Symposium
EMPATHIE IM THEATER – THEATER DER EMPATHIE
Organizers: University of Łódź, German Section in cooperation with FU Berlin (Dr. Hannah von Sass: Network “Untersuchungen zur Gegenwartsdramatik”) and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Prof. Dr. Andreas Englhart), Austrian Cultural Forum Warsaw

The symposium aims to provide a space for the exchange of ideas and analyses, as well as for the presentation of new readings and interpretations of empathy as a key element (not only) of contemporary theatre and drama. It is important not only to explore individual topics, but also to reflect on the methods and means through which empathy is evoked in theatrical performances and dramatic texts. The main languages of the conference, in three separate sections, will be French, German, and Polish, while English as a contemporary lingua franca is also welcome.

The role of empathy in theatre and drama will be discussed primarily in the context of current geopolitical, social, and ecological challenges. We aim to encourage researchers from various countries to address the question of to what extent theatre can serve as a tool for building bridges between cultures and nations in times of increasing international tensions. Through the analysis of selected topics and aspects, participants will reflect on how theatre can contribute to mutual understanding, tolerance, and empathy, and function as a space for critical reflection on contemporary conflicts and challenges.

MMag. David Krych: Completed diploma studies in philosophy and theatre, film, and media studies (2006–2013 at the University of Vienna). Completed doctoral dissertation on “Theatricality and Animality in the 18th Century: The Viennese Hetzamphitheater” (2013–2017 at the University of Vienna). Postdoc in the FWF research project on the commentary of Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Gay Science (2017–2019 at the University of Vienna). Third-party funding consultant at Donau Universität Krems (2019–2021) and at Central European University Vienna (2021–2024). Founder and editor (together with Silke Felber) of the international peer-reviewed journal Ephemer – Journal for Theater and Performance Research (since 2025). Since 2024, project leader (Senior Postdoc) of the FWF-Esprit project Theatre Theories of the Polish Avant-Gardes 1918–1939 (mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna).


23–25 October 2025
Philological Faculty, University of Łódź
ul. Pomorska 171/173
Łódź