Siegfried Kracauer, or, The Allegories of Improvisation

Exploring the multifaceted works of Kracauer, this book delves into his essayistic, narrative, and critical writings, highlighting themes such as the phenomenology of urban life, historiographic methods, and the evolution of subjectivity in late capitalism. It examines the role of intellectual critics, the sociology of the middle class, and the theory of fascism, while also addressing the politicization of melancholy. Notably, it connects Kracauer's ideas with heterodox Marxism, challenging the common neglect of his political and emancipatory perspectives.