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!
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.
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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
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.
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.
How the Virtual Reading Group Works
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
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.
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.
