About
Professor Lisa Regazzoni serves as Professor of Theory of History at Bielefeld University within the Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology. She directs the Center for Theories in Historical Research and is a member of the Executive Board of the Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology. Her academic leadership extends to multiple roles including Speaker for History: Politics - Image - Art and membership in Historical Cultures research groups.
Regazzoni completed her academic education with a Magister Artium in Philosophy from the University of Bologna (1998), followed by doctoral studies in Philosophy at the University of Potsdam (2006), and habilitation in Modern History at Goethe University (2020). Her educational background spans philosophy and modern history across Italian and German institutions, reflecting her transnational scholarly perspective.
Her research focuses on the intersection of history, temporality, and materiality, developing what she terms a 'critique of historical materiality.' Regazzoni explores how scholars construct knowledge through material and immaterial sources, particularly examining 18th and 19th century French historical research. Her concept of 'unwritten pasts' addresses methodological limitations in historical reconstruction, while her work on 'monument episteme' investigates how objects function as historical testimony. She has pioneered research on the Reinhart Koselleck Figure Collection, examining how material objects contribute to historical understanding beyond textual sources.
Regazzoni's publication trajectory reveals a sophisticated evolution from literary catalog studies to contemporary investigations of historical materiality. Her recent work demonstrates increasing engagement with object-oriented ontology and the epistemic potential of material culture in historical research. The recurring themes across her publications include the relationship between visual evidence and historical knowledge, the transformation of historical methodology, and the theoretical implications of material objects in historical practice.
- Momentum funding from Volkswagen Foundation (2025) for 'Towards a Material-Oriented Theory of History' (€935,000 over 48 months)
- Nominated for the 1822 university prize for excellence in teaching at Goethe University (2014)
As academic coordinator of the International Graduate School on Political Communication and director of the Center for Theories in Historical Research, Regazzoni has secured significant research funding and fostered interdisciplinary collaboration. She co-founded the Theory-Oriented Object Laboratory (TOOL) with Lara Keuck, creating innovative spaces for material-based historical inquiry. Her leadership extends to the 'Denkraum Theorie' study group, which facilitates theoretical exchange among humanities scholars.
Regazzoni directs the Reinhart Koselleck Figure Collection at Bielefeld University, transforming the historian's personal artifact collection into a research laboratory for historical materiality. Through the Theory-Oriented Object Laboratory (TOOL), she has created interdisciplinary spaces where material objects become catalysts for theoretical reflection on history and medical knowledge. Her leadership in the 'Denkraum Theorie' study group fosters theoretical exchange across disciplines, while her digital humanities work maintains the online platform for Goethe University collections.
