Thomas Brudholm

Current research

CV

Name: Thomas Brudholm

Date of Birth: November 23, 1969.

Place of Birth: Copenhagen, Denmark

1. Education

2005   PhD in Philosophy (‘successfully defended'), Danish University of Education.

2001   Diploma of Education, University of Copenhagen & Zahle Gymnasieskole.

1999   Cand.mag. (MA) in Philosophy and Danish, University of Copenhagen.

2. Academic employment

2009-            Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, ToRS.

2006-08         Researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies.

2005            Project Research Fellow, Theology, University of Copenhagen.

2005            Project Research Fellow, Danish Institute for International Studies.

2001-04        PhD Fellow, Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

2000            Research Assistant, Institute for Human Rights (5 months).

3. Publications:

Monograph:

1. Resentment's Virtue: Jean Améry and the Refusal to Forgive, Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2008 (paperback 2009).

Edited works:

1. Passions in Context: International Journal for the History and Theory of the Emotions: Atrocities, Emotions, Self. No. 2, 2011. Co-edited with A. Acorn & C. Welz (peer reviewed).

2. The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocities: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, co-edited with Thomas Cushman, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009 (peer reviewed).

3. Journal of Human Rights: Special Issue on the Importance of the "Negative" Emotions in Post-Conflict Societies, co-edited with Thomas Cushman. Issue 5.1, 2006 (peer reviewed).

4. Efter folkedrab: En flerfaglig undervisningsbog, co-edited with Martin Mennecke, København: DIIS Forlag, 2007.

5. Erindringens fremtid: Auschwitzdag i Danmark, co-ed. M. Mennecke, København: Lindhardt og Ringhof, 2004.

Journal articles and book chapters:

1. "Hate Crimes and Human Rights Violations", Journal of Applied Philosophy, in press 2014.

2. “Om had og hadetale”, in R Larsen et al (eds.), Hate Speech: Fra hadetale til hadesyn. København: Informations Forlag, 2013, pp. 31-46.

3. Comment to Didier Fassin’s “On Resentment and Ressentiment”, in Current Anthropology 54:3, 2013, pp. 261-262 (commissioned).

4. “Atonement and the Limits of Philosophy” (review essay), Criminal Law and Philosophy, online November 2013 (commissioned).

5. “The unforgiving: reflections on resistance to mass atrocity”, in A.K. Hirsch (ed.), Theorizing Post-Conflict Reconciliation, London: Routledge, 2012, pp.115-130 (peer reviewed, reprint of 19).

6. “Mind the Gap(s): Between Memory, History, and Philosophy”, in H. Edgren (ed.), Looking at the onlookers and bystanders, Forum for levande historia, Skriftserie, vol. 13, 2012, pp. 117-142 (peer reviewed).

7. “Crimini dell'odio e diritti umani”, in F. Sciacca (ed.), Giustizia Globale: Problemi e Prospettive. Soveria: Rubbettino, pp. 89-110 (peer reviewed).

8. "Nachdenken", with Arne Grøn (first author), in M. Zolkos (ed.), On Jean Améry: Philosophy of the Catastrophe, New York: Lexington Books, 2011, pp. 193-216 (peer reviewed).

9. “Tilgivelse”, in A.E. Olsen (ed.), Pædagogiske værdier og etik, Århus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag, 2011, pp. 169-191 (peer reviewed).

10. "Picturing Forgiveness after Atrocity", with Arne Grøn, Studies in Christian Ethics 24:2, 2011, pp. 159-170 (peer reviewed).

11. "Hatred as an Attitude", Philosophical Papers 39:3 (Routledge), 2010, pp. 289-213 (peer reviewed).

12. "Alchemies of Reconciliation", in N. Nagasaki et al (eds.), Conflict Resolution in the Afrasian Context (Afrasia Symposium Series 5), Kyoto: Afrasian Centre for Peace and Development Studies, 2010.

