Arndt Brendecke

Prof. Dr. Arndt Brendecke is a Professor of Early Modern History at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), holding the Chair for Early Modern History since 2011. He serves as a spokesperson for the Collaborative Research Centre 1369 ‘Cultures of Vigilance’ and has held leadership roles such as Dean of LMU’s Faculty of History and Arts (2021–2023) and Director of LMU’s History Department (2013, 2014, 2019). His academic career includes visiting professorships at the Université Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne) and the German Historical Institute in London. Brendecke’s research focuses on early modern political and colonial history, with a particular emphasis on Spain’s empire, knowledge politics, and vigilance cultures.

Education:

• PhD in Modern History (1999), LMU Munich
• Habilitation in Modern History (2008), LMU Munich

Research Interests: Brendecke explores the intersection of knowledge, power, and governance in early modern Europe, especially in Spanish colonial contexts. His work on ‘vigilance cultures’ examines how societies historically managed attention and surveillance. Key themes include colonial administration, archival practices, and the conceptual history of modernity.

Awards and Roles: He is a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (2024), Academia Europaea (2016), and the LMU Centre for Advanced Studies. He co-edits major journals like Historische Zeitschrift and has led major research initiatives, including the Collaborative Research Centre 573 (2007–2009) and ProMoHist doctoral program (2012–2023).

Grants and Advisory Roles: Funded projects include the Goethe-Institute’s translation of his habilitation thesis. He advises institutions such as the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and the Munich Centre for Global History. His work bridges historical scholarship with global perspectives, emphasizing the empirical dimensions of early modern empires.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Collaborative Research Centre 1369, exploring vigilance as a cultural and historical phenomenon. Collaborates with international networks like the ‘Network of Early Modern Senses’ and the ‘Cooperation Network of European Routes of Emperor Charles V’.