Andreas Gelz

Andreas Gelz serves as Chair of Romance Philology at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg since 2007, specializing in French and Spanish Literature. His academic leadership extends to the Collaborative Research Center 948 'Heroes - Heroizations - Heroisms' where he leads subprojects on sports arenas and aesthetics of affectation. Gelz has held significant institutional roles including membership in the University Senate (2019-2023) and the DFG College 105 for Literary Studies (2016-2024).

His academic formation includes:

• 1984-1991/1994: Romance Studies (French/Spanish Literature) and German Studies at Saarland University
• June 1987: License de Lettres modernes (Université Lyon II)
• March 15, 1991: Magister artium on 'History as Fiction: Claude Simon and the French Revolution'
• November 7, 1994: Doctorate on 'Post-Avant-Garde Aesthetics: Positions in Contemporary French and Italian Literature'
• June 5, 2002: Habilitation on 'Tertulia: Literature and Society in 18th and 19th Century Spain'

Gelz's research examines intersections between literature, culture, and society, with particular emphasis on heroic representations across historical periods. His work investigates how sports arenas function as cultural production sites, how scandal operates as literary and social phenomenon, and how biofiction transforms narrative conventions. His comparative approach spans French, Spanish, and Italian literatures from Enlightenment to contemporary works, revealing consistent patterns in heroic representation while identifying period-specific transformations.

His scholarly output demonstrates an evolving trajectory from early work on tertulias and literary salons to current research on sports literature and affective aesthetics. Gelz's publications reveal interdisciplinary connections between literary studies, cultural history, and media theory, particularly in how heroic figures are constructed, mediated, and deconstructed across different historical contexts and media forms.

Notable recognitions include:

• Internal Senior Fellow of the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (2009-2010, 2011-2012)
• Habilitation scholarship from the German Research Foundation (1998-2001)
• DAAD scholarships for research in France and Spain
• Membership in the DFG College 105 for Literary Studies (2016-2024)

Gelz has supervised 16 doctoral candidates across diverse research areas including violence in Marguerite Yourcenar's work, stadium representations in literature, and sport-heroic relationships. He has secured substantial research funding including DFG/ANR project funding for 'Sports arenas - scenes and (work) sites of sporting events' (2023-2026) and leadership roles in Collaborative Research Center 948 projects on heroism. His editorial work includes serving as editor of 'lendemains. Études comparées sur la France/Comparative French Studies' since 2012 and membership on multiple academic boards.

As director of the 'Aesthetics of Affectation' subproject within SFB 948 (2020-2024), Gelz examines how heroic figures generate and direct attention through aesthetic forms across historical periods. His current research synthesizes previous work on heroic representation to explore affective dynamics in social, political, and economic fields where heroizations often play significant roles.