This interdisciplinary course aims at analyzing the concept of otherness and the reflection of the multicultural reality of contemporary German society and within the process of European Union enlargement. Students will explore how artists and writers, who live in Germany and use the German language as a means of expression, answer the question: Where and what is home in the 21st century? What is German and what is European today? The discussion will center on questions of identity, language, cultural heritage and the modern nation. After a short excursion into Germany’s history of migration and a brief overview of migration in post-war Germany, the course will explore the rich transcultural landscape of multicultural Germany and Europe by analysing literature, films and art while the main focus will be on literature.
In a second part of the course students will expand the topic to the question of a new European identity. Students will learn about crucial questions of cultural belonging, the distinction between national borders, geographical landscapes, and new and old divides in Europe.
Prerequisites:
None
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss concepts of nation, state, ethnicity, religion and culture in Europe and be able to breakdown the German multicultural society and distinguish between some of its major and important groups - migrant workers from Turkey, ethnic German repatriates from Eastern Europe, the Jewish minority and new groups of asylum seekers.
Students will learn about new hybrid forms of identity formation and their reflection in literature and film in Germany, and should be able to analyze these examples in the contexts of past and new migratory movements. Comparison with their experiences in the United States is desired. We will develop methods of interpretation of these transcultural texts and films with respect to language hybridity, image construction, and motifs.
Final grades will be based on a midterm (10%) and a final examination (25%), two small papers /or one single long one (30%), and class participation (35%). Class attendance is required.
content:
Introduction:
Inländer, Ausländer, Niemandsländer. History of Migration in Germany after World War II.
Topic I: Turkish Guestworkers in German Cinema Film: 40m² Germany Assignment: What is your opinion of the two main characters and of the German environment around them? Film: Knallhart Assignment: Describe the main attitude of the film? What is the relationship between Turkish and German neighbors? Is the film realistic? What is the conflict of the main character?
Migrant Workers: Discussion of Film and Texts Literature: Zaimoglu, 54-69.
Topic II: Jewish Writers in Germany
The Writer of the Holocaust. Literature: Imre Kertesz, Ich bin der Spuk; Paul Celan, Todesfuge. Student Presentation: What does Kertesz mean by “exilierte Sprache”? Student Presentations on Kertesz and Celan
Jewish Writers today Literature: Bodemann, 7–19; Honigmann, 11-38, 89–120 Field Trip: Jewish Cemetery Weissensee. Film: Alles auf Zucker, or Max Minsky und ich
Topic III: The New Europeans
Russendisko. Wladimir Kaminer. Literature: Kaminer 2002, 131 – 136; Kaminer 2001, 12-14; Kaminer 2003, 114 – 135
Balkan Blues: Dimitré Dinevs New Europeans Literature: Dinev, “Die Totenwache”
Topic IV: Minorities in Europe: Migrants and Old Minorities
Dying Europeans. The Literature of the German Minority in Romania Literature: Müller, 7 - 16
The Slavs from next door: Sorbs in Germany. Literature: Roža Domašcyna, poems/ fairy tales (in-class handout)
Student presentation on the Sorbs. Who are they? Where do they come from?
Sinti and Roma in Europe: Literature: Gauß, 70 – 90
Topic V: The Center is Eastwards: Old and New Borders in Europe: Travelling Europe
East is East, West is West – Where is Europe’s Center today? Literature: Schlögel, 31–55 Field Trip: Centrum Judaicum: Lemberg Ausstellung
Berlin – Moskau Literature: Büscher, 60–64, 118–125
Andrzej Stasiuk/Juri Andruchowytsch: Last and Lost: Letzte Territorien
Required readings:
Bodemann, Y. Michal. In den Wogen der Erinnerung: Juedische Existenz in Deutschland. München: DTV, 2002.
Büscher, Wolfgang. Berlin – Moskau. Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt-Taschenbuch-Verl., 2005.
Dinev, Dimitre. “Die Totenwache.” Ein Licht über dem Kopf. Deuticke Im Zsolnay Verlag, 2005.
Gauß, Karl Markus. Die Hundeesser von Svinia. München: Dtv, 2006.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Der Untergang von Wien.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 89 - 120.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Gräber in London.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 11-38.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Selbstporträt als Jüdin.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 11-38.
Kaminer, Wladimir. Russendisko. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2002.
Kaminer, Wladimir. Schönhauser Allee. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2001.
Kaminer, Wladimir. “Verschollen auf der Krim.” Die Reise nach Trulala. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2003.
Müller, Herta. “Die Grabrede.” Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Müller, Herta. “Das Schwäbische Bad." Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Müller, Herta. “ Eine Familie.” Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Schlögel, Karl. Die Mitte liegt ostwärts: Europa im Übergang. München: Carl Hanser Verlag, 2002.
Zaimoglu, Feridun. “Kanak Attack: Rebellion of Minorities.” Augenzeugen der Geschichte. Hannover: Weltbürger, 2001. 54-69.
