Caroline Kita

Caroline Kita is an Associate Professor of German and Director of Graduate Studies in German and Comparative Literature at Washington University. She is affiliated with the Performing Arts Department and the Program in Film and Media Studies. Her research focuses on 19th- and 20th-century German and Austrian literature, German-Jewish Studies, aesthetic philosophy, and soundscapes in radio drama. Kita earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from Duke University and holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Boston College. She has conducted studies at the University of Vienna, Potsdam, and Duisburg-Essen. Her work explores religious identity in Jewish writers and composers, music’s role in cultural critique, and postwar German radio’s cultural impact.

Her notable publications include Jewish Difference and the Arts in Vienna (2019) and co-edited volumes such as The Arts of Democratization (2022). Current research involves a National Endowment for the Humanities-supported project on postwar German radio soundscapes. Kita has received prestigious grants including the Fulbright, Ernst Mach, and Franz Werfel Fellowships. She teaches German language courses and seminars on comparative arts, music, and drama.

• Research Interests: German-Jewish literature, soundscapes, radio drama, and postwar cultural critique.
• Awards: NEH Fellowship (2022), multiple Austrian Exchange Service grants, and a Fulbright Grant (2004-05).