Biography

Born 1951, in Hannover, Germany. Study of German Literature, Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Universität Hannover, Universität Gießen, Universität Tübingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany.
1978 First State Examination at the Universität Göttingen. Thesis title: “Die Funktion des Dritten in Robert Musils ‘Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften’” (The Function of the Third in Robert Musil’s ‘Man Without Qualitites’). 1980/81 Teacher, Max-Planck-Gymnasium Göttingen. 1982-1984 Scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation. Influenced by the social philosopher Klaus Hartmann (Tübingen) and the sociologist Hans Paul Bahrdt (Göttingen). 1988-1995 Lecturer, Civic Education on European Politics, Niedersachsen. 1997 Ph.D., Institut für Soziologie, Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Göttingen. Dissertation title: “Philosophische Anthropologie. Zur Bildungsgeschichte eines Denkansatzes” (Philosophical Anthropology. The Historical Formation of an Approach). 1999 Co-Founder, Helmuth-Plessner-Association, Göttingen, General Secretary, Helmuth-Plessner-Association, 1999-2005. 1999-2008 Research Associate / Lecturer, Institut für Soziologie, Chair in Soziologische Theorie, Theoriegeschichte und Kultursoziologie, Philosophischen Fakultät, Technische Universität Dresden.
Fall 2008/09 and Spring 2009 Research Associate / Lecturer, Institut für Philosophie, Universität Bamberg. June 2010 Habilitation Philosophische Fakultät, Technische Universität Dresden (Habilitation Thesis “Der Andere und der Dritte. Zur Grundlegung der Sozialtheorie” (The Other and the Third. The Foundation of Social Theory)). Spring 2009/10 Visiting Professor for Soziologische Theorie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Fall 2010 Visiting Fellow at the German Research Association Research Group (Graduiertenkolleg 1288) “Friends, Patrons, Clients”, Universität Freiburg. Spring 2011 and Winter 2011/2012 Visiting Professor for Allgemeine Soziologie / Soziologische Theorie, Universität Halle-Wittenberg. Summer 2012 Visiting Professor for Vergleichende Kultursoziologie, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder. 2012/13 - 2020; again 2024/25 Visiting Professor MA "Soziale und Politische Theorie", Universität Innsbruck. Visiting Professor 2013 University of Basel; 2015 University of Graz). 2011-2017 President of the Helmuth Plessner Society. Summer 2012 appointed to Honorary Professor of Sociology at TU Dresden (Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Joachim Fischer). 2016 - 2020 DFG-Research-Project: "Nicolai Hartmann - Die Cirkel-Protokolle" (zus. m. Gerald Hartung).

Main Research and Areas of Responsibility: General Sociology, Sociological Theory, History of Theories, Comparative Theories, Social Theory, and Philosophy of Science, Societial Theory, Contemporary Analysis, Cultural Sociology, Sociology of Architecture and of Space, Urban Sociology; Philosophical Anthropology; Max Scheler, Helmuth Plessner; Nicolai Hartmann.