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Literature in focus: Dr. Schaub about the working class of the 70s
Dr. Christoph Schaub gives the inaugural lecture at the University of Vechta on literary representations of the working class.
Literature in focus: Dr. Schaub about the working class of the 70s
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 his successful habilitation as a private lecturer, but also the current social debates about class society. Interim President Prof. Dr. Thomas Bals warmly welcomed over 50 guests and left no doubt that this event represents an important contribution to the literary discussion.
The dean of Faculty II, Prof. Dr. Karl Martin Born, raised the habilitation of Dr. Stand out as a sign of persistence and scientific depth. This permission to teach independently is not only a step in the scientist's career, but also a link between theory and practice in research and teaching.
Labor controversies
In his lecture, Schaub noted that the last two decades have seen a return to discussion about class society. Contemporary German-language literature in particular has produced a large number of texts since the late 2010s that deal with topics such as social origins, precarization and classist discrimination. Schaub placed a particular focus on autobiographical, autofictional and documentary styles of writing that illuminate the relationship between social class and diversity.
These themes have not only literary but also social significance. The representation of the working class in literature has influenced perceptions over the centuries. Writers such as Bertolt Brecht, Theodor Fontane and Emile Zola dealt intensively with the realities of working people's lives, which contributed to a changed awareness of social justice and solidarity. Especially in Romanticism and Realism, workers were often stylized as innocent victims, while modern and postmodern texts show them as active actors.
Social injustices in focus
The challenges facing the working class are often discussed in literature. Examples such as Goethe's “The Sorrows of Young Werther” or Dickens' “Oliver Twist” illustrate how important authentic representations are for understanding social and political conditions. According to the analysis by das-wissen.de Authors should avoid clichés and paint a nuanced picture of the working class to show its diversity.
With regard to social dynamics and class relations, Schaub is not alone in emphasizing that literary works still deal with crucial political and social issues that affect the rights and living conditions of the working class. It is these voices that continue to raise awareness of social inequalities and encourage reflection.
In teaching, Dr. Schaub will also take over the professorship of Prof. Dr. in the coming winter semester. Gabriele Dürbeck represented, which gave him the opportunity to pass on his insights and his passion for literature. His inaugural lecture represented not only a personal triumph, but also an important step into the future of literary studies at the University of Vechta.