Considered by his contemporaries as “the most important agitator of the radical revolutionary movement” in Germany, philosopher and anarchist activist Gustav Landauer (1870-1919) is currently benefitting from renewed interest. One century after his assassination, this international conference – the very first one to be held in France on Landauer – seeks to account for this revival of interest. Thanks to several major editorial projects (selected writings, complete letters, translations), Landauer’s writings are becoming accessible in a growing number of countries, and it is now possible to measure the full depth of a work which was long known only in a fragmentary way.

Atypical as an anarchist, Landauer forged his ideas on community at the intersection of various political, philosophical as well as literary traditions. His prolific activity as a writer and the number of community experiments he took part in made Landauer an indispensable figure for those seeking an alternative to the political regime of his time, yet not willing to succumb to the Marxist path and the rise of social-democracy. Despite the obvious differences between both contexts, his work might be an inspiration for the present time.

This conference aims at creating a space for dialogue on Landauer’s work, his sources, his reception and his relevance for today, both from a theoretical and a practical point of view. It will also be an occasion to give an account of the current state of research in a diversity of disciplinary fields, such as philosophy, intellectual history, theories of religion, literature, linguistics, sociology or the political sciences.

Non-academic contributions are also welcome. French is the main language of the conference, but contributions in English (or in German) are possible. Translations will be organised so as to open discussions to all participants.