b. 1952
Richard Wolin is an American intellectual historian and political theorist, Distinguished Professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is best known for his critical examinations of twentieth-century German thought, particularly the political entanglements of figures such as Martin Heidegger, Carl Schmitt, and the Frankfurt School. His work interrogates the relationship between philosophy, ideology, and political commitment.
Authored foundational critique of Heidegger's political thought in 'The Politics of Being' (1990)
Edited 'The Heidegger Controversy', sparking major debate on philosophy and fascism
Traced the intellectual romance with fascism from Nietzsche to postmodernism in 'The Seduction of Unreason' (2004)
Contributed to Walter Benjamin scholarship through 'Walter Benjamin: An Aesthetic of Redemption'
Analyzed French Maoism and 1968's intellectual legacy in 'The Wind from the East' (2010)