Courses

Continuation of the study of complex structural patterns of the German language, and the reading and discussion of longer texts, films, and other media from German-speaking cultures. Students explore topics such as education, literal and metaphorical borders, the city of Berlin, nature, and connections between German-speaking countries and the United States while honing all four language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).

“Nationalism is not the awakening of nations to self-consciousness: it invents nations where they do not exist” (Ernest Gellner, 1964). What are nations if nationalism invents them? When does nationalism ally itself with progressive ideologies, and when does it appear alongside reactionary ones? Is the German case typical or particular? How can works of art create or disrupt national identity? In this course, we will discuss nationalism’s complex legacy by centering on a core of German literary and theoretical texts, visual media, and select non-German sources from the late eighteenth century to the present. Taught in English.

From chart-topping hits to old classics, explore the sounds of the German-speaking world while honing your language skills. Each weekly session explores the cultural and social context of selected songs, providing valuable insights into contemporary German society. Engage in interactive singing sessions to learn and perform these songs, improving your pronunciation and language fluency. No prior musical experience is required.

In the nineteenth century, Germany was at the forefront of activism for queer people – until it wasn’t. In this course, we will explore the development and evolution of queer culture and social movements in Germany from the late nineteenth century through to the present. We will analyze a variety of primary texts and visual media, including the first magazines written for a queer audience and first-person accounts by queer people persecuted under the Nazis. We will explore how this history has shaped contemporary queer culture in Germany and how it compares to the Anglophone world. Taught in German.

We explore literature, music, and the fine arts of German-speaking countries around the topics of gender and sex(uality). We focus on the years between 1880 and 1920 in Austria-Hungary, but also venture into more recent times and other localities. How did images of men and women change over time? How did science factor into these images? What was/is considered “normal” when it comes to sex(uality) and gender, and what German-speaking voices have been pushing against those norms? How did these voices use literature, music, and the fine arts to reflect or criticize such norms? Taught in English.

Reading and weekly discussion of the material and texts from GERM 221 in German. Students in this FLAC section will focus on German sources for their assignments.

Germany is a recognized worldwide leader in environmental movements thanks to the nuclear power phase-out, the renewable energy transition, and the rise of the Green Party. Similarly, there is a long aesthetic tradition depicting nature and the nonhuman world in German-language literature and poetry. In this course, conducted in English, we will trace the development of contemporary Germany’s environmental practices through its literary and cultural legacy by reading and analyzing texts from established writers and thinkers. We will connect these literary and historic roots to contemporary environmental issues, look at successful protest movements, and explore Germany as a model for environmental initiatives and engaged citizenship around the globe. Taught in English.

Why did a country known for ground-breaking scientific research decommission its final nuclear power plant in 2023? What historical factors inform Germany’s resistance to nuclear power? And how have literature, poetry, theater, and film responded to scientific progress in the Atomic Era? In this course, taught in English, we will explore the role of science and research in Germany and learn about the country’s singular and volatile response to nuclear power. Key topics include environmental activism, policy responses, and current events that impact Germany’s energy grid. In tandem with this historical inquiry, we will analyze works of literature, theater, and other media that depict the narrative fascination with nuclear physics, including the blockbuster Oppenheimer and the Netflix series Dark. In translation. Taught in English.

Many people are familiar with the fairy tales collected and published by the Brothers Grimm and have seen iterations of such stories in animated Disney films and live-action reboots. In this class, taught in English, we will critically examine folktales, consider their role in shaping societal standards and how they spread specific values across cultures. We will study the origins of Grimms’ fairy tales before discussing their larger role across media and cultures. Our study of traditional German fairy tales will be informed by contemporary theoretical approaches including feminist theory, ecocriticism, psychology, and animal studies. Taught in English.

Are natural disasters ever really natural? In this course, taught in German, we will read works of literature and poetry that portray disaster. Focusing on disaster as the site of interaction between humans and the environment, we will explore and discuss the impact of modern technology, contemporary environmental issues, and the concept of disaster in the shadow of war. Thinking in terms of environmental justice, we will also consider who is impacted by such disasters and in what ways.

What stories are told about Austria and its history? What stories are forgotten, and why? In this course, we’ll learn about Austrian history, culture, and politics through the region's literature and cultural institutions. Through deep engagement with multimedia texts (novels, short stories, films, poems), students encounter Austrian cultural production and criticism while also strengthening German language skills. Site visits, museum trips, and excursions in Vienna and beyond complement our analysis.

The Alps have been a focal point for developments of modernity: modern infrastructures supported the growth of tourism already in the 1800s. With the rise of nationalism, idealized notions of traditional alpine cultures were used as propaganda. Today, tensions have emerged between small alpine farms and “rewilding” efforts, and political discourses around these environmental tensions have intensified a perceived rural/urban divide. Throughout, the alpine environment, culture, and politics are deeply entangled. Students will analyze creative and nonfiction texts as well as numerical data that depict these developments, and then choose a course topic to pursue through independent research.

Recommended Preparation: Student has completed at least one German course at the 210-219 level.

"…many will say: even 1920 is not so horrible. This is how it is: the human being is a machine, culture is in shreds, education is arrogance, spirit is brutality, stupidity is the norm, and the military is sovereign" (Adolf Behne, reporting on a Dada art exhibit). In this class, taught in German, students examine cultural products and visual media of and about the Weimar Republic to understand a critical time in German history and explore how art has been used to cope with societal turbulence. Offered at both the 200 and 300 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly.