• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Student Profile

This course is designed for the beginner student with no previous knowledge of German.

Course Objectives

Within three weeks, this course will help you to develop basic competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a basic knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the course, you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts.
• In addition, you will learn to write, revise and proofread short texts in German.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics.

Textbook

studio [21] Grundstufe A1: Gesamtband. Das Deutschbuch, Hermann Funk, Christina Kuhn, Laura Nielsen, Kerstin Rische, Cornelsen Verlag, 2015.

Literary texts and supplemental materials in consultation with the course instructor.

Daily Lesson and Excursion

In the first week, the course takes place from Tuesday to Friday. In week 2 and 3, lessons take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On two class days during the term, you will go on a course-related excursion.

Attendance

Each class consists of six teaching modules (45 minutes each). If you miss 8 modules (unexcused), your entire course grade will drop by one grade. Coming more than 20 minutes late counts as missing a module (this also applies to excursion days). If you come late to class six times (up to 20 minutes) your entire course grade will also drop by one grade. If you miss 20 modules, you will fail the class.

Active Participation

We expect committed and consistent interest in the acquisition of the German language. You will prove this by participating constructively and productively in the lessons and excursions, completing homework assignments and being prepared for every class. Every student is expected to respect the ideas and comments of his/her peers.

Oral Presentation

You will prepare a three-minute oral presentation. It is important that you speak freely rather than reading the oral presentation and that you keep to the time allowed.

Essay

In this course, you will write one essay (font size 12, double-spaced, 100 – 150 words). Your teacher will mark potential errors as such and you are required to correct your essay and hand in a second corrected version. For the first version of your essay, you can obtain a maximum of 100 points; for the second version, you will receive up to 50% of the missing points.

When writing your essay, you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax).

Reflective Journal

Throughout the term you will write various journal entries – independently or on given topics – to reflect on certain aspects of your stay in Berlin. Your instructor will collect these creative exercises and comment the content. However, no corrections will be made. The aim of the journal is that you develop awareness of the language(s) surrounding you.

Final Exam

You will take a final exam consisting of the following sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and composition based on course themes.

Group Project

Together with two or three peers, you will prepare a creative and linguistically demanding oral presentation of approximately 10 minutes about your impressions of Berlin (funny, bizarre, interesting facts etc.). The projects (sketches, parodies, PowerPoint presentations, movies, songs, poems etc.) will be presented on the last day of class. Most importantly, every group member should play an active role in the presentation, i.e. should receive an equal amount of speaking time during the presentation.

Evaluation

• Active participation and homework 300 points
• Oral presentation 150 points
• Essay 150 points
• Reflective Journal 100 points
• Final exam 200 points
• Group project 100 points

Maximum Score 1,000 points

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Student Profile

This course is designed for beginners with basic knowledge of German.

Course Objectives

This course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing within three weeks, deepen your knowledge of grammar as well as your knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the three-week course, you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts more detailed.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, which means you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics more detailed.

Textbook

studio [21] Grundstufe A2: Gesamtband. Das Deutschbuch, Hermann Funk, Christina Kuhn, Laura Nielsen, Kerstin Rische, Cornelsen Verlag, 2015.

Literary texts and supplemental materials in consultation with the course instructor.

Daily Lesson and Excursion

In the first week, the course takes place from Tuesday to Friday. In week 2 and 3, lessons take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On two class days during the term, you will go on a course-related excursion.

Attendance

Each class consists of six teaching modules (45 minutes each). If you miss 8 modules (unexcused), your entire course grade will drop by one grade. Coming more than 20 minutes late counts as missing a module (this also applies to excursion days). If you come late to class six times (up to 20 minutes) your entire course grade will also drop by one grade. If you miss 20 modules, you will fail the class.

Active Participation

We expect committed and consistent interest in the acquisition of the German language. You will prove this by participating constructively and productively in the lessons and excursions, completing homework assignments and being prepared for every class. Every student is expected to respect the ideas and comments of his/her peers.

Oral Presentation

You will prepare a five-minute oral presentation. It is important that you speak freely rather than reading the oral presentation and that you keep to the time allowed.

Essay

In this course, you will write one essay (font size 12, double-spaced, 150 – 200 words). Your teacher will mark potential errors as such and you are required to correct your essay and hand in a second corrected version. For the first version of your essay, you can obtain a maximum of 100 points; for the second version, you will receive up to 50% of the missing points.

