Joseph Bermas-Dawes

I am a PhD student in philosophy at DePaul University, working on a dissertation that explores the reception of psychoanalysis in the work of 20th-century philosopher and social theorist Theodor Adorno. The Respekt & Wertschätzung Scholarship from the DAAD-Stiftung, made possible through the generous donations of Dr. Michael Aven, provided me with the invaluable opportunity to travel to Germany and access archival material relevant to my project, as well as to meet and consult with scholars in my field.

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At the Theodor W. Adorno Archive

I spent much of my two-month research trip examining unpublished documents at the Theodor W. Adorno Archive which were made available to me in the Walter Benjamin Archive reading room in Berlin. While the archival material I needed is technically housed in Frankfurt at the Institut für Sozialforschung, it is currently only accessible in Berlin.

As such, I made the decision to base my research in Berlin, as the materials were of central importance to my dissertation project. My academic host, Professor Christoph Menke, is a leading contemporary scholar of the Frankfurt School at the reknown Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt and was always available for consultation as I combed through the archive. The essays, letters, and lecture transcripts I examined at the Adorno Archive are unique to that collection—available nowhere else in the world—and were invaluable for my project.

I first encountered references to these texts in German-language scholarship, and there is nowhere else in the world where these documents are accessible. It was incredibly exciting to look at these unpublished documents, such as a seminar presentation from Adorno’s student years on Kant’s critique of rational psychology or an op-ed in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on the place of psychoanalysis in post-war German society. Adorno's writing is marked by dense and complex syntax, making it challenging, but ultimately rewarding, to work through. It is abundantly clear to me that my proficiency in reading German greatly improved during my time at the archive.

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Next to a portrait of Adorno at the archive

The documents I encountered at the archive were deeply illuminative for my project in many ways. For example, while working with archival material, I discovered how central Kant’s critique of Wolffian psychology was to Adorno’s early engagement with Freud. This has led to a major rethinking of one of my dissertation chapters, which is focused on the critique of Kantian moral philosophy in Negative Dialectics. I also came across some unpublished notes that offered interesting insights into Adorno’s understanding of developmental psychology, which are helpful when considering his later emphasis on early childhood education in works like “Education after Auschwitz.”

Outside the archive, my time in Germany was immensely professionally productive. During my trip, I was able to attend various academic events and meet with scholars whose expertise I sought to advance my research. I had the pleasure of attending the “Decolonizing Epistemologies” conference at the Humboldt University of Berlin where I listened to talks given by a number of Brazilian scholars whose research intersects with various social movements, interrogating the relationship between theory and praxis.

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Meeting Güçsal Pusar to discuss Kant

In addition, I had the enriching experience of meeting with scholars whose research interests align with my own. Conversations with Leonhard Riep about his work on Benjamin and Foucault, as well as with Güçsal Pusar regarding his recent writing on Heidegger and Bloch, were not only informative but also helped me articulate my own ideas within a broader scholarly discussion. I also had the profound pleasure of helping with the installation of a sculpture created by my friend and colleague Char O'Dair-Gadler. Their piece, 'Wild Man Kigurumi Mask,' was featured in the exhibit KAUGUMMI IM MOTHERBOARD 2.0, which showcased post-internet art and was hosted at the gr_und artist space in Wedding, Berlin.

Overall, I found myself acclimating to Germany surprisingly fast. My German was a bit rusty upon arrival, which made me nervous about navigating the city; but I found the vast majority of people to be very kind and encouraging as I spoke German with them in bars, cafés, and restaurants. Although many people I met in Berlin would immediately speak to me in English when they heard my accent, most would generously and patiently help me practice my German when I requested.

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Art installation at gr_und art space in Berlin

Much of my free time was spent walking around the city and eating Currywurst, Döner Kebab, and pho. I had the profound pleasure of visiting many of Berlin’s numerous art and history museums including the Berlinische Galerie, Hamburger Bahnhof, The Neue Nationalgalerie, The DDR Museum and The Jewish Museum Berlin. The Deutsches Historisches Museum had an especially fascinating exhibit on the Enlightenment which not only presented the contradictions and tensions of 18th century European thought and society but also included several video installations that displayed interviews with contemporary scientists and scholars, including the philosophers Martha Nussbaum, Kwame Anthony Appiah, and Jack Halberstam.

I spent many nights watching films at the numerous gorgeous movie theaters throughout Berlin: I especially loved the Kino Babylon, where I was able to watch both Wings of Desire and Metropolis–the latter accompanied by a live orchestra! The icy darkness of Berlin in December was effectively counteracted by the warmth of the city’s many Weihnachtsmärkte. I was very content to end 2024 by indulging in Glühwein, Eierpunsch, and hot cocoa as I completed my holiday shopping.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the DAAD-Stiftung and Dr. Michael Aven, whose generous support through the Respekt & Wertschätzung Scholarship made this invaluable research trip to Germany possible.