I am a visiting scholar from the University of Bergen, Norway, and I’ve been given the fortunate opportunity to visit the Phenomenology Research Center for the spring semester 2010. I’m planning to work on my PhD-project while I’m here.

The general outline of my project is to apply a regressive transcendental analysis of the lifeworld in order to approach the notion of expression through a generative phenomenology. My goal is to explore the potential of this generative analysis in to widening our understanding of the freedom of speech, and ultimately human rights in general. Inspired by Husserl’s The Origin of Geometry and The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology I will attempt to disclose aspects of the origin, tradition and intentional history of normative principles as an analogy to scientific knowledge. It might seem trivial to claim the historical and intersubjective character of fundamental political principles, but this well established recognition often undermines the radical consequences of committing to a generative style of thinking.

This spring I will limit my scope to the task of employing the concepts of liminal experience through appropriation and transgression (as developed by Anthony Steinbock’s reading of Husserl) on the notion of the expression. If time permits I would also like to relate this to Merleau-Ponty’s use of the term “expression” and further to the crisis of “representation” and “self-representation” in social anthropology.

You can contact me at johannes.servan@phenomenologyresearchcenter.org