Berlin’s symbolic function during the Cold War helped to deepen its intellectual and artistic culture. Thus, the city impresses the visitor with dozens of theaters, a number of major orchestras, three opera houses, and countless internationally-renowned museums. Superb public transportation and an urban biking culture allow easy access to Berlin’s riches. The many public parks and waterways increase the attraction of Berlin for those who like the outdoors.
With its important role as the capital of Prussia and then the German Empire and the Weimar Republic, its sites of political decisions and destruction under the Nazis, and the fact that for over forty years it served as the symbol for Germany’s (and Europe’s) division, Berlin provides a stimulating environment to explore German and European history. The European economic crisis since 2008, the recent refugee crisis, and turbulence in the EU have all once more underscored the fact that Germany continues to be at the forefront of European politics and economics. We will discuss the challenges the present situation poses to the German democracy throughout the program.
To explore some of the most distinguished achievements in German-language literature and the arts and the tumultuous events of the Weimar Republic, we will travel to Weimar and Munich. To better understand Berlin and Germany’s connections to its European neighbors and other famous German-language writers and thinkers (Kafka, Rilke, Freud, Bachmann, Jelinek), we will go to Prague and Vienna.
GERM 103 or equivalent. Students must have sophomore, junior, or senior status in the 2021-22 academic year.
18 Credits
GERM 205: Intermediate Composition and Conversation (6 Credits) & GERM 305: Advanced Composition and Conversation (6 Credits)
Composition and Conversation is designed for students with intermediate (GERM 205) or advanced (GERM 305) proficiency in German, who wish to extend their knowledge of German language and culture through reading, discussions, and writing. Students will work on developing the ability to articulate opinions, exchange substantive information, and argue points of view; honing analytic and interpretive writing skills; and expanding their linguistic toolkit. The class format features discussions with grammar exercises interspersed as needed.
Instructors: Local German Faculty
GERM 259/359 German in Motion: Migration, Place and Displacement
How is your identity connected to a certain place? And what happens when you leave that place, either voluntarily or out of necessity? In this course, you will learn about migration in German-speaking countries by reading historic and contemporary texts and researching policies on asylum and migration. You will critically examine concepts of the nation and nationality in historical contexts, learn about artists in exile, and encounter contemporary perspectives on migration in Europe. Course activities will include several site visits in Berlin. By reading and analyzing texts by Hannah Arendt, Bertolt Brecht, Anna Seghers, Ilse Aichinger, Paul Celan, May Ayim, Emine Sevgi Özdamar, Yoko Tawada, and Fatma Aydemir among many others, you will become mindful readers of different literary genres and craft thoughtful analyses on topics connected to migration.
Instructor: Kiley Kost
GERM 258: Berlin Memory Politics
Vergangenheitsbewältigung is the German word for reconciling the past; it is a process that has shaped collective memory in Germany and other European countries since the end of the Holocaust and World War II. Berlin in particular has been formed by its difficult history and memories, the traces of which are visible in the city today. In this class, you will examine the relationship between history, memory, and collective identity in Germany. How are narratives of the past preserved in the present? Which stories are told, which are left out, and who makes these decisions? How does the geography of a city interact with its history? How do memorials impact public space? In addition to analyzing fiction, essays, and visual culture, you will also confront this topic through several field trips and walks in Berlin.
Instructor: Local German Faculty
Kiley Kost, Visiting Assistant Professor of German
Kiley Kost (Visiting Assistant Professor of German at Carleton College) received her PhD in German Studies from the University of Minnesota in 2019. Her scholarly work focuses on German-language ecocriticism, environmental humanities, and representations of geologic time in fiction. She enjoys teaching courses on a wide range of topics including animals in literature, catastrophe, and fairy tales. She has spent significant time studying and working abroad, including as the recipient of a Fulbright Research Grant to Germany and two years as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant in Austria.
Students will live with German families or individuals. Rooms are private. Cooking is also independent.
In addition to immersive language instruction, students will take part in Berlin’s diverse and exciting culture and history, and enjoy trips to Weimar, Munich, Prague, and Vienna.
Program dates roughly correspond to the Carleton academic term. Specific dates will be communicated to program participants.
All Carleton-sponsored 10-week off-campus study programs charge the Carleton comprehensive fee, which includes instruction, room and board, group excursions, public transportation, medical and evacuation insurance, travel assistance, and most cultural events.
Students are responsible for books and supplies, passports and visas (when required), transportation to and from the program sites, and personal expenses and travel during the seminar. Students will receive a program-specific Additional Cost Estimate at the time of acceptance.
Student financial aid is applicable as on campus. See the Off-Campus Studies website for further information on billing, financial aid, and scholarships.