13. "Introduction: The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocity" (co-authored with T. Cushman), in T. Brudholm & T. Cushman (eds.), The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocity, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2009, pp. 1-18 (peer reviewed).

14. "On the Advocacy of Forgiveness after Mass Atrocities", in T. Brudholm & T. Cushman (eds.), The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocity, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2009, pp. 124-153 (peer reviewed).

15. "The Unforgiving: Reflections on the Resistance to Forgiveness after Atrocity" (co-authored with Valérie Rosoux), Law & Contemporary Problems 72.2, pp. 33-50, 2009 (peer reviewed).

16. "Syg, sær eller blot saglig? Om den filosofiske kommentar til konkret ondskab", in H. Sørensen & S. Thordsen (eds.), Ondskab - et politisk begreb, Aarhus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag, 2008. pp. 47-70 (peer reviewed).

17. "Prosecuting Genocide" (review essay), Journal of Genocide Research 9.3, 2007 (commissioned).

18. "Vendepunktstænkningens vildveje: En filosofisk kritik", Vendepunkter : Religion mellem konflikt og forsoning, ed. Lene Sjørup. Odense : Syddansk Universitetsforlag, 2007. pp. 27-46 (peer reviewed).

19. "A Light in the Darkness: Philosophical Reflections on Historians' Assessments of the Rescue of the Jews in Denmark in 1943", R. Schott & K. Klercke (eds.), Philosophy on the Border, Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum, 2007, pp. 195-226 (peer reviewed).

20. "Filosofi", in Brudholm & Mennecke (eds.), Efter folkedrab, 2007, pp. 51-72.

21. "Efter folkedrab", in  Brudholm & Mennecke (eds.), Efter folkedrab, 2007, pp. 17-30.

22. "A Confiscated Past: Jean Améry on Home and Exile", The Hedgehog Review 7.3, 2006, pp. 7-19 (commissioned).

23. "Revisiting Resentments: Jean Améry and the Dark Side of Forgiveness", Journal of Human Rights 5.1, 2006, pp. 7-26 (peer reviewed).

24. "Surveying a Gap: A Philosophical Perspective on Historians' Responses to Discourses on the 'Bystanders", Holocaust Studies: A Journal of Culture and History, 11.3, 2006, pp. 1-23 (peer reviewed).

25. "The Justice of Reconciliation" (review essay), Hypatia 18.2, 2003, pp. 189-196 (commissioned).

26. "Conviction and Critique: Addressing the Sceptic", in K. Hastrup (ed.), Human Rights on Common Grounds: The Quest for Universality. The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2001, pp. 25-38 (peer reviewed).

4. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

4.1. International conferences and workshops organized or co-organized

• Violence, Affect, and the Post-Traumatic Subject (workshop/lecture w. Ruth Leys), DIIS, 10.06.14.

• Hate and the State, ToRS, 29-30.05.14.

• The Uproar of Emotions: Studying Genocide after the Emotional Turn, DIIS, 27-28.02.14

• What’s in a Word? The Minority Concept Revisited, ToRS, 7-8.04.11.

• Atrocity, Emotion, Self, Center for Subjectivity Research. 27.08.09.

• Understanding Genocide, University of Copenhagen (Psychology), 25-28.08.08.

• Looking at the Holocaust: Reflections on the Use of Photographs, DIIS, 11.12.07.

• The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocity, DIIS, 12-13.05.06.

4.2. Assessment work

• Referee for Columbia University Press, Chicago University Press, Cambridge University Press, Temple University Press, Continuum Books.

• Referee for Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Constellations, American Political Science Review, European Journal of Political Theory, International Journal of Transitional Justice, Journal of Human Rights, Holocaust Studies: A Journal of Culture and History, Nordic Journal of Human Rights, Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory.

• Referee for tenure and research applications: Arizona State University (College of Law), Volkswagen Foundation, Norwegian Research Council.

• PhD dissertations: Aarhus University, Roskilde University, University of Copenhagen.

