Born 1951, in Hannover, Germany. Study of German Literature,
Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Universität Hannover, Universität Gießen,
Universität Tübingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany.
1978 First State Examination at the Universität Göttingen. Thesis
title: “Die Funktion des Dritten in Robert Musils ‘Der Mann ohne
Eigenschaften’” (The Function of the
Third in Robert Musil’s ‘Man Without Qualitites’). 1980/81 Teacher,
Max-Planck-Gymnasium Göttingen. 1982-1984 Scholarship from the German National
Academic Foundation. 1988-1995 Lecturer, Civic Education
on European Politics, Niedersachsen. 1997 Ph.D., Institut für Soziologie,
Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität Göttingen. Dissertation title:
“Philosophische Anthropologie. Zur Bildungsgeschichte eines Denkansatzes” (Philosophical Anthropology. The Historical Formation of an
Approach). 1999
Co-Founder, Helmuth-Plessner-Association, Göttingen, General Secretary,
Helmuth-Plessner-Association, 1999-2005. 1999-2008
Research
Associate / Lecturer, Institut für Soziologie, Chair in
Soziologische Theorie,
Theoriegeschichte und Kultursoziologie, Philosophischen Fakultät,
Technische
Universität Dresden. Fall 2008/09 and Spring 2009 Research
Associate / Lecturer,
Institut für Philosophie, Universität Bamberg. June 2010
Habilitation Philosophische Fakultät, Technische Universität
Dresden (Habilitation Thesis “Der Andere und der Dritte. Zur Grundlegung der Sozialtheorie” (The Other and the Third. The Foundation of
Social Theory)). Spring
2009/10 Visiting Professor for Soziologische Theorie, Universität
Erlangen-Nürnberg. Fall
2010 Visiting Fellow at the German Research Association Research Group
(Graduiertenkolleg 1288) “Friends, Patrons, Clients”, Universität Freiburg.
Main Research and Areas of Responsibility: General
Sociology, Sociological Theory, History of Theories, Comparative Theories,
Social Theory, and Philosophy of Science, Societial Theory, Contemporary
Analysis, Cultural Sociology, Sociology of Architecture and of Space, Urban
Sociology; Philosophical Anthropology; Max Scheler, Helmuth Plessner.