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Eivind Tjønneland

Historian of ideas and author. Regular critic in MODERN TIMES. (Former professor of literature at the University of Bergen.)
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A renewal of the critique of ideology

ALIENATION: This little book by Rahel Jaeggi is stimulating and useful – at a time when ideology criticism and the hermeneutics of suspicion have come under pressure, among other things from people who cultivate 'presence' and the everyday. And what if our actions and institutions are emptied of meaning and go on autopilot – will we be perceived as alienated?
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Hegel's relevance – an attempt to show his relevance today

PHILOSOPHY: Sigurd Hverven emphasizes the procedural aspects of Hegel and draws the conclusion that philosophy is "to grasp one's own time in thought". His book about the German philosopher has gone a long way to becoming a self-help book for young adults and also provides examples of the philosophical consequences of smartphone use, child rearing and love relationships.
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The Crystal Palace's history of ideas

CITY ROOM: The 'greenhouse' a basic metaphor for control of the environment, that which has given man protection throughout history. A crucial question today is whether the ecological greenhouse can be reconciled with the capitalist, "exclusive and endlessly growth-oriented greenhouse".
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On the relationship between poetry and philosophy

PHILOSOPHY: In the book The Poetics of Reason, Stefán Snævarr goes against a too strict concept of rationality: To live rationally is not only to find the best means to realize one's goals, but also to make life meaningful and coherent. Parts of this work should enter all disciplines concerned with models, metaphors and narratives.
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The literature on narcissism has exploded

ESSAY: In 2021, there were 1000 publications on narcissism. Narcissism describes a new social normality. This 'self-realization ideology' has now ended up in selfishness and neoliberalism. But what can account for different degrees of narcissism – is it innate character traits, socialization or cultural background?
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How we sense other people and the world

SUBJECTS: Hartmut Rosa points out that today's late modern people react to the flood of information without "developing a stable understanding of what is relevant, of direction and prioritization". But does the well-educated academic here become an ideologue with religion as a weapon against an increasingly purpose-rational world where the economy colonizes the social?
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Criticism as a role-playing game?

LITERATURE: The informal contexts where one could try and fail without having to stand up for every careless word have shrunk. In Eirik Vassenden's 229-page book about the critic, there are no fewer than 317 question marks. We also ask: Do literary scholars necessarily have any advantage when it comes to human knowledge, life experience or social understanding?
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The showdown with woke

WOKE: The crime community is pushing people over to the right, which is growing because people feel alienated by woke and identity politics. Moreover, the left has become more interested in monitoring each other than forming a common front against the right. Is solidarity and compassion for the suffering of others a limited resource?
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"Resilience and resilience become ideals in times of crisis."

MODERNITY: Sociologist Andreas Reckwitz (b. 1970) has increasingly become a provider of premises in the German social debate. MODERN TIMES meets him at home in Berlin, close to the Humboldt University, where he is a professor. Among other things, he talks about three cultural crises: a political crisis, a crisis in terms of recognition, and a crisis of self-realization.
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Rich full-format MODERN TIMES including the supplement Orientering and Modern Times Review comes out quarterly in early March, June, September and December) with international book reviews (non-fiction) and comments / essays. According to the physical newspaper (and PDF), the articles are published regularly online (see the newsletters).

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