When writing your essay, you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax).

Reflective Journal

Throughout the term you will write various journal entries – independently or on given topics – to reflect on certain aspects of your stay in Berlin. Your instructor will collect these creative exercises and comment the content. However, no corrections will be made. The aim of the journal is that you develop awareness of the language(s) surrounding you.

Final Exam

You will take a final exam consisting of the following sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and composition based on course themes.

Group Project

Together with two or three peers, you will prepare a creative and linguistically demanding oral presentation of approximately 10 minutes about your impressions of Berlin (funny, bizarre, interesting facts etc.). The projects (sketches, parodies, PowerPoint presentations, movies, songs, poems etc.) will be presented on the last day of class. Most importantly, every group member should play an active role in the presentation, i.e. should receive an equal amount of speaking time during the presentation.

Evaluation

• Active participation and homework 300 points
• Oral presentation 150 points
• Essay 150 points
• Reflective Journal 100 points
• Final exam 200 points
• Group project 100 points

Maximum Score 1,000 points

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Student Profile

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Course Objectives

Within three weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing and strengthen your knowledge of grammar, while emphasizing self-correction, as well as deepen your knowledge of the German culture.

Furthermore, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the three-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above-mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Textbook

studio [21] Grundstufe B1: Gesamtband. Das Deutschbuch, Hermann Funk, Christina Kuhn, Laura Nielsen, Kerstin Rische, Cornelsen Verlag, 2015.

Literary texts and supplemental materials in consultation with the course instructor.

Daily Lesson and Excursion

In the first week, the course takes place from Tuesday to Friday. In week 2 and 3, lessons take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On two class days during the term, you will go on a course-related excursion.

Attendance

Each class consists of six teaching modules (45 minutes each). If you miss 8 modules (unexcused), your entire course grade will drop by one grade. Coming more than 20 minutes late counts as missing a module (this also applies to excursion days). If you come late to class six times (up to 20 minutes) your entire course grade will also drop by one grade. If you miss 20 modules, you will fail the class.

Active Participation

We expect committed and consistent interest in the acquisition of the German language. You will prove this by participating constructively and productively in the lessons and excursions, completing homework assignments and being prepared for every class. Every student is expected to respect the ideas and comments of his/her peers.

Oral Presentation

You will prepare a ten-minute oral presentation. It is important that you prepare and explain relevant vocabulary for your presentation beforehand (max. 5 – 7) and that you give your peers a specific assignment. Furthermore, it is important that you speak freely rather than reading the oral presentation and that you keep to the time allowed.

Essay

In this course, you will write one essay (font size 12, double-spaced, 200 – 250 words). Your teacher will mark potential errors as such and you are required to correct your essay and hand in a second corrected version. For the first version of your essay, you can obtain a maximum of 100 points; for the second version, you will receive up to 50% of the missing points.

When writing your essay, you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax). You are encouraged to incorporate complex constructions, but please concentrate on syntactic and grammatical accuracy.

Reflective Journal

Throughout the term you will write various journal entries – independently or on given topics – to reflect on certain aspects of your stay in Berlin. Your instructor will collect these creative exercises and comment the content. However, no corrections will be made. The aim of the journal is that you learn how to express a critical and self-reflective position in a linguistically creative way.

Final Exam

You will take a final exam consisting of the following sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and composition based on course themes.

Group Project

Together with two or three peers, you will prepare a creative and linguistically demanding oral presentation of approximately 10 minutes about your impressions of Berlin (funny, bizarre, interesting facts etc.). The projects (sketches, parodies, PowerPoint presentations, movies, songs, poems etc.) will be presented on the last day of class. Most importantly, every group member should play an active role in the presentation, i.e. should receive an equal amount of speaking time during the presentation.

Evaluation

• Active participation and homework 300 points
• Oral presentation 150 points
• Essay 150 points
• Reflective Journal 100 points
• Final exam 200 points
• Group project 100 points

Maximum Score 1,000 points

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Student Profile

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level and the first part of the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Course Objectives

Within three weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in speaking and writing while emphasizing self-correction. Furthermore, it will help you to increase your vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage, and develop effective reading and listening strategies.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the three-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above-mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Textbook

Sicher! B2-Kursbuch, Dr. Michaela Perlmann-Balme, Susanne Schwalb, Hueber Verlag, 2014.

