German Studies: Books

Contemporary Germany and the fourth wave of far-right politics : from the streets to parliament

This volume provides a state-of-the-art analysis on the fourth wave of far-right politics in Germany by leading scholars in the field. Innovatively, the book focuses not only on the role of the electoral breakthrough of AfD, the Federal Republic's first-ever nationally established far-right party, but also on the many crucial instances of non-party activism, such as the 'New Right' intellectual circles, PEGIDA street protest, and political violence. For a long time, Germany was regarded as an exceptional case because of the lack of an established far-right party on the national level. Times have changed - but Germany still remains unique. The book highlights four features that continue to make the case exceptional within western Europe: (I) The strong diversity of vibrant far-right political players in Germany and their many interconnections, (II) the electoral success of AfD, i.e. the delayed electoral breakthrough of a far-right party on the national level, (III) the importance of 'militant democracy', specifically how established players have responded to AfD, and (IV) the relevance of the east-west divide for understanding far-right politics in Germany. Contributions on these topics highlight the broader theoretical relevance of the analysis of the German far-right, connecting to many research questions that have occupied scholars also in other contexts. The book is essential reading for all those with an interest in the far right, German and European politics, as well as in the interconnections between political parties, social movements, and subcultural milieus (Provided by Publisher).

The Course of Remembrance and Other Essays on Hölderlin

Friedrich Hölderlin (1770-1843) has long been recognized as one of the greatest poets of the German language, but his importance to philosophy has surfaced only comparatively recently. Although Schelling and Hegel acknowledged Hölderlin early on as their equal, for a long time his philosophical thought remained unknown outside the small circle of his friends. Among the most prominent figures in the rediscovery of Hölderlin's thought is Dieter Henrich, who, in a series of highly influential studies over the last thirty years, has shown that Hölderlin played a decisive role in the development of philosophy from Kant to Hegel, and hence in the formation of German Idealism. Among other things, Henrich demonstrated that Hölderlin, while still a student, launched a powerful critique of Fichte's Wissenschaftslehre and outlined an alternative to the dominant view of the foundation of philosophy. This alternative proved pathbreaking for his philosophical friends, forcing Hegel, for example, to abandon his own Kantianism and, eventually, to give systematic articulation to a position that went even beyond Hölderlin's. This volume includes six of Henrich's most important essays on Hölderlin's philosophical significance. Among the topics discussed are Hölderlin's motivation and methodological orientation in his work on German Idealism, the intellectual atmosphere of Hölderlin's student years and the philosophical problems that occupied him, Hölderlin's attitude toward any first-principle philosophy, and the complex personal and philosophical relationships between Hegel and Hölderlin. The last essay is a long, detailed interpretation of one of Hölderlin's greatest poems, "Remembrance." In elucidating its lyric composition and structure, Henrich also seeks to show how it incorporates and develops Hölderlin's philosophical thought (Provided by Publisher).

This title was acquired through the Library's Order a Book service.

Ruins to Riches : the Economic Resurgence of Germany and Japan after 1945

In 1945, Germany and Japan lay prostrate after total war and resounding defeat. By 1960, they had the second and fifth largest economies in the world respectively. This global leadership has been maintained ever since. How did these 'economic miracles' come to pass, and why were these two nations particularly adept at achieving them? Ray Stokes is the first to unpack these questions from comparative and international perspectives, emphasising both the individuals and companies behind this exceptional performance and the broader global political and economic contexts. He highlights the potent mixtures in both countries of judicious state action, effective industrial organisation, benign labour relations, and technological innovation, which they adapted constantly - sometimes painfully - to take full advantage of rapidly growing post-war international trade and globalisation. Together, they explain the spectacular resurgence of Deutschland AG and Japan Incorporated to global economic and technological leadership, which they have sustained to the present (Provided by Publisher).

The Absolute Realist: Collected Writings of Albert Renger-Patzsch, 1923-1967

A towering figure in the history of photography, Albert Renger-Patzsch (1897-1966) has come to epitomize New Objectivity, the signature artistic style of Germany's Weimar Republic. His iconic photographs of geometrically intricate cacti, flooded tidal landscapes, stacks of raw materials, complex gear assemblies, and imposing blast furnace towers exploit the camera's unique capacity to document with uncompromising detail. They embody what his contemporary the journalist Hugo Sieker termed "absolute realism." Renger-Patzsch's skills as a writer remain much less known. He advocated his unique brand of exacting realism across more than fifty articles, essays, lectures, promotional brochures, and unpublished manuscripts addressing the medium of photography, technology, and modernity. Drawing on materials from Renger-Patzsch's papers at the Getty Research Institute and other archives, The Absolute Realist: Collected Writings of Albert Renger-Patzsch, 1923-1967 unites in one volume this skillful photographer's ideas about the defining visual medium of modernity.

(Provided by Publisher).

This title was acquired by the Library's Order a Book Service.