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Welcome to the Virtual Reading Group


Join us for a thoughtful and spirited exploration of the works of Hannah Arendt. Sessions are led by the Founder & Academic Director Roger Berkowitz. See below for an updated schedule and description of what the group is currently reading! 


Join HAC Now

How to join

We meet on ZOOM each Friday at 1 PM. 

The VRG is free for Bard and OSUN Students and the public can become a member at any dollar amount.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

Join us!

 

  • Image for Origins of Totalitarianism
    Origins of Totalitarianism

    Friday, Sept. 8
    The Three Prefaces to the Origins of Totalitarianism

    Friday, Sept. 15
    No Meeting: Rosh Hashanah

    Friday Sept. 22
    Chapter One: Antisemitism as an Outrage to Common Sense

    Friday, Sept. 29
    Chapter Two: The Jews, the Nation-State, and the Birth of Antisemitism

    Friday, Oct. 6
    Chapter Three: The Jews and Society

    Friday, Oct. 13
    No Meeting: Annual Conference

    Friday, Oct. 20
    Chapter Four: The Dreyfus Affair

    Friday, Oct. 27
    Chapter Five: The Political Emancipation of the Bourgeoisie

    Friday, Nov. 3
    Chapter 6: Race-Thinking Before Racism

    Friday, Nov. 10
    Chapter 7: Race and Bureaucracy

    Friday, Nov. 17
    Chapter 8: Continental Imperialism: the Pan-Movements

    Friday, Nov. 24
    No Meeting: Thanksgiving Break

    Friday, Dec. 1
    No Meeting


    Friday, Dec. 8
    Chapter 9: The Decline of the Nation-State and the End of the Rights of Man

    Friday, Dec. 15
    Chapter 10: A Classless Society

    Winter Break

    Friday, Jan. 12
    Chapter 11: The Totalitarian Movement

    Friday, Jan. 19
    Chapter 12: Totalitarianism in Power

    Friday, Jan. 26
    Chapter 13: Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government Bibliography

    Friday, Feb. 2
    The Alternative Epilogues
     
  • The Virtual Reading Group 

    We send out weekly reminder emails. The Zoom meeting link remains the same. Sign up below.

    Sign up for our VRG Mailing List
In the VRG but want more?

In the VRG but want more?

The Dialogue Project offers participants in the Virtual Reading Group an additional opportunity to engage with others studying Hannah Arendt.

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. 

Learn More About the Dialogue Project

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.

Join Now >>

How the Virtual Reading Group Works

How the Virtual Reading Group Works

We've switched to Zoom!

We read one book or collection of essays over a few months several times a year. Sessions are generally held every other Friday at 1pm Eastern Time. To prepare, we read selections that are between 20-50 pages. The group moves slowly to allow for close readings.

Sessions are held using the teleconferencing service Zoom.

Get on Zoom >>

See the Virtual Reading Group in Action

From Summer 2019: The Life of the Mind

The Virtual Reading Group is a lively discussion based on a close reading of selected works by Hannah Arendt. Using a teleconferencing platform, Roger Berkowitz and Samantha Hill take turns leading groups of 30 to 60 members through selected chapters.

Watch More Sessions >>

What Participants Are Saying

"That Roger is willing and able to put forth the effort to expand this work beyond the boundary's of academia is fortunate for us and important in the world." —Harold Bush

"The ability to download the sessions afterwards is invaluable for me keeping up with the group. I cannot always participate in session because of the time difference." —Yana Canteloupe

"I applaud you to invite people from around the world to study Hannah Arendt's work with Roger. That we can all connect and participate, it's simply wonderful!" —Gertrud Lawrance

"I've been reading Hannah Arendt for the past few years and this is the first opportunity I've had to hear her work discussed - It was exhilarating!" —Rhea Pretsell

"I think just the fact that is exists is the best thing. It is an honor to sit with such engaged and informed people sharing an interest in Arendt. It was clear from our last meeting in December that HAC has given much thought about ways to continue and I'm happy to work along next year with those proposals." —Donna Weeks

Reading History

The Virtual Reading Group began with Arendt’s The Human Condition over a 12 month period. We then read and discussed her essay “We Refugees”, along with the entirety of Between Past and Future; "Reflections on Little Rock" from Responsibility and Judgment, Crises of the Republic, and On Revolution. We also completed a 13-week, 10-session series discussing The Origins of Totalitarianism.

About Our Moderators

More about our staff

  • Image for Roger Berkowitz
    Roger Berkowitz
    Roger Berkowitz is the Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center and Professor of Political Studies, Philosophy, and Human Rights at Bard College. Professor Berkowitz writes and speaks about how justice is made present in the world.
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