Amor Mundi

The weekly newsletter of the Hannah Arendt Center

What is most difficult, writes Arendt, is to love the world as it is. Loving the world means neither uncritical acceptance nor contemptuous rejection, but the unwavering facing up to and comprehension of that which is. The opinions expressed in essays on our site are those of their authors.

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About

Amor Mundi (for love of the world) is an exploration of Arendtian topics delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. This includes deep dives into the works of Hannah Arendt and the implications of her ideas on the world today. We feature varied, nuanced, and often opposing viewpoints in this non-partisan publication, and brave and provocative ideas that will help you (re)discover the joy of deep thinking and caring about the world.

When you subscribe to the newsletter, you'll also receive first-hand updates on what we’re doing at HAC (conferences, events, workshops, etc.), an Arendt Quote of the Week with in-depth analysis from Arendt scholars from around the world, and highlights of the work being done on campus by our Student Fellows. Be among the first to know about special offers from our partners and upcoming events!

We've been publishing weekly essays here on our website since 2010, and are now transitioning to the publication platform Medium. You can still read for free with links from our email each Sunday! But now you can highlight sections and comment, too!

Browse our Library of Amor Essays on Medium

A note to new Medium users: if you see an offer pop-up, just simply X out to close and continue reading. You can also Follow HAC on Medium and Subscribe to our publications, to receive additional notifications so you don't miss an essay.

The Radical Politics of Joy

"Is Joy really what Arendt wants us to be talking about, amidst the most racist, cruel, and criminal American administration since the Civil Rights era?" So asked one of my favorite former students, protesting the theme of this year's Hannah Arendt Center Conference: JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times.

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Civil Disobedience and the Spirit of American Democracy

Hannah Arendt wrote that, “Dissent implies consent, and is the hallmark of free government.” We are at a moment when dissent is required if we are to preserve our freedoms.

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Temptations of Tyranny

“If this isn’t tyranny, what is?” So asks Rod Dreher, one of President Trump’s most steadfast intellectual supporters, now increasingly alarmed by the President’s abuses of power.

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An Open Letter To My Friends Who Signed “Philosophy for Palestine”

These are dark times as multiple crises are erupting around the world while talk of a global conflagration is heard in many circles. These are also times that try human relationships, friendships, and alliances.

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Temptations of Tyranny

Rod Dreher’s conflicted support for President Trump illustrates a broader crisis among intellectual conservatives who fear the "soft totalitarianism" of liberal institutions yet embrace the hard authoritarianism of executive overreach. Drawing on Hannah Arendt’s political thought, the essay contends that true freedom is preserved not through charismatic leaders but through the multiplication and decentralization of citizen power. Revitalizing democracy, it argues, requires stubborn, local acts of collective governance rather than the dangerous temptation to concentrate authority in a single figure.

04-27-2025

All Categories

Article, Post

September 4th, 2016

Scott Newstok bemoans the way newly entering college students have been cheated by the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, “which ushered in our disastrous fixation on testing.” He worries that “unrelenting assessment has stunted your imaginations.” In response, he suggests that students open themselves to thinking like Shakespeare.

09-03-2016

Article, Post

Amor Mundi, August 28th 2016

08-28-2016

Podcast

Hannah Arendt and the Negro Question

08-23-2016

Article, Post

Amor Mundi, August 21st 2016

08-21-2016

Article, Post

Amor Mundi, August 14th 2016

08-14-2016

Article, Post

The Courage to Be: Leora Kahn

Clara Gallagher and Milan Miller, HAC student fellows, reflect on Danfung Dennis' visit for our spring 2016 "Courage to Be" dinner/speaker series.

08-09-2016

Article, Post

Amor Mundi, August 7th 2016

Zadie Smith in the New York Review of Books offers her thoughts on Brexit in the United Kingdom. And in doing so, hits upon the fundamental themes that are rocking the liberal consensus around the globe.

08-07-2016

Article, Post

Amor Mundi, July 31st 2016 - #100in10 Final

Robert Zaretsky, citing a 19th century Frenchman but taking on a tradition that goes as far back as Aristotle, wonders whether there really is such a thing as mob rule in the age of Trump, or at any other time:

07-31-2016

Podcast

"How To Get Started," An Improv Performance by Roger Berkowitz

"How to Get Started" from Slought Foundation Archives by Roger Berkowitz. Released: 2016. Genre: Avant-garde.

07-28-2016