Welcome to the Virtual Reading Group
Join us for a thoughtful and spirited exploration of the works of Hannah Arendt. Founder and Academic Director Roger Berkowitz personally leads the VRG each week and engages closely with members as he conducts in-depth readings of Arendt's books. We read one book or collection of essays over the course of a few months; sessions are held (almost) every Friday at 1pm Eastern Time. To prepare, we read selections ranging from 20 to 50 pages. The group progresses slowly to allow for close readings. Sessions are conducted via Zoom. See below for information on how to participate and what the group is currently reading. If you have any questions, please email Jana Mader, Director of Academic programs at [email protected].
What We're Reading
Our current book is The Life of the Mind, published three years after Arendt’s passing in 1978. In this work, she explores the nature of thinking, willing, and judging, examining how these mental faculties shape our understanding of justice, reason, and responsibility in the face of modern crises of meaning.
Find the new Critical Edition here. (We are also referring to the original Mary McCarthy edition, for those who wish to read that version.)
Our current reading schedule
Friday, June 20
Book II, Willing – Introduction and Syllabus, Section 1, 2, and 3
Friday, June 27 No session
Friday, July 4 Independence Day – No session
Friday, July 11
Book II, Willing - Chapter I: The Philosophers and the Will (continued) Sections 4, 5, and 6
Friday, July 18
Book II, Willing - Chapter II: Quaestio mihi factus sum sections 7 and 8
Friday, July 25
Book II, Willing - Chapter II: Quaestio mihi factus sum sections 9 and 10
Friday, August 1
Book II, Willing - Chapter III: Will and Intellect, sections 11 and 12
Summer Break: August 8-29 - no sessions
Friday, September 5th
Book II, Willing - Chapter IV: Conclusions, sections 13, 14, and 15
Find the new critical edition here.
What We'll Read Next
Beginning September 12th, we'll read On Revolution, in preparation for our annual conference on JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times. Hannah Arendt’s penetrating observations on the modern world, based on a profound knowledge of the past, have been fundamental to our understanding of our political landscape. On Revolution is her classic exploration of a phenomenon that has reshaped the globe. From the eighteenth-century rebellions in America and France to the explosive changes of the twentieth century, Arendt traces the changing face of revolution and its relationship to war while underscoring the crucial role such events will play in the future. Illuminating and prescient, this timeless work will fascinate anyone who seeks to decipher the forces that shape our tumultuous age.
Our Upcoming Reading Schedule
Friday, September 12
On Revolution, Introduction: War and Revolution
Friday, September 19
On Revolution, Chp. One: The Meaning of Revolution
Friday, September 26
On Revolution, Chp. Two: The Social Question (Parts I-III)
Friday, October 3
On Revolution, Chp. Two: The Social Question (Parts IV-VI)
Friday, October 10
No VRG
Friday, October 17
No VRG: Fall Conference
Friday, October 24
On Revolution, Chp. Three: The Pursuit of Happiness
Friday, October 31
On Revolution, Chp. Four: Foundation I: Constitution Liberatis
Friday, November 7
On Revolution, Chp. Five: Foundation II: Novus Ordo Saeclorum
Friday, November 14
No VRG
Friday, November 21
On Revolution, Chp. Six: The Revolutionary Tradition and Its Lost Treasure (Parts I-II)
Friday, November 28
No VRG: Thanksgiving Break
Friday, December 5
No VRG
Friday, December 12
On Revolution, Chp. VI: The Revolutionary Tradition and Its Lost Treasure (Parts III-IV).
Winter Break: December 19-January 30
Participation is Free for HAC Members and Bard Students
If you're not a member yet, join the Hannah Arendt Center and click "yes" when asked if you'd like to participate. Once you're signed up, you'll receive emails with all the information you need to attend the upcoming VRG session. All sessions are recorded and made available to members on our Youtube channel.
In the VRG but want more?
The Hannah Arendt Center Dialogue Project gathers smaller groups of readers to further explore and discuss texts from the Virtual Reading Group. Participation in the VRG is free for HAC members.
See the Virtual Reading Group in Action
The Virtual Reading Group is a lively discussion based on a close reading of selected works by Hannah Arendt. Using Zoom, Roger Berkowitz and Jana Mader, lead groups of 60 to 100 members through selected chapters.
What Participants Are Saying
"I originally became a member during the pandemic because a New York Times article recommended the VRG. I have barely missed a Friday since. Now have a shelf of Arendt books that we have read together and which have helped me understand the historic events Arendt observed 90 years ago and their eerie resonance with the historic moment we find ourselves in now. Thank you, Roger, and the group!" - a senior citizen member
"Learning from HAC keeps me sane and hopeful both for my country (the Philippines) and the entire world." - Anamarie Avecilla, Makati City, Phillippines
"I value the Bard community, exchange of thoughts and ideas, the shared values, the reading group. The sense of friendship. Plus, we have to join forces to protect our democracy." - Barbara Bechtolsheim, Hamden, CT