News

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. David Hering (University of Liverpool) is joining us at the University of Konstanz as a guest professor from April to May 2024. Dr. Hering brings with him a wealth of expertise in contemporary literature and cultural theory and the haunting phenomena that shape our 21st-century existence.
Dr. Hering's scholarly pursuits extend to the realm of postmodern and contemporary literature, with a special emphasis on the works of David Foster Wallace. At the core of Dr. Hering's current research project, "Holding the Ghost: A Theory of the Contemporary," lies an exploration of the myriad hauntings that define our political, ecological, social, and cultural landscapes. Drawing from the 'spectral turn' initiated by Derrida's seminal work "Spectres of Marx," Dr. Hering argues for a new way to conceptualise and view the contemporary, one that approaches the presence of the past and possible future in the contemporary through a process of affectivity, sympathy, trauma and preservation. His forthcoming monograph, "Holding the Ghost: A Theory of the Contemporary," promises to be a significant contribution to the academic discourse, slated for publication by Cambridge University Press in 2025.

During his stay as a guest professor, Dr. Hering will offer a thought-provoking course titled "Theorizing the Ghost in Contemporary Literature and Culture." This course, scheduled on Mondays from 10am to 1:15pm, will provide students with a unique opportunity to engage with the pervasive theme of haunting across various cultural mediums.

We look forward to welcoming Dr. David Hering to our campus and eagerly anticipate the insights and collaborations that will emerge from his guest professorship.
For more information about Dr. Hering please visit his University of Liverpool page.