Laura Bieger

Prof. Dr. Laura Bieger is a professor of American Studies at Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), specializing in literary theory, critical theory, and cultural history. She holds a Magister from Freie Universität Berlin and a Dr. Phil. from FU Berlin (2006), followed by a Habilitation in 2013. Previously, she held professorships at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (2014–2017) and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (2017–2022). Her research explores the relationship between aesthetics, politics, and social practices in U.S. cultural history, with a focus on public space, literary engagement, and democracy.

• Education:
  • Magister in American Studies, History, and Philosophy, Freie Universität Berlin
  • Dr. Phil., Freie Universität Berlin (2006)
  • Habilitation (Venia Legendi in Americanistik), Freie Universität Berlin (2013)
• Positions:
  • Professorin für amerikanische Literatur und Kultur, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (2014–2017)
  • Professorin für American Studies, Political Culture and Theory, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (2017–2022)
  • Universitätsprofessorin American Studies, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (since 2022)

Her work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary inquiries into space, democracy, and cultural practices. Key publications include Ästhetik der Immersion (2007), Belonging and Narrative (2018), and the forthcoming Reading for Democracy (2024). She has been a research fellow at Harvard University, NYU, and UC Berkeley. Current projects examine literature’s role in fostering democratic engagement and rethinking humanist concepts in American art.

Laura Bieger’s research emphasizes praxeological approaches, treating literature as a social practice shaped by networks of actors and institutions. Her work on public intellectuals, cultural fields, and transnational American Studies highlights intersections between aesthetics, politics, and societal change. Collaborative projects include edited volumes on Richard Wright, spatial narratives, and the humanist imagination in American art.