From Taylor Swift’s call to vote to Thomas Mann’s embrace of democracy: We crave stories of dramatic transformation. But behind every public gesture lie doubts, hesitation, and a long, quiet process. What does it really mean to “wake up” politically? Why are we drawn to the spectacle—and what do we miss when we overlook the everyday, unseen work of conviction? Read Mirko Lux’s new essay on #Mann2025 👉 https://mann2025.de/political-awakening-as-modern-myth-from-taylor-swift-to-thomas-mann/ — Von Taylor Swifts Wahlaufruf bis zu Thomas Manns Bekenntnis zur Republik: Wir lieben die Geschichte vom plötzlichen Wandel. Doch hinter jedem öffentlichen Bekenntnis stehen Zweifel, Zögern und ein langer, leiser Prozess. Was heißt es wirklich, „politisch zu erwachen“? Warum fasziniert uns das Spektakel – und was entgeht uns, wenn wir die alltägliche, unsichtbare Arbeit an Haltung und Bewusstsein ausblenden? Jetzt den Essay von Mirko Lux auf #Mann2025 lesen! 👉 https://mann2025.de/de/das-politische-erwachen-als-moderner-mythos-von-taylor-swift-zu-thomas-mann/ Monacensia im Hildebrandhaus Buddenbrookhaus (Heinrich-und-Thomas-Mann-Zentrum) Thomas Mann S. Fischer Verlage ETH-Bibliothek Zürich (fb)

What an inspiring & thought provoking weekend in Washington DC! 💭 The Thomas Mann House, Goethe-Institut Washington, USC Libraries and USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research hosted “An Appeal to Reason – A Celebration of Democracy, Freedom & Culture” on the occasion of Thomas Mann’s 150th birthday this year. With renowned panelists from political science, literature, human rights, and cultural nonprofits, our program revolved around the state of the world of literature and democratic values, and the continual role Thomas Mann plays in resisting authoritarian regimes ✨ Thomas Mann scholar Hans Rudolf Vaget focused on Mann’s affiliation to Washington & the Library of Congress during his time of exile on both the East and West Coast, followed by actress Renea S. Brown’s impassioned recital of two famed speeches the writer gave in the US. In their conversation “The Power of the Pen”, human rights advocate Kimberly Marteau Emerson & PEN America Co-CEO Summer Lopez delved into the relationship of free speech, the protection of writers, and the power of creative writing in upholding democracies. After a break full of conversations—accompanied by artist Adele Kenworthy’s floral sculpture on memory and archives rooted in family history and pro-democracy movements—Grammy-nominated musician Kokayi brought us back to Mann with his specially commissioned sound piece & installation “An Appeal to Reason” (look out for the work at Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden later this year!). And finally, the panel “Democracy Will Win” with bestselling authors Azar Nafisi & Daniel Ziblatt, moderated by transatlantic scholar Jeffrey Gedmin reminded us of the endangered state of democracies, citizens’ responsibilities under authoritarian rule, and the resilience of literature in these trying times. Thank you for joining us on the East Coast, and look out for the whole event recording on our Youtube channel – link in bio! Featuring Azar Nafisi Daniel Ziblatt #hansrudolfvaget #kimberlymarteauemerson Summer Lopez PEN America #jeffreygedmin KOKAYI #reneabrown Pro Bono ASL #thomasmannjahr2025 #thomasmann #goetheinstitut #goetheinstitutwashington #GermanLiterature #Democracy (fb)