Ernst Bloch Centre for German Thought (BLOCH)

Description

Established in 2007, the Centre for Ernst Bloch Studies has played a pivotal role in reviving interest in the philosophy of Ernst Bloch. Supported in part by a British Academy Research Development Award, the Centre has effectively showcased Bloch's invaluable contributions to continental, radical, and Marxist philosophy throughout the 20th century. As a result, it has spurred a notable surge in scholarly engagement with his ideas. The primary objective of the Centre is to delve deeper into the relevance of Bloch's utopian philosophy across various domains, including practical and theoretical philosophy, as well as broader intellectual, social, and cultural themes.

Over the years, the Centre has hosted international conferences in 2009 and 2010, organised the AHRC research network "The Return of Religion," and facilitated a series of lectures, talks, and seminars in collaboration with the German department at Sheffield University. In 2016, the Centre relocated to the Institute of Modern Languages Research (now Institute of Languages, Cultures, and Societies). Additionally, it has provided financial support for a PhD project focusing on materialism within the context of the contemporary revival of materialisms in the humanities.

The dedicated members of the Centre collectively lead the Bloch Bibliothek project, an initiative aimed at translating and providing commentary on Bloch's complete works. This undertaking involves a growing community of translators and scholars from both national and international backgrounds. The anticipated outcomes include a monograph series, to be published by Brill, and the development of a digital platform.

As a partner of the Prokhorov Centre for the Study of Central and Eastern European Intellectual and Cultural History at Sheffield University, the Centre maintains strong affiliations with universities and research centers both at home (Bochum, Landau, Sydney, Tübingen) and abroad. It also maintains connections with the Ernst Bloch Archive in Ludwigshafen, fostering a rich network of collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

2007

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University affiliation(s)

University of London
London