German Intellectual History: Walter Benjamin's Theory of Modernity

Walter Benjamin, over the course of his career, developed a comprehensive theory of urban capitalist modernity. This course will trace the development of this theory from the mid-1920's through 1940, concentrating on the finished texts that emanated from the great complex of the Arcades Project. Particular emphasis will be placed on Benjamin's arguments regarding the role of modern technological media in the constitution of modern experience.