City at Risk. A History of Individuality in Berlin, 1918-1961

In my second book project, I study the constructions and practices of self formation in an important twentieth-century metropolis, combining discourse analysis and historical anthropology. I focus on images of individuality, especially in mass culture, individual self-definitions and struggles to put them into practice, and the intersections and conflicts at work between individuals and institutions or groups. Sources include the boulevard press, letters, and diaries, as well as materials from state and company archives. Thereby, I attempt to analyze specific cases and life histories as well as larger problems and developments.