Future(S)Change. Reflections on Reinhart Koselleck’s and Giovanni Arrighi’s Concepts of Crisis

Abstract

Theories of crisis generally follow one of two conceptual paths: crisis is either conceived of as a repetitive pattern or it is eschatologically regarded as the ultimate crisis. This paper discusses Reinhart Koselleck’s and Giovanni Arrighi’s struggles with this bifurcation in relation to their concepts of modern history. On different levels of abstraction, both authors grapple with the fact that the concepts and formations of modernity do not allow for neither of these options, but rather evoke a different solution that paradoxically makes the opposites collapse. In this regard, their theories resemble fragmentary reflections by Walter Benjamin and Karl Marx. In light of such theories and contemporary developments, these critical reflections may be fruitful points of departure for coming to terms with our surroundings.