Literary texts and supplemental materials in consultation with the course instructor.

Daily Lesson and Excursion

In the first week, the course takes place from Tuesday to Friday. In week 2 and 3, lessons take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On two class days during the term, you will go on a course-related excursion.

Attendance

Each class consists of six teaching modules (45 minutes each). If you miss 8 modules (unexcused), your entire course grade will drop by one grade. Coming more than 20 minutes late counts as missing a module (this also applies to excursion days). If you come late to class six times (up to 20 minutes) your entire course grade will also drop by one grade. If you miss 20 modules, you will fail the class.

Active Participation

We expect committed and consistent interest in the acquisition of the German language. You will prove this by participating constructively and productively in the lessons and excursions, completing homework assignments and being prepared for every class. Every student is expected to respect the ideas and comments of his/her peers.

Oral Presentation

You will prepare a ten-minute oral presentation. It is important that you prepare and explain relevant vocabulary for your presentation beforehand (max. 10) and that you give your peers a specific assignment. Furthermore, it is important that you speak freely rather than reading the oral presentation and that you keep to the time allowed.

Essay

In this course, you will write one essay (font size 12, double-spaced, 250 – 300 words). Your teacher will mark potential errors as such and you are required to correct your essay and hand in a second corrected version. For the first version of your essay, you can obtain a maximum of 100 points; for the second version, you will receive up to 50% of the missing points. When writing your essay, you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax). You are encouraged to incorporate complex constructions, but please concentrate on syntactic and grammatical accuracy.

Reflective Journal

Throughout the term you will write various journal entries – independently or on given topics – to reflect on certain aspects of your stay in Berlin. Your instructor will collect these creative exercises and comment the content. However, no corrections will be made. The aim of the journal is that you learn how to express a critical and self-reflective position in a linguistically creative way.

Final Exam

You will take a final exam consisting of the following sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and composition based on course themes.

Group Project

Together with two or three peers, you will prepare a creative and linguistically demanding oral presentation of approximately 10 minutes about your impressions of Berlin (funny, bizarre, interesting facts etc.). The projects (sketches, parodies, PowerPoint presentations, movies, songs, poems etc.) will be presented on the last day of class. Most importantly, every group member should play an active role in the presentation, i.e. should receive an equal amount of speaking time during the presentation.

Evaluation

• Active participation and homework 300 points
• Oral presentation 150 points
• Essay 150 points
• Reflective Journal 100 points
• Final exam 200 points
• Group project 100 points

Maximum Score 1,000 points

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Student Profile

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Course Objectives

The course aims to deepen your competence in speaking and writing and to expand and refine your vocabulary usage, so that you are able to express and discuss ideas, opinions and information at the academic level. Special attention is given to the consistent use of self-correction. Furthermore, the course helps you to develop effective reading and listening strategies and deepen your knowledge of grammar structures.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the three-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will have improved your ability to choose the right linguistic register for different situations, topics and communication partners.
• You will be able to lead and participate in academic discussions about certain course-related topics.
• In addition, you will expand and refine your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write, revise and proofread essays that meet the standards of academic writing.

Textbook

studio: Die Mittelstufe. Deutsch als Fremdsprache C1, Christina Kuhn, Britta Winzer-Kiontke, Cornelsen Verlag, 2015.

Literary texts and supplemental materials in consultation with the course instructor.

Daily Lesson and Excursion

In the first week, the course takes place from Tuesday to Friday. In week 2 and 3, lessons take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On two class days during the term, you will go on a course-related excursion.

Attendance

Each class consists of six teaching modules (45 minutes each). If you miss 8 modules (unexcused), your entire course grade will drop by one grade. Coming more than 20 minutes late counts as missing a module (this also applies to excursion days). If you come late to class six times (up to 20 minutes) your entire course grade will also drop by one grade. If you miss 20 modules, you will fail the class.

Active Participation

We expect committed and consistent interest in the acquisition of the German language. You will prove this by participating constructively and productively in the lessons and excursions, completing homework assignments and being prepared for every class. Every student is expected to respect the ideas and comments of his/her peers.

Oral Presentation

You will prepare a ten-minute oral presentation. You are also required to prepare a handout for your peers listing unfamiliar vocabulary (max. 20) and posing questions. Furthermore, it is important that you speak freely rather than reading the oral presentations and that you keep to the time allowed.

