Conferences/Workshops

Workshop – Hegel, Dual Use and the Humanities: The Case of Alex Karp, Peter Thiel and Palantir

Jens Martin Gurr
Tue
Sep
08
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Date
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Time
10:00am - 11:00am
Event Location
Decio Faculty Hall Room 107
United States
Event Type
Conferences/Workshops
The Humanities for Democracy initiative explores how the humanities, fine arts, and interpretive social sciences enrich and sustain democratic practice. Grounded in a broad conception of democracy as a cultural way of life, the initiative examines how literature, art, film, and public memory shape vibrant democratic public spheres. By convening Kellogg faculty fellows and graduate students, the project builds a collaborative community dedicated to understanding and fostering the cultural conditions essential to pluralistic democracy.

For more information about any of Jens Martin Gurr's events, please contact Bill Donahue.

Jens Martin Gurr
Professor of British and Anglophone Literature and Culture
Universtität Duisburg-Essen

Join Kellogg Distinguished Scholar Jens Martin Gurr for an informal conversation on the intersection of philosophy, technology, and defense analysis. Drawing on his recent work, Gurr examines how humanistic concepts – such as Hegelian dialectics – are leveraged in contemporary tech leadership and data analytics, specifically focusing on figures like Alex Karp, Peter Thiel, and Palantir. The discussion explores the critical role of the humanities in analyzing "dual-use" intellectual frameworks in modern governance and society.

Jens Martin Gurr is full professor of British and Anglophone literature and culture at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. His research examines the relationship between literature, culture, and democratic public debate, with recent books including Understanding Public Debates: What Literary Studies Can Do (2024) and Enlightenment Controversies: Literary Self-Critique and Present-Day Debates (2026).