Dr. Eric Santner

Biography

Eric L. Santner is the Philip Ida Romberg Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Chicago. He joined Chicago in 1996 after teaching for twelve years at Princeton University. His intellectual journey began with a major in philosophy at Oberlin College, leading him to engage deeply with the German philosophical tradition by studying in Bonn and Freiburg, focusing on prominent figures such as Kant, Heidegger, and Hegel. Santner’s work is critically situated at the intersection of literature, philosophy, psychoanalysis, political theory, and religious thought, and he adopts a cross-disciplinary approach in his teaching. His research interests include Literary Cultural Theory, German-Jewish Literature and Thought, Modernism, and Psychoanalytic Theory. He has mentored numerous students in areas such as German philosophy, German-Jewish thought, literary modernism, and political theory. Santner’s publications include his recent works such as 'Untying Things Together: Philosophy, Literature, Life Theory' and 'Sovereignty, Inc.: Inquiries Politics Enjoyment', reflecting his exploration into memory, mourning, and memorialization in postwar Germany, informed by foundational texts of writers like Kafka and Benjamin.

Research Interests

Experience

Courses