4.3. Affiliations/networks

• On the editorial board of the Journal of Human Rights (since 2006) and ID: International Dialogue A Multidisciplinary Journal of World Affairs (since 2011).

• Fellow at the Centre for Resolution of International Conflicts, University of Copenhagen (since 2013).

• Member of advisory board of Passepartout Theatre Production (since 2013).

• Member of expert panel behind COWI survey of hate crime in Denmark (2013-).

• Co-founder of “MIMA” - research networks on minority-majority relations research.

• Co-founder of research network on “Emotions & Public Affairs”.

4.4. Invited presentations

• "On hate and forgiveness", Workshop in Political Theory: Emotions, Politics, and Violence, University of York, 03.06.14.

• ”Hate crimes and human rights violations”, “When Law and Hate Collide” (conference, Brussels 29.01.13), seminar of CESAU-Aarhus University (05.11.12) and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (26.05.10).

•  “Hate crime and the frontiers of migrations research”, AMIS annual conference, 16.12.13.

• “Moral Resistance to Transitional Justice”, workshop, Swiss Peace, 11.11.13:

• “On Monsters, Men, and the Banality of Evil”, ToRS, University of Copenhagen, 24.10.13.

• “On Jean Améry”, international workshop at Theology/University of Copenhagen, 08.10.13.

• “On hate and hate speech”, panel debate, Brandeis Institute for International Judges, Turning Torso, Malmö 31.07.13.

• Discussant at seminar on trials and temporality, Aalborg University, Global Refugee Studies,11.04.13.

•  “On areas of thought that lie in a certain twilight”, seminar, Anthropology/University of Copenhagen, 09.05.12.

• Discussant, conference on ‘Memory & Politics, Goldsmiths, University of London, 19.06.12.

• "On Hatred and Ressentiment in Jean Améry", Hebrew University in Jerusalem, 13-14.11.11.

• "Hatred and Reconciliation", Peking University, 16.09.11.

• "Reflections on the Criminalization of Hatred", University of Edinburgh (School of Law), 10.03.11.

• "Hatred and Criminal Law", University of York, 11.02.11.

• "Revisiting Resentments and the Ethics of Reconciliation", University of London, 28.10.10.

• "What is Hatred?" Einstein Forum (Berlin), 01.06.10.

• “Picturing Forgiveness”, McDonald Centre, University of Oxford, 14.05.10

• "An Anatomy of Hatred", Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia, 05.04.10.

• "Hate Crimes and Human Rights", Human Rights: Defenders vs. Critics, University of Stirling, 20.03.10

• "Alchemies of Reconciliation", Conflict Resolution in the Afrasian Context, Ryokoku University (Kyoto), 06.02.10.

• "A Philosophical Perspective on Historians' Responses to ‘Bystanders'", Uppsala University, 18.10.08.

• "Resentment, Harmony and Disorder", University of Birmingham (CWAS), 23-24.05.08.

• "Secular v. Religious Approaches to Forgiveness", CSMN (Oslo), Workshop with Charles Griswold, 17-18.04.08.

• "A Philosophical Approach to Resentment and Trust", CERI/Sciences Po (Paris), 25.10.07.

• "Ozick's Challenge", Arizona State University (03.04.07) and Vanderbilt University Law School, conference on Group Conflict Resolution, 30.03.07.

• "Philosophers on Evil", Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Clark University, 19.10.06.

• "Sense and sensibility in Thoughts on Mass Atrocities," Jean Monnet Lecture, University College Dublin, 07.02.06.

• "Recent Trends in the Danish Culture of Remembrance", KZ-Gedenkstätte Neuengamme, 15.04.05.

• "Resentment's Virtue," Wellesley College, 26.04.04.

• "Jean Améry on Ressentiment and Reconciliation", Arizona State University, College of Law, 10.03.03.

• "Over grænsen - Om det kristne tilgivelses-advokatur", Syddansk Universitet, 25.05.09.

• "On the Loss of Home, guest lecture, Sociology, University of Copenhagen, 20.05.09.

