Walter Benjamin, On the Concept of History (1940). A Reading Seminar

Since the 1970s, the eighteen theses on the philosophy of history formulated by Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) in exile in Paris in the spring of 1940 have been viewed as a canonical text in the humanities. This academic engagement with Benjamin’s concept of history has been especially pronounced in the fields of literary and cultural studies, philosophy, media studies, and in the context of postmodern theories. In subsequent decades, this engagement intensified internationally. This seminar is dedicated to understanding and historically contextualizing Walter Benjamin’s theses through a precise and critical reading of his work. It will also examine the extent to which historiography has engaged with this paradigmatic text by the German-Jewish intellectual. Last but not least, it will address the question of what Benjamin’s thoughts on the concept of history may contribute to critical contemporary engagements with history and historiography.

Literature: A reading list will be provided in advance.

Open for senior students: no