Ralph Hammerthaler in Jena: The Automatic Empire Between Reading and Future Discussion
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When the Future Has Already Begun: Ralph Hammerthaler Presents The Automatic Empire
What does a society look like where the Earth is further heated, robots are part of everyday life, and Mars is being settled? On September 30, 2026, Ralph Hammerthaler invites you to a literary encounter about his future novel The Automatic Empire at TaF – Treffpunkt am Fichteplatz in Jena. Niko Paech will join online and expand the reading with an economic perspective on growth, resources, and societal change.
A Future Novel Between Dystopia and Contemporary Diagnosis
Hammerthaler's novel does not depict a distant science fiction scenario, but rather a sharpened political present. In a technologically advanced world, only an authoritarian tri-state from France, Germany, and Poland remains of the European Union. At the same time, smaller municipalities are opposing the centralized order. The plot delves into questions that shape the cultural discourse: How much freedom remains in an automated society? What consequences does technological progress carry without social responsibility?
The literary quality of the novel arises from the combination of narrative sharpness and real scientific inputs. Voices from various fields, including Eileen Blum, Alena Buyx, Antje Boetius, Aladin El-Mafaalani, and Niko Paech, broaden the narrative perspective. Thus, the work connects political science fiction with essays, societal analysis, and economic reflection.
Reading and Discussion with Two Different Perspectives
Ralph Hammerthaler is present and reads from his novel. The author and publicist studied among others in Jena, worked in the feuilleton of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and published novels, essays, plays, and opera librettos. The Automatic Empire is his ninth novel publication and exemplifies a style that connects literary artistry with political observation.
Niko Paech enriches the event online. The post-growth researcher has been dealing with alternative economic models and criticism of growth for more than two decades. His analytical perspective sets an exciting counterpoint to the literary imagination of the novel. The encounter of reading, research, and conversation creates a format that does not stop at the plot but questions the present.
A Reading Atmosphere for Critical Future Questions
TaF – Treffpunkt am Fichteplatz provides the framework for a concentrated literary experience. The voice of the author, the linguistic precision of the novel, and the subsequent discussion make the event a unique author encounter with thematic density. The focus is on the multifacetedness of current societal designs: between technological promise, ecological crisis, political control, and the desire for a solidarity-driven future.
Literature enthusiasts will experience a reading that transcends genre boundaries. Dystopian motifs meet political theory, economic diagnosis, and the question of how novels can make societal developments visible before they become reality.
Conclusion: Literature as a Seismograph of the Future
The book presentation of The Automatic Empire promises an evening of literary tension, scientific classification, and open discussion. Those interested in contemporary literature, political science fiction, post-growth economics, and the future of European societies will find a demanding forum for exchange and reflection. Experience Ralph Hammerthaler live in Jena and discover how literature not only describes the future but also brings it to discussion.
Official Channels of Ralph Hammerthaler:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- Website: no official profile found
- Publisher: https://www.verlagberlinbrandenburg.de/veranstaltungen/
