Europa

The study analyzes ideas of Europe in German-language literature from the late 17th to the mid-19th century. It examines how authors position themselves in relation to Europe and which concepts they develop, based on a broad spatial-theoretical approach and textual hermeneutic analyses. The hypothesis is that the literature paints a predominantly positive picture of Europe, especially in times of crisis. It also investigates whether literary concepts of Europe reinforce or undermine social images and whether they can provide suggestions for the future design of the EU.