Hannah Arendt (14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975), German-American philosopher and political theorist, was the first to argue that there were continuities between the age of European imperialism and the age of fascism in Europe. In her pivotal work The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), she established that theories of race, notions of racial and cultural superiority, and the right of ‘superior races’ to expand territorially were themes that connected the white settler colonies, the other imperial possessions, and the fascist ideologies of post-Great War Europe.
Continue reading “Spotlight: Hannah Arendt”Tag: Film and Television Studies
The beginning of a Germany divided

August 13th marks the anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall. The concrete barrier physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Along with separating West Berlin from East German territory, it came to symbolize the “Iron Curtain” that separated Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.
Browse relevant Berghahn titles on the history of a divided Germany. In addition, Berghahn Journals is offering free access to Vol. 29, Issue 2 of German Politics and Society until August 22, 2022. See below for details.
Continue reading “The beginning of a Germany divided”Celebrating Women

Women’s History Month, celebrated during March in the US, and International Women’s day, celebrated March 8th across the world, present an opportunity to honor women’s contributions to history, culture and society while calling for greater equality.
In recognition, Berghahn is delighted to offer discount code IWD2022 for 25% off all Gender Studies print & eBooks throughout March. In addition, Berghahn Journals is offering FREE access to Girlhood Studies until March 15th. Scroll down to view redemption details and read Open Access volumes of the journal Aspasia: The International Yearbook of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern European Women’s and Gender History.
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Open Access Week is Here!

Berghahn Books supports practical Open Access policies that help make scholarship available to a broader audience in a sustainable way.
In addition to offering gold open access options that uphold publication mandates instituted by our authors’ funding partners, we also participate in initiatives, such as Knowledge Unlatched, which provide collective funding opportunities for selected titles.
Additional information regarding our open access policies can be found here, under the “Open Access” tab. If open access status is required for your publication, please contact your Berghahn editor.
Continue reading “Open Access Week is Here!”Of Soldiers and Dreamers: Peter Lilienthal in Latin America
by Claudia Sandberg
Claudia Sandberg is the author of Peter Lilienthal : A Cinema of Exile and Resistance.
Sitting at a wooden bench, the young woman Marcela follows the teacher attentively. She has decided to take part in the literacy campaign that was launched by the Unidad Popular government. In a group with other woman, they have gathered in the meeting place and school of the shanty town community La Victoria, situated at the fringes of the Chilean capital, to get trained for this task. The teacher in front holds up a poster that shows a family of three generations. Below appears the Spanish word HOGAR (home). Marcela protests that this image surely does not represent the reality of many people. The other women chime in by referring to their own situation; they are married, divorced, or widowed, they live alone, with their children or with their parents. The word home means something different to each one of them.
Continue reading “Of Soldiers and Dreamers: Peter Lilienthal in Latin America”The 75th anniversary of the founding of the East German film studio DEFA
Elizabeth Ward
On 17 May 1946, the Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft (DEFA) was officially founded. Over the course of the following four decades, the studio produced nearly 700 feature films, as well as hundred of animation and documentary films. By the time it was finally privatised and sold following German reunification, DEFA was one of Europe’s largest film studios.
Continue reading “The 75th anniversary of the founding of the East German film studio DEFA”Sofia Coppola: The Surface of The Image is Political

In the spirit of esteemed director Sofia Coppola’s fiftieth birthday on 14 May, 2021, we are delighted to share an excerpt of the introduction to Anna Backman Rogers’ award-winning title Sofia Coppola: The Politics of Visual Pleasure.
Continue reading “Sofia Coppola: The Surface of The Image is Political”Titles for May Day

May Day, also called International Workers’ Day, is observed in many countries on May 1. It commemorates the historic struggles and gains of worker and labor movements worldwide.
Commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Read an excerpt from Marek Haltof’s POLISH FILM AND THE HOLOCAUST: Politics and Memory.
Continue reading “Commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising”German Language Day
German Language Day occurs every 12 September, commemorating the language of many of the world’s renowned artists and thinkers. To encourage the speaking of German across the globe, this commemorative day was created in 2001. It is observed every second Saturday in September.