Navigation items and banners
- About FUBiS
- Academic Program
- Accommodation
- Extracurricular Activities
- Fees & Registration
- Contact
- FAQ
Term I: Nation and Identity: Images of German Men and Women
(Course # 1.9)
|
Type: |
B Track |
|
Instructor(s): |
|
|
Language: |
German |
|
Contact hours: |
48 Contact Hours |
|
Credit Points: |
4 credit points |
|
Capacity: |
18 |
Course description
The symbolism of the strong German nation has largely centered on images of male virility. Due to the social roles ascribed to them, women could (or were forced to) work largely in the domestic sphere, while men were able to develop themselves in the private sphere, i.e., in their occupation. Just the same, throughout the centuries, women have also made considerable contributions to the make-up of the German identity and to German history.
Exactly which images of men and women were/are prevalent in Germany, how and for what purposes these images were/are used, and for which analogies or social spheres they were/are reserved compose the main issues of our seminar. Authentic, contemporary materials such as emblemata from the early modern period and reports from the early twentieth century will be read and discussed in order to determine which role literature and other media have played in the dissemination of such patterns of identity. Literary texts und dramas from Heinrich von Kleist and Bertolt Brecht will be examined and we will compare poetry from Andreas Gryphius and Bertolt Brecht. In order to visualize the interrelationship between the leitmotifs listed above, we will watch and analyze Margarethe von Trotta’s Rosa Luxemburg (1985) and Helma Sanders-Brahms’s Deutschland bleiche Mutter (1979). The topics have been ordered chronologically—it is left to you to decide if this arrangement also represents a teleological development.
Seminar Goals
Since film, text, and art comprise the media that we will examine, this seminar is ideal for students of literary, cultural, political, and social sciences. Your German skills must be at the B2-level (or higher) of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This seminar seeks to bring to the foreground cultural and historical connections between images of German men and women and state- and nation building. At the same time, the seminar will enable you to create your own informed image of patterns of German male and female identities in German culture and history based on representations in various media.
Course Requirements / Evaluation
I. Active Participation (30%)
What is active participation?
- Being prepared for the seminar, e.g., having read the texts carefully
- Constructive and productive participation in class and during the excursions
- Respect for the opinions and comments of the other seminar participants
I. a. Seminar Times and Excursions
The seminar takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thematic excursions are planned for the course. Your course essay can also be based on the excursion topics.
II. Presentation (25%)
You will prepare a 20-minute presentation (including discussion), in which you will present and explain a seminar topic. It is important that you prepare a handout with assignments for the other seminar participants and that you speak freely and not merely read your presentation aloud.
III. Essay (35%): due Friday, January 30
Precise written expression and the strengthening of your critical voice are also important goals in this seminar. You will write an 8-page essay (double-spaced, 12 pt.; 7 pages text, one page bibliography) on a topic that fits the scope of the seminar.
Should it become evident that an essay is a product of plagiarism, the essay will receive the grade of zero (0) points. Please bear in mind that FUBiS reserves the right to take additional action in cases of plagiarism.
All quotations should be designated as such with “quotation marks and footnotes.” Your essay should contain between 15 and 20 quotes. N.B.: You must list at least 6 sources (scientific articles or books) in your bibliography. Dictionaries, encyclopedia entries, and websites are not acceptable sources and will not be counted.
Your essay is to be submitted both in written form and as an e-mail attachment to djprickett@gmail.com. After the seminar, a “seminar proceedings” will be compiled as a pdf-file and sent to you by e-mail.
IV. Final Exam (10%)
On Fri., February 6, 2009, the final exam will take place. You will be asked to respond to questions on texts and topics we have discussed in the seminar.
General Note:
• Any work handed in late will automatically receive the next lowest grade.
Reading
Course Reader
• Will be provided at the orientation meeting.
Links