• "Hate Crimes", presentation, Center for the Study of Equality and Multiculturalism, 15.05.09.

• Discussant, seminar on politics of truth and memory in the Middle East, University of Copenhagen, 11.11.08.

• "Om tilgivelses-advokaturet efter massevold", Forskningsgruppen for straf og etik, RUC, 28.02.2008.

• "The Role of Resentment after Mass Atrocities", Aarhus University, 23-24.05.07.

• "Religion mellem konflikt og forsoning", Teologi, Københavns Universitet, 14.06.05.

• "Det dannende retsopgør: Mulighed eller fata morgana". DPU, Institut for Pædagogisk Filosofi. 26.11.04.

4.5. Papers at academic conferences, workshops, and seminars:

• “Hate crimes and human rights violations”, workshop at OSCE-ODIHR, Warzsaw 07.03.14.

• “Hate and prejudice”, RSE seminar on hate and racism in criminal law, Edinburgh, 300911.

• "On the Place of Hatred in Survivors' Responses to Mass Atrocities", Atrocity, Emotions, Self, CFS 28.08.09.

• "On Ressentiment and other Emotional Responses to Mass Atrocities", Understanding Genocide, conference, University of Copenhagen, 26.08.08.

• "The Unforgivable", Understanding Conflicts, International conference, Aarhus University, 21.08.08.

• "What's wrong with restorative justice?", international seminar, At Peace At Least?, Dansk Institut for Internationale Studier, 08.12.06.

• "The Religious in the Advocacy of Forgiveness after Mass Atrocities". International conference om "The Religious in Responses to Mass Atrocity", DIIS, 13.05.06.

• "Jean Améry", Center for studier av Holocaust og livssynsminoriteter, Oslo, 01.04.06.

• "Alchemies of Reconciliation", Societas Ethicas Annual Conf., Wadham College, Oxford, 25.08.06.

• "Resentment's Virtue", Nordic Cooperation Meeting, DIIS, 01.04.05.

• "Sense and Sensibility in Philosophical Thinking about Mass Atrocity", Danish Philosophical Society, 24.02.05.

• "Forsoningstænkningens magiske øjeblikke - en kritik", seminar, Københavns Universitet. 10.11.04.

• "Reconciliation after Genocide: Voices of Resistance", Int. Association of Genocide Scholars, Galway, 08.06.03.

• "Krænkelse og forsoning", ph.d. seminar Tid, erindring og forsoning på Center for Subjektivitetsforskning. 30.04.03.

• "Forsoning efter folkedrab", Dansk Filosofisk Selskab, årskonference, Syddansk Universitet. 21.02.03.

• "Spørgsmål som bør overvejes i relation til introduktionen af en dansk markering af d. 27. januar", præsentation, Dansk Center for Holocaust og Folkedrabsstudier, 09.10.02.

• "Guilty by Failure?", at seminar on "Bystanders to the Holocaust", Dansk Center for Holocaust og folkedrabsstudier, 02.09.02.

• "Reconciliation Refused?" & "Planning the Commemoration of the first Auschwitz Day in Denmark", Annual Scholars' Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, 03.03.03.

• "Barbarity and Conscience: Key challenges to philosophy arising from efforts to establish accountability for genocide", Nordisk Sommeruniversitet, Finland, 28.08.02.

• "Philosophical Issues of Accountability", workshop on Accountability after Atrocity, Dansk Center for Holocaust og folkedrabsstudier. 10.06.02.

• "Filosofi og folkedrab", Institut for Pædagogisk Filosofi, DPU, 03.05.02.

• "Reflections on Responsibility after Genocide", Facing Atrocities: Between Ethics and Politics, seminar, University of Copenhagen, 28.02.02.

• "Habermas and Ricoeur on the Dealing with Historical Injustices", Pardoning Past Wrongs?, Societas Ethicas årskonference, Askov Højskole. 25.08.00.

• "Filosofi: Viden og værdier", Dansk Center for Menneskerettigheder, seminar om Forskning i menneskerettigheder: Mål og metoder. 10.06.98.

