As I write this, much of our world has changed. COVID-19 has impacted the way we move, how we feel, and what we think. We hope that it is temporary, quickly over, even as the time sheltering in place stretches out. This collection of essays on arts, politics, and culture developed before the current condition and the final editing of the papers came at a time when all the contributors faced personal and professional challenges. For their wonderful collaboration, I am deeply grateful. And it is this kind of coming together that offers a sense of hope in the midst of the pandemic.
Randall Halle is the Klaus W. Jonas Professor of German Film and Cultural Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. He directs the Film and Media Studies Program, as well as the Critical European Culture Studies Program. His books include The Europeanization of Cinema, German Film after Germany, and Queer Readings in Social Philosophy.
