SC Connecticut News

Paul North, a scholar known for his work in critical theory, the history of philosophy, comparative literatures, and political economy, has been appointed the Maurice Natanson Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures. North joined the Yale faculty in 2009 and currently serves as chair of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

North's research focuses on figures such as Franz Kafka, Walter Benjamin, and Karl Marx. He has authored three notable books: “Bizarre Privileged Items in the Universe: The Logic of Likeness” (Zone Books, 2021), “The Yield: Kafka’s Atheological Reformation” (Stanford University Press, 2015), and “The Problem of Distraction” (Stanford University Press, 2011). His latest book examines the concept of likeness across various fields including physics, psychology, sociality, language, and art.

In "The Yield," North offers a reinterpretation of Kafka's works while addressing debates about modern secularity. "The Problem of Distraction" links Aristotle's ideas to early 20th-century efforts by Kafka, Heidegger, and Benjamin to revolutionize humanities through distraction. Currently co-editing a new edition and translation of Marx’s “Capital,” set for release by Princeton University Press in 2024, North is also writing a monograph titled “The Standpoint of Marx’s Capital.”

As head of Jonathan Edwards College at Yale, North has held several leadership roles within the university. These include positions on committees related to humanities programs and tenure promotions. He served as interim director for the Whitney Humanities Center in 2021 and contributes significantly to the Yale Prison Education Initiative.

North is an active participant in academic conferences globally and collaborates with various institutions such as Brown University; University of Pennsylvania; Princeton University; University of Wollongong; Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; University of Erfurt; Tel Aviv University; Hebrew University among others. He co-edits the book series IDIOM at Fordham University Press and co-directs Critical Theory in the Global South with faculty from Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación in Santiago.

Recognized by numerous organizations for his contributions to academia, North serves on editorial boards including Diacritics journal. His research has received support from entities like the German government, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

North holds a B.A. from SUNY Binghamton, an M.A. from CUNY Graduate Center, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.