Alex Freer – Schmitt, Romanticism, and Political Form (16th October)

Critique and the Political Theory Research Group will be hosting a pre-read seminar with Alex Freer on ‘Schmitt, Romanticism, and Political Form’:

Under what conditions is form political? The question has become pressing for literary theory in light of what we might call political formalism, a family of approaches to literary works that emphasize the formal qualities of political arrangements, the political significance of literary forms, or both. This seminar takes up a relatively obscure case in the history of literary criticism to think about the possibilities of political form: Carl Schmitt’s critique of Romanticism. Schmitt is invested in an idea of political form, but dubious that modern literature has much to do with it. Romanticism is, for Schmitt, both the limit case for political form and central to his explanation of the estrangement of literature from politics. I argue that the limitations of Schmitt’s critique of Romanticism have wider implications for his political philosophy than are generally acknowledged; yet the encounter between Schmitt, Romanticism, and form might still open up new ways of thinking about political form today.

The seminar will take place on Wednesday 16th October in 18 Buccleuch Place, room 3.15, at 3pm to 4:30pm. Participants are expected to read the associated paper by Dr Freer. Access to this can be provided upon request by emailing tom.oshea@ed.ac.uk.