Mats Rosengren

Mats Rosengren is Professor of Rhetoric at Uppsala University's Department of Literature and Rhetoric, a position he has held since October 2014. He is also a founding member of the Swedish Ernst Cassirer Society (established in 2004) and has been responsible for the scientific side of Uppsala University's exchange with Collège de France since 2016.

His research spans multiple interconnected fields including the theory and history of rhetoric, epistemology and philosophy of science, French philosophy, cave art studies, and artistic research. Rosengren is particularly known for developing the concept of "doxology" - a rhetorical approach to epistemology that challenges traditional distinctions between doxa (belief) and episteme (knowledge). His major work "Cave Art, Perception and Knowledge" (2012, Palgrave Macmillan) examines Paleolithic cave art from a doxological perspective, with a French expanded translation published in 2019. His recent work focuses on social imaginaries, connecting the philosophies of Ernst Cassirer and Cornelius Castoriadis with contemporary rhetorical perspectives, and since the pandemic he has taught advanced courses on democratic theory and propaganda.

His recent publications reveal a consistent engagement with social imaginaries, democratic theory, and the intersection of rhetoric with philosophy. The articles show a progression from foundational work on doxology to increasingly applied explorations of how social imaginaries shape contemporary political challenges, particularly regarding democracy in the 21st century. His work bridges continental philosophy, rhetorical theory, and cultural analysis with particular emphasis on Castoriadis and Cassirer.

Rosengren is an active translator of French philosophy and has served as editor for the Logos/Pathos series at Glänta Produktion. His teaching and research demonstrate a commitment to connecting historical philosophical concepts with contemporary political challenges, particularly regarding the possibilities for democratic engagement in what he characterizes as increasingly privatized and depoliticized societies.