of the 19th century, but also against current discussions on the reintegration of prisoners.