4.6. Research abroad

• Research visit to Rwanda (interviews with genocide survivors, ngo's etc.), January 2009.

• Guest Professor, CERI/Sciences Po, Paris, October and November 2007.

• Visiting Scholar, Center for Subjectivity Research, University of Copenhagen, January-June 2007.

• Visiting human rights institutions and humanitarian organizations in Sarajavo, BiH, 2003 & 2005.

• Study tour to former Nazi extermination/concentration camps in Poland, September 2001.

4.7. Grants and fellowships:

• 2-year full research fellowship from the Danish Research Council for the Humanities (post doc), 2006.

• 3-month full research fellowship from the University of Copenhagen, Research Priority Area (Religion), 2005.

• 3-year full research fellowship from the Danish Research Agency (PhD), 2001.

5. TEACHING:

5.1. Courses at University of Copenhagen:

• Minoritetsforskningens teorier (Theories of Minority Research)

• Orden og afvigelse: Om monstre (Order and deviation: On Monsters).

• The Anatomy of Hatred: Philosophy, Crime, Emotion.

• Tilgivelse og forsoningspolitik (Forgiveness and the Politics of Reconciliation).

• Ethnic Conflict in Modern States.

5.2. Folkeuniversitetet, København, Idéhistorie:

• Tilgivelsens kritikere (Critics of forgiveness), 2005.

• Forsoningens etik (Ethics of Reconciliation), 2005.

• Det europæiske menneskesyns og samfundssyns idéhistorie (History of European ideas of humanity and society), 1996-2001.

• Menneskerettigheder og kulturrelativisme (Human Rights and Cultural Relativism), 1998.

• Alle tiders Sokrates: Sokrates-skikkelsens idéhistorie (Socrates-representations from Aristophanes to Brecht),  1997-98.

• Villy Sørensen: Digter, filosof og samfundskritiker (Villy Sørensen: Poet, Philosopher, Social Critic) 1997.

5.3. Miscellaneous teaching:

• Guest-lecturer at numerous university courses, workshops and PhD seminars (e.g. the Danish School of Architecture, Center for Africa Studies, Danish School of Education, University of Copenhagen (Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology, Theology, History of Religion, Cultural Studies), Wellesley College, Arizona State University).

• Consulting researcher for European consortium behind the Master of Arts in Human Rights and Genocide Studies (Kingston University).

• Instructor/tutor, European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization in Venice (Oct. 2001, Jan. 2003, Nov. 2005).

• Guest lecturer at national and international courses arranged by the Danish Institute of Human Rights (1998-2004) and the Danida Fellowship Centre (2007-2008).

• Guest speaker at several seminars for Danish priests (Liselund seminar, Teologisk-pædagogisk center i Løgumkloster, stifts- og provsti-kurser mv.).

• Teaching and co-organization of nation-wide genocide theme-days (27^thJanuary) in Denmark (2003-2006).

6. RESEARCH DISSEMINATION:

6.1. TV: On The Act of Killing (Deadline, 311012), hate crime (Deadline, 041110), trial of Radovan Karadžić (TV2-News, 01.08.08), trial of Saddam Hussein (Deadline, 191005).

6.2. Radio: On cruelty (P1 Eksistens, 010613), evil (Romerriget, 110513), The Act of Killing (Romerriget, 231012), resentment and forgiveness (Iben og mødregruppen, 040712),  evil (Halløj i betalingsringen, 020612), the Holocaust (P1 Eksistens, 270610), hate and hate crime (P1 Eksistens, 090510), resistance and reconciliation in Rwanda (Religionsrapport-P1 020209, and Agenda-P1 120408), anger (P1 Morgen, 190308), restorative justice (P1 Eksistens, 091106), the religious in responses to mass atrocity (Orientering-P1, 110506), Simon Wiesenthal (P1 Morgen 200906), legacy of the Holocaust for the Western self-understanding (P1 Eksistens, 240606), religion and reconciliation in Africa (P1 Agenda,300405), Stockholm Forum on Genocide Prevention (P1 Eftermiddag 270104).