Essay

In preparation for your final paper, you will compose an essay in 12-font and double spaced (300-350 words). Your teacher will mark potential errors as such and you are required to correct your essay and hand in a second corrected version. For the first version of your essay, you can obtain a maximum of 100 points; for the second version, you will receive up to 50% of the missing points.

When writing your essay you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax). You are encouraged to incorporate complex constructions, but please concentrate on syntactic and grammatical accuracy.

In addition, you will write a journal entry reflection on your essay and the writing process. This reflection together with your instructor’s suggestions and comments will help you to expand your essay into a research paper for the final project.

Reflective Journal

Throughout the term you will write various journal entries – independently or on given topics – to reflect on certain aspects of your stay in Berlin, e.g. question personal impressions, compare historical or contemporary phenomena, reflect on certain topics discussed in class, etc. Your instructor will collect these creative exercises and comment the content. However, no corrections will be made. The aim of the journal is that you learn how to express a critical and self-reflective position in a linguistically creative way.

Midterm Exam

You will take a midterm exam consisting of the following sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension and composition based on course themes.

Final Project

The final project will be a three-page written research paper (font size 12, double-spaced) and a five-minute in-class presentation. The final paper has to meet the standards of academic writing. In terms of content, this means that a certain topic has to be investigated systematically and the results have to be presented in a structured and logical way. In terms of form, it means that you keep to one single citation style and that you include all the sources you used for your research paper in a reference-list.

You will complete your final paper by executing the following steps:

• Based on your essay you will write an outline, which will be commented by your instructor.
• Then you will write your final paper, which will be due by the beginning of the final week of the course.
• In class, you will proofread your final paper together with your peers and check for errors in terms of content and form.
• You will have the opportunity to revise your final paper before handing it in.

At the last day of class, you will present your results in a five-minute presentation. It is important that you speak freely rather than reading your presentation and that you keep to the time allowed.

Evaluation

• Active participation and homework 300 points
• Oral presentation 100 points
• Essay 100 points
• Reflective Journal 100 points
• Midterm exam 150 points
• Final project 250 points (200 final paper + 50 presentation)

Maximum Score 1,000 points

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Course Description

The course will introduce the basics of the European Union and describe and explain the processes of widening and deepening of this unique political entity. This will cover an overview of European Union history, its evolution in economic and political terms as well as of its institutional structure and key policies up until today.

The focus of the course will be internally on the state of EU integration and its challenges - the need for reform and the growing difficulty to actually agree upon and implement reforms in the face of rising populism, authoritarianism and nationalism. Externally, the course explores the international role of the EU with its emphasis on multilateralism, including its self-declared role as a leader in the fight against climate change. Special emphasis will be placed on Europe’s triple crisis – the Euro crisis, the migration crisis, and Brexit.

The morning sessions consist of lectures, literature-based discussions and oral presentations from working groups. After lunch the course will visit various institutions in Germany`s political center. Students will have the chance to discuss the topics from the morning sessions with international experts from political institutions, embassies and think tanks.

Student Profile

Students from different countries, academic levels and backgrounds who are generally interested in European integration will benefit from each other in an intercultural and interdisciplinary learning process.

The course does not require special knowledge about European politics, law, history or culture, but participants should be interested in more than just their field of specialization.

In-class participation, especially in the discussions with experts, is essential for students’ learning experience and plays an important role in grading.

Prerequisites

The course is designed for students with different academic backgrounds and a general interest in Europe. There are no special prerequisites for the course.

Course Requirements

Attendance; active participation in the seminar's discussions and discussions with experts; oral and written presentation of a certain subject.

Grading

• Participation: 40%
• Oral presentations: 30%
• Final paper: 30%

Reading

See course schedule. A course reader will be provided.

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Course Description

This course explores theoretical and historical perspectives on the intersection of law, society and politics, and aims to foster discussion of contemporary issues among students from different cultures and disciplines. After an introduction to comparative law and legal culture, we read some classical social theorists (Durkheim, Weber and Marx), and consider their relevance to contemporary debates about morality, (dis)obedience, conflict, and property. Next, we investigate the role and operation of law in totalitarian settings such as Nazi and Communist Germany. Finally, we consider the difficulties such legacies pose for democracy, the rule of law, and the economy in post-totalitarian and authoritarian societies, including the need for ‘transitional justice’, the relationship between law and the market, and the challenges posed by freedom of speech and freedom of association.

