Empathy

The subject of empathy is now receiving more attention than ever before. There are currently calls in many areas of society to make empathy a fundamental element of all political and interpersonal actions. Social scientists consider empathy to be an important social resource in a world characterized by the challenges of globalization, increasing individualization and an endangered ecosystem. Economists such as Jeremy Rifkin (2009) have suggested replacing the US myth of the ‘American Dream’ with the new self-image of an ‘empathetic civilization’.

In its first period (ummer 2021 to winter 2022/23), the CAS Research Focus aimed to provide a sharper humanistic definition of the term empathy and at the same time to focus more specifically on the practices of empathy, for example in theatre. While empathy is currently being discussed in philosophical circles, particularly in the areas of comprehension as well as moral philosophy and ethics, it is also becoming increasingly relevant from both a theoretical and practical perspective in artistic and literary studies on the levels of production, representation and reception. Art and literature are in a position not only to evoke and shape practices of empathy, but also to reflect and critically examine them.

Since summer semester 2023 the working group as well as the perspectives is extended. Psychology (Thomas Ehring, Mario Gollwitzer, Markus Paulus) and economics (Simeon Schudy) are being added to the humanities (Monika Betzler, Claudia Olk, Ulf Otto, Susanne Reichlin).

Spokespersons

• Prof. Dr. Claudia Olk (English Literature, LMU)

• Prof. Dr. Markus Paulus (Psychology, LMU, since April 2023)

Research Focus Group

• Prof. Dr. Monika Betzler (Philosophy, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Ehring (Psychology, LMU, since April 2023)
• Prof. Dr. Mario Gollwitzer (Psychology, LMU, since April 2023)
• Prof. Dr. Erasmus Mayr (Philosophy, University of Regensburg, until March 2023)
• Prof. Dr. Susanne Reichlin (Medieval Studies, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Ulf Otto (Theatre Studies, LMU)
• PD Dr. Simeon Schudy (Economics, LMU, since April 2023)
• Dr. Magdalena Zorn (Musicology, LMU / Frankfurt, until March 2023)

Fellows

• Prof. Rae Langton, Ph.D. (University of Cambridge)
• Prof. Richard Holton, Ph.D. (University of Cambridge)
• Prof. Rae Langton, Ph.D. (University of Cambridge)
• Prof. Dr. Niklaus Largier (UC Berkeley)
• Hannah Read, Ph.D. (Wake Forest)
• Karsten R. Stueber (College of the Holy Cross)
• Prof. Natan Sznaider, Ph.D. (Academic College of
  Tel-Aviv-Yaffo)
• Dr. David Trippett (University of Cambridge)

CAS^Video

Please find video recordings of this Research Focus here: CAS^Video – Empathy.

Events

• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Ute Frevert and Prof. Thomas Kohut, Ph.D. – "The History of Empathy Revisited"
  (Summer Semester 2021)
• Lecture Series Winter Semester 2021/22 – "Arts and Skills of Empathy"
• Panel Discussion with Prof. Matthew Reason, Ph.D. und Kirsty Sedgman, Ph.D. – "Audiencing and Empathy"
  (Summer Semester 2022)
• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Niklaus Largier – "Mit Auerbach Lesen"
  (Summer Semester 2022)
• Lecture by Prof. Natan Sznaider, Ph.D. – "Mitgefühl und die Politik des Nie Wieder. Ist politisches Leid vergleichbar?"
  (Summer Semester 2022)
• Workshop "The Philosophy of Empathy: Recent Trends and New Developments"
  (Summer Semester 2022)
• Lecture by Prof. Priscilla Layne, Ph.D. and Prof. Katrin Sieg, Ph.D. | Moderation: Dr. Grit Köppen (UdK Berlin) – "Decolonizing “Einfühlung”? Negotiations of Empathy in Contemporary German Drama"
  (8th December 2022, 6:30 p.m. ) | (Winter Semester 2022/23)