14 Professor Highlight: Franziska Schweiger

professor highlight:

Franziska Schweiger

photographer: Sophia Viscarello writer: Phoebe Leonard layout: Grace Halligan

Professor Franziska Schweiger, the incredibly stylish Assistant Professor in the German program of the GRIA department, holds academic expertise in 19th and 20th-century German literature and culture. Professor Schweiger grew up in both Southern Germany and Luxembourg. Since getting her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2018, she has worked as a visiting professor here at Hamilton. This past year, Professor Schweiger was excited to be offered a tenure track appointment. She currently teaches courses in the German department that focus on language, literature, and culture, including the introductory level elective: “Art and Tech: German Bauhaus 1919-1933” and the 200-level Philosophy course: “Marx, Nietzsche, Freud.” Professor Schweiger notes that she designs her courses for students of all disciplines, as she believes that speaking a foreign language is “foundational to a global social justice-oriented education.” With this model in mind, Professor Schweiger hopes students from various areas of study find her courses to be an enriching part of their academic experiences at Hamilton. It seems that her wish came true, as her courses draw in students from more than eight areas of study and generate very engaging class discussions. The College has connected Professor Schweiger with colleagues and students who bring out the best in her and enable her to meaningfully invest in the Hamilton community.

When asked about what sparked her interest in fashion, Professor Schweiger initially replied, “Fashion. That is a big word. I am actually not sure what it means. Or that I am particularly interested in it. But I enjoy wearing clothes.” She breaks down fashion to its most simple function and explains that while some people see getting dressed as merely a necessity, she enjoys getting creative with putting pieces together. This definitely adds up with regards to her style choices, as she can be seen sporting sleek, polished, yet personalized looks around campus. Professor Schweiger notes that she could not pinpoint an exact moment that sparked her interest in fashion, however, she reflected on how her upbringing influenced the way she views style. Schweiger reminisces that enjoying clothes and picking out outfits was not the norm when she was growing up in rural Germany. She was told that being interested in personal style was frivolous, as it is typical for Germans to be more pragmatic in that regard. Professor Schweiger commented, “It took me a while to gain enough perspective to claim that.” Over time her view of clothing and style has changed, and she explains that “now I think the frivolity is one of the things I enjoy most about clothes.” Over the years, Professor Schweiger’s interest in fashion has evolved, and she has grown “more aware of the less joyful side of clothes.” She says that “the waste and pollution involved in textile production is wild and has only recently become a point of wide discussion,” and she also says that this industry feeds into “the perpetuation of harmful ideas about what a body should look like.” Given this perspective, Professor Schweiger has grown more conscious about where, how, and why she buys clothes, by considering many factors when shopping, such as classism, racism, sexism, and exploitation of workers in the fashion 13

industry. In approaching style through this more informed mindset, she manages to combine her interest in fashion with an understanding of the potential negative implications of consumption. Professor Schweiger views a sense of style as something very individualistic. She is “not sure if [style] has anything to do with fashion in the sense of particular brands or new styles.” In her eyes, style is complex because “good style communicates something interesting about the person via the clothes that someone wears” and “the same clothes won’t communicate the same message on a different person.” That being said, she also explains that she can appreciate another person’s individual sense of style without really feeling the need to replicate it herself. When asked about where she finds her style inspiration, Professor Schweiger talked about people that embody self-expression and creativity. She finds that “New York City and Berlin draw an especially fearless and creative crowd in that regard, which inspires [her] to be more fearless and creative in dressing how [she] wants.” Professor Schweiger also explains that colleagues and students at Hamilton inspire her style. When asked about her go-to clothing item or look, she joked that “when you have zero brain space left for joy or clothes, a jumpsuit is a magical thing” — truly words to live by. Professor Schweiger’s realistic view of fashion is quite admirable: she appreciates the fun aspects of playing around with her style, but she also acknowledges the more serious side of fashion and the privilege associated with having the ability to actually find one’s own signature style. Professor Schweiger embraces the individuality that comes with fashion and developing a sense of personal style, and she draws inspiration not only from her peers but also from the qualities that she admires in the world around us.

“Fashion. That is a big word. I am actually not sure what it means. Or that I am particularly interested in it. But I enjoy wearing clothes.”