Overall, the course aims to develop skills at using theory and history to inform debates on contemporary challenges, such as multiculturalism, (illegal) downloading/streaming/file-sharing, squatting, and economic development. In addition to gaining substantive expertise in various socio- and politico-legal fields, students develop communicative competence through participatory exercises, and intercultural competence through discussion with other students.

Student Profile

This course is designed for all students having an interest in social sciences – in particular, history, sociology or political science – or in law. It is conceived as an undergraduate class, but the variety of students taking this course typically ranges from first-year students to post-graduate students. This experiential diversity provides unique opportunities for students to learn from one another.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge of law or of social science is required; the only prerequisite is an open mind.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to attend each class; read the literature assigned for each class; and participate in class discussions and excursions. In addition, each student must complete a writing assignment (written protocol of 5-7 double-spaced pages) analyzing some of the assigned readings. Finally, each student is required to take a written final examination.

Grading

• Class attendance and participation: 40%
• Written protocol(s): 25%
• Final exam: 35%

Reading

Readings for the course are contained in a reader that will be provided at orientation.

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Course Descriptionn

There are many reasons for the global success of football. The game fulfils our longing for triumph and endorses our knowledge of failure. It produces heroes and losers, demonstrates that we have to fight to reach our aims, but also shows the importance of cooperating and interacting. Thus football acts as a theatre of existence, in which life can both mirror and transcend itself.

The class will take a look behind the scenes and identify the mechanisms that make football so popular. They lie partly in the game’s structure itself, partly in its connection to other cultural fields, like religion, or war.

Because football is a game that is always “more than just a game”, it is an appropriate subject for philosophy and cultural studies. At first sight, of course, this relation seems to be counterintuitive. Traditionally, particularly philosophy was defined as a purely mental activity while football in reverse was reduced to a physical combat game. But we will see that one of the characteristics of modern philosophy is to involve the body in the process of thinking, while football urges a specific intelligence from its players. Thus, the class will explore the cultural and philosophical references of football and vice versa, the ludic and bodily aspects of philosophy. By this, we will gain a new perspective on football as well as on philosophy. In addition to that, the focusing on the specific subject “football” can show the different approaches as well as the overlaps between the individual sciences.

Student Profile

Students from all faculties interested in the subject.

Prerequisites

None.

Course Requirements

Active participation and two short essays (approx. 3-5 pages)

Grading

• Active Participation: 30%
• First essay: 35%
• Second essay: 35%

Reading

A reader will be provided at the beginning of the class.

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Course Description

The ‘thousand year Reich’ that Hitler promised when he became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 lasted but 12 years. During this time, however, Hitler and his Nazi Party came to dominate European and even world affairs, terrorizing vast numbers of Germans, launching a devastating war, and orchestrating the murder of more than five million Jews. Yet Hitler and the Nazi Party gained the active support and involvement of most Germans. How was this possible?

This class focuses on Hitler’s Germany and it begins with the essential 19th century background. How did political anti-Semitism grow there? What shaped the social and political life? Central to this session will be a discussion of the broad political currents and the popular literature that Hitler and many of his supporters read and absorbed.

Crucial to understanding the lure of Hitler and the Nazi Party was Germany’s experience in the First World War, a conflict that decimated a generation and destroyed Europe as it was known. Germany became a democratic state, but was torn by political divisions and dissatisfaction. In this climate of uncertainty and despair, Hitler and the Nazi Party grew from a small group on the radical fringe in Munich to a national force. How did this happen? Those traits of Hitler crucial to his success, particularly his charisma, will be defined and analyzed within the broader political context of Weimar political life.

In late January 1933 Hitler gained the long desired but elusive goal: he became chancellor of Germany, the leader of a coalition government. Much attention will be paid in this session to how Hitler, his cabinet, and supporters were able to consolidate the control over the state and society within a matter of months. This came at the cost of political liberties, through the growing use of terror, oppression, and intimidation. Yet, Hitler gained supporters as he seemingly offered economic stability and a new unity to the German people. How the regime solidified its control over society and political life will be examined and discussed at length in this session.

A key element of Hitler’s rule was the concentration camp system, what came to be a vast chain of prisons and centers of oppression and death. How this developed will be examined and analyzed.