6.3. Newspaper interviews: On symbols of evil (Politiken 240512), Holocaust art (Politiken 300110), perpetrator-biographies (Politiken 06.12.08), forgiveness and politics (Kristeligt Dagblad, 160608), ‘the crime of crimes’ (Kristeligt Dagblad, 270108), reconciliation in Rwanda (Kristeligt Dagblad, 230207), Simon Wiesenthal (Kristeligt Dagblad, 200906).

6.4. Interviews in magazines: On truth commissions (Congressional Quarterly Press 4:1, 2010), hate crime research (Humanist, 160409), forgiveness and philosophy (Xryds 4, 2008, Danmarks Kirkelige Mediecenter), transitional criminal justice (Djøf-bladet, 29.08.08), war and justice (Amnesty, 010207).

6.5. Writings in printed mass media: ”Husk, at hadforbrydelser er både diffuse og komplekse” (læserbrev, Politiken, 05.11.10), "Tilskueren medvirker også til folkedrab" (kronik, medf. M. Mennecke, Kristeligt Dagblad, 27.01.04), "Arendts svære ondskab" (Bøger, Politiken, 24.08.03), "Virkelighedens triste ondskab" (Bøger, Politiken, 02.02.02). 

6.6. Talks, panel debates etc. (selection):

• ”Om hadforbrydelser og folkedrab”, DIIS, panel debate, 27.01.14.

• ”Museer, ondskab og censur”, Politimuseet, arr. Danske museumsformidlere, 191112.

• ”Tilgivelsens filosofi”, Præstevang kirke (højskoledage Hillerød), 28.01.12.

• ”En verden af valg – kritiske refleksioner”, Auschwitzdag, Glassalen, Tivoli, 270112.

• "Horror, Hollywood og Holocaust", Kulturnatten/Humanistisk Fakultet, 09.10.09.

• "Forbrydelser der råber mod himmelsen", Religionshistorisk Forening, 26.03.09.

• "Folkedrab i Danmark? Om brug og misbrug af folkedrabsbegrebet, Historiestuderende Forening, 26.02.09.

• Bogmessen Forum, paneldebat om ondskab, 15.11.08.

• "Kan det være en dyd at bære nag?", Studenterkredsen, 11.09.08.

• "Forbrydelser der råber mod himmelen", Sankt Jakobs Kirke, 30.03.08.

• "Konfliktløsningens bagsider", Grundtvigs højskole, 11.12.06.

• "Et lys i mørket: Oktober 1943 i et filosofisk perspektiv", DIIS. 29.10.03.

• "Debatten om de hvide busser og kz-fangernes etiske dilemmaer", Falstadcenteret, Trondheim, 12.10.06.

• "Syg, sær eller blot saglig? Den filosofiske respons på konkret ondskab", Filosofisk Forening, Århus, 27.09.06.

• "Ved tankens grænser: Filosoffers refleksioner over terror og folkedrab", Liselund-seminaret, 20.03.06.

• "Om vreden: Et andet syn på den sydafrikanske TRC", Teologisk Forening, Aarhus Universitet, 07.03.06.

• "Om tilgivelse og forsoning", paneldebat, Bernadottegården, 27.01.06.

• "Forhandling og forsoning", Grundtvigs højskole, 24.05.05.

• "Det religiøse i reaktioner på folkedrab", Studentermenigheden v. Trinitatis kirke, 11.10.05.

• "Den svære tilgivelse", Birkerød Kirke, 22.09.05.

• "De sværeste ting: Om tilgivelse og uforsonlighed", Cinemateket (intro til Min Morfars Morder), 12.04.05.

Teaching

• Minoritetsforskningens teorier
• Etniske konflikter, Holocaust og andre folkedrab
• Forsoningspolitik og Transitional Justice (retsopgør, sandhedskommissioner, undskyldninger, tilgivelse mv.).

Primary fields of research