This interdisciplinary course aims at analyzing the concept of otherness and the reflection of the multicultural reality of contemporary German society and within the process of European Union enlargement. Students will explore how artists and writers, who live in Germany and use the German language as a means of expression, answer the question: Where and what is home in the 21st century? What is German and what is European today? The discussion will center on questions of identity, language, cultural heritage and the modern nation. After a short excursion into Germany’s history of migration and a brief overview of migration in post-war Germany, the course will explore the rich transcultural landscape of multicultural Germany and Europe by analysing literature, films and art while the main focus will be on literature.
In a second part of the course students will expand the topic to the question of a new European identity. Students will learn about crucial questions of cultural belonging, the distinction between national borders, geographical landscapes, and new and old divides in Europe.
None
By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss concepts of nation, state, ethnicity, religion and culture in Europe and be able to breakdown the German multicultural society and distinguish between some of its major and important groups - migrant workers from Turkey, ethnic German repatriates from Eastern Europe, the Jewish minority and new groups of asylum seekers.
Students will learn about new hybrid forms of identity formation and their reflection in literature and film in Germany, and should be able to analyze these examples in the contexts of past and new migratory movements. Comparison with their experiences in the United States is desired. We will develop methods of interpretation of these transcultural texts and films with respect to language hybridity, image construction, and motifs.
lectures, discussions, films, field trips (to readings, theater, museums), student presentations.
Final grades will be based on a midterm (10%) and a final examination (25%), two small papers /or one single long one (30%), and class participation (35%). Class attendance is required.
Introduction:
Inländer, Ausländer, Niemandsländer. History of Migration in Germany after World War II.
Topic I: Turkish Guestworkers in German Cinema
Film: 40m² Germany
Assignment: What is your opinion of the two main characters and of the German environment around them?
Film: Knallhart
Assignment: Describe the main attitude of the film? What is the relationship between Turkish and German neighbors? Is the film realistic? What is the conflict of the main character?
Migrant Workers: Discussion of Film and Texts
Literature: Zaimoglu, 54-69.
Topic II: Jewish Writers in Germany
The Writer of the Holocaust.
Literature: Imre Kertesz, Ich bin der Spuk; Paul Celan, Todesfuge.
Student Presentation: What does Kertesz mean by “exilierte Sprache”? Student Presentations on Kertesz and Celan
Jewish Writers today
Literature: Bodemann, 7–19; Honigmann, 11-38, 89–120
Field Trip: Jewish Cemetery Weissensee.
Film: Alles auf Zucker, or Max Minsky und ich
Topic III: The New Europeans
Russendisko. Wladimir Kaminer.
Literature: Kaminer 2002, 131 – 136; Kaminer 2001, 12-14; Kaminer 2003, 114 – 135
Balkan Blues: Dimitré Dinevs New Europeans
Literature: Dinev, “Die Totenwache”
Topic IV: Minorities in Europe: Migrants and Old Minorities
Dying Europeans. The Literature of the German Minority in Romania
Literature: Müller, 7 - 16
The Slavs from next door: Sorbs in Germany.
Literature: Roža Domašcyna, poems/ fairy tales (in-class handout)
Student presentation on the Sorbs. Who are they? Where do they come from?
Sinti and Roma in Europe: Literature: Gauß, 70 – 90
Topic V: The Center is Eastwards: Old and New Borders in Europe: Travelling Europe
East is East, West is West – Where is Europe’s Center today?
Literature: Schlögel, 31–55
Field Trip: Centrum Judaicum: Lemberg Ausstellung
Berlin – Moskau
Literature: Büscher, 60–64, 118–125
Andrzej Stasiuk/Juri Andruchowytsch: Last and Lost: Letzte Territorien
Bodemann, Y. Michal. In den Wogen der Erinnerung: Juedische Existenz in Deutschland. München: DTV, 2002.
Büscher, Wolfgang. Berlin – Moskau. Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt-Taschenbuch-Verl., 2005.
Dinev, Dimitre. “Die Totenwache.” Ein Licht über dem Kopf. Deuticke Im Zsolnay Verlag, 2005.
Gauß, Karl Markus. Die Hundeesser von Svinia. München: Dtv, 2006.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Der Untergang von Wien.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 89 - 120.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Gräber in London.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 11-38.
Honigmann, Barbara. “Selbstporträt als Jüdin.” Damals, Dann und Danach. München: Dtv, 1999. 11-38.
Kaminer, Wladimir. Russendisko. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2002.
Kaminer, Wladimir. Schönhauser Allee. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2001.
Kaminer, Wladimir. “Verschollen auf der Krim.” Die Reise nach Trulala. Deutschland: Goldmann, 2003.
Müller, Herta. “Die Grabrede.” Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Müller, Herta. “Das Schwäbische Bad." Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Müller, Herta. “ Eine Familie.” Niederungen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Tb., 1993. 7 - 16.
Schlögel, Karl. Die Mitte liegt ostwärts: Europa im Übergang. München: Carl Hanser Verlag, 2002.
Zaimoglu, Feridun. “Kanak Attack: Rebellion of Minorities.” Augenzeugen der Geschichte. Hannover: Weltbürger, 2001. 54-69.
A Reader with all literature will be provided.