معرفی
Christian Schärf is a Lecturer for Special Tasks at the Institute for Literary Writing and Literary Studies at the University of Hildesheim, where he has served since October 2009. He holds multiple leadership roles including Chair of the Examination Board for Literary Writing and Editing (Master), Chair of the Examination Board for Creative/Literary Writing and Cultural Journalism BA, and serves as a Representative of the Professors' Group on various examination boards. Previously, he was a Lecturer in Creative Writing and Cultural Journalism at the University of Hildesheim (2007-2009), Lecturer (1998-2006), and Research Assistant (1994-1998) at the German Institute of the University of Mainz, where he was appointed associate professor in 2004.
Dr. Schärf studied German Philology, Romance Philology, and Philosophy in Mainz and Paris. His academic journey began as a Research Associate at the German Institute of the University of Mainz (1989-1994).
Christian Schärf's research focuses span a rich interdisciplinary terrain including literary writing, media history of literature, literary and ethnological imagology, essay and essayism research, Nietzsche studies, cultural history of aesthetic productivity, creativity research, and figures of the non-identical. His scholarly approach bridges literary theory with philosophical inquiry, particularly examining how writing functions as both creative practice and cultural phenomenon. His work often explores the intersections between literary form, historical context, and philosophical frameworks, with special attention to German literary modernism and contemporary writing practices.
Schärf's scholarly output reveals a consistent engagement with literary theory, particularly focusing on the essay form, modern German literature, and the philosophical dimensions of writing. His recent publications demonstrate increasing attention to contemporary writing practices while maintaining his foundational interest in literary modernism, particularly figures like Gottfried Benn, Hermann Hesse, and W.G. Sebald. His work frequently examines the relationship between writing, identity formation, and historical consciousness, with a distinctive focus on the material and conceptual spaces of literary creation.
Throughout his career, Schärf has been actively involved in literary culture beyond academia. He has served as head of the Poetry Lectureship at the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz (2000-2006), co-organized the PROSANOVA literature festival (2011, 2014, 2017), and has been a literary reviewer for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung since 2007. He has also contributed to Südwestrundfunk (SWR 2 Essay) since 2010 and has moderated numerous discussions at major literary festivals including lit.COLOGNE, phil.COLOGNE, and lit.RUHR since 2012. From 2013-2018, he led the Edition Pächterhaus publishing house at the Institute for Literary Writing and Literary Studies.
