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Dr. Carolin Amlinger is a researcher at the University of Basel's Department of German Linguistics and Literature , directing the SNSF Ambizione Grant "Reading: Taste and Social Boundaries" . She studied philosophy, German studies, and sociology at the University of Trier , later earning her doctorate at the Technical University of Darmstadt and the Institute for Social Research Frankfurt am Main with the award-winning thesis "Writing: A Sociology of Literary Work" . Her research centers on Literary Sociology and Social Theory , particularly focusing on the intersection of taste, social boundaries, and cultural struggles. She co-directs the Forum Literary Sociology and has contributed to debates on conspiracy theories and the post-factual age . Her 2023 monograph "Infringed Freedom: Aspects of Libertarian Authoritarianism" (co-authored with Oliver Nachtwey) was shortlisted for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize . Research interests: Literary Sociology, Social Theory, Post-Factual Age, Cultural Studies, Conspiracy Theories, Political Sociology Key projects: SNSF Ambizione Grant "Reading: Taste and Social Boundaries" , co-director of Forum Literary Sociology , visiting fellow at CRC 1472 "Transformations of the Popular" (University of Siegen, 2022/23) Scientific awards: 2022 Dissertation Prize (Friends of TU Darmstadt) 2022 DGS Labor and Industrial Sociology Prize 2023 Young Thinker Award (Sociology category) Recent publications (2024–2025): Focus on literary sociology, libertarian authoritarianism, bureaucratic reform, and social dimensions in text production

• Literary Sociology
• Sociology of Literary Work
• Post-Factual Age
• +5 more

Professor Nicola Gess holds the chair of Modern German Literature at the University of Basel since 2010. She is also a member of the governing board of eikones , the Center for the Theory and History of the Image. Her academic journey includes a doctorate from Humboldt University of Berlin and Princeton University with a thesis on 'The Violence of Music' and habilitation at Freie Universität Berlin on 'Primitive Thinking'. Education: Humboldt University Berlin (PhD), Princeton University (PhD) Current Position: Professor of Modern German Literature (University of Basel) Research Areas: Intermediality, post-factuality, literary primitivism, poetics of wonder Her research explores intersections between literature, music, and cultural epistemology through projects like the SNSF Sinergia group 'The Power of Wonder' and SNSF project 'Halftruths: Truth, Fiction, and Conspiracy in the Post-Factual Age.' She has held visiting scholar positions at prestigious institutions including Max Planck Institute and University of Cologne. Key publications include monographs on Primitive Thinking (2022), Half-Truths (2021), and Astonishment (2019). Her work combines literary analysis with cultural theory, examining topics like musical violence in romanticism, cognitive disruption in literature, and modernist representations of otherness. 2020: Senior Fellow, DFG Center for Advanced Study 'Imaginaries of Power' 2017: Fellow, Käte Hamburger Center (Morphomata) 2023: Visiting Scholar, Freiburg Collaborative Research Center She collaborates with research groups including eikones and leads interdisciplinary initiatives at the intersection of literary theory, cultural studies, and epistemology. Her teaching focuses on modern German literature, intermedial studies, and critical theory.

• Intermediality
• Cultural history of listening
• Literature and music
• +6 more