Scholars from across the country, Germany, Austria, Canada and England will discuss topics varying from justice to the pursuit of happiness on Friday and Saturday during Cal State Long Beach’s Kleist Conference, which will focus on the theme of occupation, in the Karl Anatol Center.
German writer Heinrich von Kleist’s work intertwines his complicated personal life with historical movements taking place during his lifetime. The conference coincides with the 200-year anniversary of his death in 1811.
Revolutions in North America and France, as well as the Napoleonic occupations of the German states, influenced Kleist’s novellas, plays and letters.
“Kleist is an important character in western intellectual history,” said Jeffrey High, professor of German. “Kleist is one of the first writers to experience modernity the way we do. It’s why students like his texts better than some older texts.”
A sense of disconnectedness and disorder began to appear in the 19th century, and one reason Kleist’s work is more comparable to this writing style as opposed to Enlightenment writing focusing on the principles of reason and virtue, High said.
“[Kleist is] not certain about anything — religion, philosophy, politics,” High said. “And it’s not because he hasn’t given it enough thought, it’s because he’s figured out these things are uncertain.”
High is teaching a German literature class focusing exclusively on Kleist and his works this semester. He said he tried to plan the curriculum to ensure the conference will be more significant for students who attend.
“As always, I am most looking forward to watching our students learn,” High said.
“Even for our unusually active and dedicated CSULB German students, for many, organizing and participating in an international conference will be the most important experience of their BA or MA studies.”
The conference was planned and executed by CSULB German graduate students.
Curtis Maughan, a German graduate student, was heavily involved in organizing the event and will be reading his paper on Kleist’s novella “The Duel.”
“I’m looking forward to the different papers and I’m hoping that we have really compelling discussions that follow,” Maughan said. “I think that, with our active student body and such an insightful and enthusiastic keynote speaker, we will have some very interesting discussions that will benefit everyone there.”
Maughan continued to explain the event as an interdisciplinary affair that will be interesting for everyone in attendance.
Seán Allen from the University of Warwick is the keynote speaker and will present at the opening of the conference on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Speakers will continue to present papers until 5 p.m.
On Saturday, speakers will present papers more pedagogical in nature, which will benefit many of Saturday’s German graduate student attendees who are interested in teaching.
“The conference features a nice divide, or accommodation, of academic research, scholarly writing and exchanges of ideas, but is also coupled with the practical end regarding teaching in the classroom,” Maughan said.
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