In the organizer's words:

Does literature have a political meaning - and if so, what is it? For example, is what we do when we read or discuss what we read a political activity? How can this be defined?

In her new book, literary scholar Laura Bieger argues that literature is political if and because it contributes to negotiating the shape of our shared world. We ask the author what it means to understand literature as a social practice, in what kind of a fabric of reference literary texts find themselves, and what about the practice of speaking and judging literature together - beyond committed literature - can already be political.

Laura Bieger studied American Studies, History and Philosophy in Berlin and North Carolina and has been a professor of American Studies since 2014, having worked in Freiburg and Groningen before moving to Bochum in 2022. Her research interests include the social functions of cultural objects and the relationship between aesthetics and politics.

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The interview was conducted by Annika Schadewaldt and Christian Lamp.

Thomasius Club

The Thomasius Club is an open discussion group that invites academics to discuss current topics of their research. The program of the Thomasius Club is carefully selected and decided by a small group of active members. The Thomasius Club is named in memory of the Leipzig philosopher and legal scholar Christian Thomasius, who began publishing his Monatsgespräche in 1688. The Thomasius Club follows on from the idea of this journal to convey scientific content in German. The approximately one-hour discussions will be made available as a podcast for anyone interested.

An event organized by the Institute of Cultural Studies in cooperation with Leipzig University Library. Supported by L.I.S.A. - The Science Portal of the Gerda Henkel Foundation.