"Ruins of Modernity" RU Reading Discussion: Benjamin, Simmel, Boym

Date
Thu November 18th 2021, 1:30 - 2:30pm
Image: Svetlana Boym, "Leaving Leningrad (1989-2003)," Images without Black, 2003

Please join us virtually next Thursday, Nov. 18th at 1:30pm for a Reading Discussion on Walter Benjamin, Georg Simmel, and Svetlana Boym.

For this first meeting as a group, we will discuss short selections of key texts to the topic of ruins of modernity: The Origin of German Tragic Drama and “Theses on the Philosophy of History” (W. Benjamin, 1928 & 1940, excerpts,) “The Ruin” (G. Simmel, 1911) and “Ruinophilia” (S. Boym, The Off-Modern, 2017.) Find attached PDFs for all readings.

Daniel Hernández (PhD Candidate in ILAC) will kindly serve as discussion starter. The event will be held in English and online. 

Register in advance to receive the Zoom link

Next in December we will host Mercè Picornell, Professor of Literature at the Universitat de les Illes Balears, for a talk on methodological challenges to the approach of modern ruins in literary and cultural studies (this talk will be in Spanish.) 

See below and poster attached for events details and registration links.  

For more information, please contact Prof. Resina or Laura Menéndez at jrresina [at] stanford.edu (jrresina[at]stanford[dot]edu) or lauramen [at] stanford.edu (lauramen[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Hope to see you there!  

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About the group:  

“Ruins of Modernity” seeks to investigate approaches to literature and culture that interrogate contemporary understandings of modern forms and processes of ruination, as well as their material, aesthetic, philosophical, and political implications. The Collaborative Research Project aims to bring together scholars across disciplinary boundaries and in different stages of their careers whose work explores complex attitudes and treatments to this theme. RoM is coordinated by Prof. Resina and graduate student Laura Menéndez. More information here.

Fall 2021 Events - Registration links:   

 

Nov. 18, 1:30pm PST - Reading Discussion: Walter Benjamin, Georg Simmel, and Svetlana Boym.

 

Dec. 2, 11:30am PST – Prof. Mercè Picornell (Universitat de les Illes Balears).

 

*All Fall events will be held online