Dr. Matthew Handelman

Biography

Matthew Handelman is an Associate Professor of German and a member of the Core Faculty in the Digital Humanities at Michigan State University. His research interests include German-Jewish literature and philosophy in the early twentieth century, the intersections of science, mathematics, and culture in German-speaking countries, and the history of technology within the digital humanities. His book, 'Mathematical Imagination: Origin and Promise of Critical Theory,' published by Fordham University Press in 2019, explores the underdeveloped possibilities of mathematics in critical theory, particularly focusing on how it helped influential figures like Gershom Scholem and Franz Rosenzweig navigate the intellectual crises faced by German Jews during the Weimar Republic. Handelman has published articles in notable journals such as the 'Germanic Review,' 'Scientia Poetica,' and the 'Leo Baeck Yearbook.' He is currently working on a book that examines the cultural politics of critical theory, highlighting the influence of culture in political discourse and its role in cultural critique within the contexts of the culture wars of the Weimar Republic and contemporary politics. His preliminary studies on the relationship between generative artificial intelligence and critical theory have appeared in 'Critical Inquiry.'

Research Interests

Experience