Hitler’s ambitions, the conquest of ‘living space’ in Eastern Europe and the annihilation of the Jews, motivated his foreign ambitions and led directly to World War II, the most destructive conflict in human history. A central element of the war was the Holocaust, the all-out program to destroy the Jews of Europe. The session will examine closely these developments, the nature of the war, how the Holocaust was implemented, and the role that terror played in sustaining Nazi rule. We will also discuss the measures taken against the handicapped, homosexuals, Sinti and Roma.

In Germany and later in occupied Europe opposition and resistance emerged and challenged Nazi rule. Opponents were motivated by a variety of reasons, some personal, some political, and these too will be discussed.

Lastly, the class will examine the end of the war, the so-called ‘zero hour’ in Germany, the destruction and collapse of Germany, and then how this nation has dealt with the legacy of Hitler and Nazi rule.

We will be visiting local museums, historical sites and locations that reveal the operations of Nazi rule. These visits are a key element of the class and the experience of studying in Berlin.

Student Profile        

We welcome students from all disciplines who are interested in gaining an insight into the operations and dynamics of Nazi rule in Germany, its attempt to annihilate the Jews and to dominate the continent.

Prerequisites           

Interest and curiosity

Course Requirements        

Attendance in class, the careful reading of the assigned course materials, participation in the field trips, the discussion of the material in class, the completion of two short research papers (2-4 pages), and the final examination. Guidelines for the papers as well as suggested topics will be provided during the first session.

Grading       

• 20% Class participation
• 40% Two short papers
• 40% Final exam

Reading        

A course reader will be provided at the first meeting of the class. This includes a recent monograph on Nazi Germany, a selection of articles offering the newest research and insights, excerpts from original documents (in translation), a weekly schedule of the readings and a series of questions as a guide through each of the texts

• Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Course Description

In many ways, Berlin is a center for contemporary electronic music. This is primarily due to the strong connection between technological and aesthetic developments. Nightclubs, such as the Berghain, have a worldwide reputation for their sound systems, which allow a specific acoustic experience and encourage nightlong dancing and partying. Berlin-based companies such as Ableton and Native Instruments are global leaders in their music software, especially in the context of techno, electronica and electronic dance music. Many DJs and musicians´ market themselves or their tracks via blogs and streaming services. Particularly in the context of sound art, there are fairly strong parallels with media art.

Due to the key 'digital' aspects of such phenomena, we often speak of a 'Digital Age' in which Berlin plays a particular role in the field of music. However, the 'analog' phenomena are constantly growing, so that there is some debate over the beginning of a 'post-digital age'. This corresponds with an increasing focus both on the virtual and haptic dimension. Among other things, software companies have made strong efforts over the past years to develop their own hardware controllers for their computer programs in order to be able to better design musical processes manually.

Based on such phenomena, the course will explore the relationship between aesthetic trends and technological developments with the focus on the cultural and economic conditions in Berlin. Particular emphasis will be made on the past and present of techno, (experimental) electronica and electronic dance music. What makes Berlin a magnet not only for thrill-seeking club-goers, but also for DJs, musicians, producers and developers? How does this relate to the recent past of Berlin since the fall of the Berlin Wall, especially given the gentrification processes? To what extent is Berlin's creative scene at the same time internationally networked and can its conditions only be understood in a global context?

Beyond the Berlin perspective, the course examines the current conditions of production and consumption as well as the performance and distribution of music. How do legal/illegal file sharing and streaming services affect listening to music? What is changing in music culture through sampling, remixing, mashup and approaches to interactive music in video games? What opposing trends are out there?

In addition to the joint discussion of texts and film excerpts, excursions also provide an opportunity for an exchange with proven experts in the course subject areas.    

At the end of the course, the participants can elaborate on and present a topic (either alone or in a group) of their choice in the context of the general list of topics on the course.

Student Profile

This course is intended for students of any disciplines. No prior music and technology background is required. The course aims to provide an insight into the relationship between aesthetic, social and technical developments regarding the topic 'Berlin and the Digital Music Age'. It also examines the conditions of the current production methods of electronic music, but does not teach the specific programming or composing of music. 

Prerequisites

None

Course requirements        

• Active participation
• Course schedule and excursions
• Presentation with handouts
• Course presentation

Grading                                

• Active participation: 40%
• Presentation of a text (lecture with handout): 25%
• Presentation of a chosen topic with a written summary at the end of the course: 35%

Reading

A course reader will be provided.