Benjamin Kohlmann

Benjamin Kohlmann serves as Professor of English Literature and Culture at the University of Regensburg, where he has held a full professorship since November 2020. Previously, he was Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Freiburg (2011-2019) and held visiting positions at Columbia University, Cambridge University, UC Davis, and Queen Mary University of London. An elected member of Academia Europaea and the International Association of University Professors of English, Kohlmann maintains an active international research profile with current visiting fellowships at Clare Hall, Cambridge (2024-25).

Education

• Habilitation in English Literature, University of Freiburg (2011-2017)
• PhD in English Literature, Lincoln College, University of Oxford (2007-2010)
• MA in Philosophy/English Literature, University of Freiburg and Yale University (2004-2007)
• Undergraduate Studies in Philosophy/English Literature, University of Freiburg (2001-2004)

Research Focus

Professor Kohlmann specializes in British literature and culture from 1860 to the present, with particular expertise in the relationship between literature and politics. His scholarship explores the literary and cultural histories of socialism and communism, politicized modernism of the interwar years, the prehistory of the welfare state (c.1860-1940), literary histories of populism, and global approaches to literature. His theoretical work examines how literature conceptualizes political structures and revolutionary events, bridging historical analysis with contemporary theoretical concerns.

Publication Trends

Kohlmann's research trajectory reveals a consistent engagement with literature's political dimensions across historical periods. Early work focused on modernist political aesthetics, particularly in the 1930s, as seen in his monograph Committed Styles (2014). Recent scholarship demonstrates increasing attention to global revolutionary narratives and the bildungsroman as political form, culminating in his British Literature and the Life of Institutions (2021) and the forthcoming Revolutionary Subjects. His most recent publications show sophisticated integration of theoretical frameworks with historical analysis, particularly in examining how literature processes revolutionary events and conceptualizes institutional frameworks. The 2023-2025 publications reveal heightened focus on contemporary political formations while maintaining historical depth.

Scientific Recognition

• Heisenberg Programme grant from German Research Foundation (2020-2025)
• Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize (2018)
• Feodor Lynen Fellowship from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• Elected Life Member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge
• Member of Academia Europaea

Academic Leadership

Professor Kohlmann has supervised numerous PhD theses including Nikolina Hatton's award-winning work on decommodified things in 18th-19th century novels and current projects examining democratic essay forms and literary histories of collective resistance. He serves on editorial boards for Critical Quarterly and CUSP, co-edits the Oxford UP book series "Literature and Politics," and has organized multiple international conferences on literature and political thought. His research leadership includes directing the "Writing Collectivity" research group at Regensburg and coordinating international collaborations through the Heisenberg grant.

Research Environment

At Regensburg, Kohlmann contributes to a vibrant research environment within the Department of English and American Studies, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects examining literature's relationship to political economy and social structures. His "Thinking Revolution" project connects with global scholarly networks through visiting fellowships at Cambridge and other institutions. The department's research focus on British literary history benefits from Kohlmann's leadership in organizing international conferences and securing substantial research funding, creating a dynamic environment for graduate students and junior researchers working at the intersection of literature and political thought.