This doctoral project seeks to offer an aesthetic and phenomenological analysis of the appearing of the seemingly historic as an event. Contrary to a teleological universality adhering to traditional models of history, beyond a supposed origin causality and overall processuality, an examination of the temporality of the fragmented and nevertheless – or precisely for that reason –specific is required. This involves establishing from the interplay of three or more parties if and to what degree the appearing of the seemingly historic is different. Whether and to what extent, first, the empowered, second, those who historicize and, last but not least, the affected, reliant on their respective efforts, condition the appearing of the seemingly historic in different ways. Evidence of this happening points to something that may offer a distinction between oppressive and emancipatory history. Withdrawing the appearing of the historic from the control of the empowered may not only engender a self-dynamic structure but also tear down the established horizon of the possible. It remains to be proven if such an appearing implies a kind of appearing which then would be one of political participation. It seems that, the moment the historic is not determined in the back room by the empowered as a new norm imposed on the affected, and these occupy themselves the back room, the affected become themselves the empowered and the former back room becomes the space of appearance, which then includes the once excluded.

Tutors:

• Prof. Dr. Juliane Rebentisch
• ​Prof. Heiner Blum