Verunsicherung. Emotions of Uncertainty and Insecurity in the 18th Century

Verunsicherung. Emotions of Uncertainty and Insecurity in the 18th Century

Martin Luther Universität Halle

The Age of Enlightenment is often seen as an era of happiness. This idea was shaped in contemporary historiography and is still reproduced in historical scholarship today. A critical examination of the concept reveals that it is rooted in a variety of assumptions, including a pronounced belief in progress. But does this image of the Enlightenment as an era of reason reflect the times? Or does it obscure the developments and events that shocked contemporaries and led Paul Hazard to speak of a 'crise de la conscience'?

The conference will take this ambivalence as a starting point. To this end, the historiographical, ideological, artistic and gender-specific constructions of the Enlightenment will be scrutinised from an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective. The concept of uncertainty will be used to productively question the prevailing image of the Enlightenment and stimulate new perspectives.