Political Romanticism
‘Political Romanticism’ is a lesser known work by the early Schmitt. As an early work, it is also particularly abstruse. However, it is very much an important insight into what Schmitt believes is the metaphysical ailment plaguing liberalism: romanticism. In this seminar, we will look at Schmitt’s account of romanticism as ‘subjectified occasionalism’ fortified by the conditions of liberal individualism and connect his criticism of romanticism to his concept of the political and the importance of living an existentially meaningful life. We will also explore how Schmitt’s account of romanticism shares parallels with other concepts such as alienation.

Handout: docs.google.com/document/d/1MXCckr7witzGY8tf_leZ32PVYeNEWQjl1Ln7B6kVgvM/edit?usp=sharing
Date: 3 June 2025, 13:00
Venue: Manor Road Building, Manor Road OX1 3UQ
Venue Details: Seminar Room B
Speakers: Speaker to be announced
Organising department: Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR)
Organiser: Jeffrey Liu (University of Oxford, DPIR)
Organiser contact email address: jeffrey.liu@politics.ox.ac.uk
Host: Jeffrey Liu (University of Oxford, DPIR)
Part of: The Political Thought of Carl Schmitt
Booking required?: Recommended
Booking url: https://forms.gle/1C5XmBGE5UuFhKeS7
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Jeffrey Liu