The focus: Dr. Schaub about the working class of the 1970s

The focus: Dr. Schaub about the working class of the 1970s

On July 15, 2025, the inaugural lecture by Dr. Christoph Schaub. With the title "The literary representation of the working class: the 1970s and the present", Schaub not only illuminated his own academic journey, which was crowned with the successful habilitation as a private lecturer, but also the current social debates about class society. Interim President Prof. Dr. Thomas Bals welcomed over 50 guests and left no doubt that this event is an important contribution to the literary discussion.

The Dean of Faculty II, Prof. Dr. Karl Martin Born, raised Dr. Schaub as a sign of persistence and scientific depth. This permission to independent teaching is not only a step in the career of the scientist, but also a link between theory and practice in research and teaching.

controversy about the workers'

In his lecture, Schaub found that a return of the discussion about class society has been observed in the past two decades. The German-language contemporary literature in particular has produced a variety of texts since the late 2010s that deal with topics such as social origin, precarization and classistic discrimination. Schaub put a special focus on autobiographical, autofictional and documentary spellings that illuminate the relationship between social class and diversity.

These topics have not only literary, but also social importance. The representation of the working class in literature has influenced its perception over the centuries. Writers such as Bertolt Brecht, Theodor Fontane and Emile Zola have dealt intensively with the life's realities of the workers, which contributes to a changed awareness of social justice and solidarity. Especially in romance and realism, workers were often stylized as innocent victims, while modern and postmodern texts show them as active actors.

social grievances in the focus

The challenges with which the working class is confronted are often discussed in the literature. Examples such as Goethe's "The Suffers of the Young Werther" or Dickens' "Oliver Twist" illustrate how important authentic representations are for understanding social and political conditions. According to the analysis of das-wissen.de , authors should avoid clichés and draw a differentiated picture of the working class to show their diversity.

With regard to the social dynamics and class relationships, Schaub is not alone if he emphasizes that literary works still deal with decisive political and social issues that affect the rights and living conditions of the working class. These voices are that further raise awareness of social inequalities and arise to think.

In teaching, Dr. Schaub also the professorship of Prof. Dr. Gabriele Dürbeck represented, which gives him the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and passion for literature. His inaugural lecture was therefore not only a personal triumph, but also an important step into the future of literary studies at the University of Vechta.

Details
OrtVechta, Deutschland
Quellen

Kommentare (0)