Werner Hamacher

Werner Hamacher (1948–2017) was a German comparatist and literary theorist. He studied comparative literature, philosophy, German studies, sociology and religious studies at the Free University of Berlin, as well as philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. From 1984 to 1998, he was Professor of German and the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University. He subsequently served as Professor of Comparative Literature at Goethe University Frankfurt, where he helped establish the relevant institute. He also taught at the European Graduate School and was Distinguished Global Professor at New York University from 2003 to 2006. Hamacher published works at the intersection of literary studies and philosophy and translated writings by Paul de Man and Jacques Lacan.