Module GERM1081: IDENTITY AND POLITICS IN THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (German)

GERM1081: IDENTITY AND POLITICS IN THE GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Prerequisites

• Grade A in German at A level or an equivalent qualification

Corequisites

• Modern Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: German Langauge 1A (post-A level) (GERM1011); Other: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• German Langauge 1B (ab initio) (GERM1112)

Aims

• What does it mean to be German? This module examines concepts of German identity from the beginnings of modernity to the present day. Identity is itself a highly contested notion, especially in the German context, and German identity has been subject to numerous interpretations and represented in various ways.
• Through study of a range of sources – texts, images, fiction and poetry, political writings, historical documents – students will become familiar with debates around ‘Germanness’ and German nationhood. Key issues to be explored will include nationalism and the making of the German nation; regional identities and shifting borders; Germany within Europe; modern urban culture in the major German cities; migration and diversity; and the relationships between nature, technology, science, and the environment throughout recent German history.

Content

• This module, taught in English, is open to students taking German Language 1A. It asks the question: What does it mean to be German? Identity is itself a highly contested notion, especially in the German context of division and unification, and the negotiation of Germanness with reference to its European neighbours. German identity has thus been subject to numerous interpretations and represented in various ways. The module offers an introduction to these issues through study of a range of sources, including films, fiction and poetry, political writings, and historical documents. Key issues to be explored may include nationalism and the making of the German nation; the political role of the writer in shaping German identity during the Cold War; and political protest and questions of identity in the German-speaking countries, including migration, multiculturalism, multilingualism and ethnic diversity. By the end of the module, students will have a firm grounding in debates around identity as a cultural and political issue in the German-speaking world, and will be able to engage critically with a range of theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of verbal and visual materials. This module has been designed to reflect a commitment to diversity in its resources and delivery, and will create opportunities for students to engage in critical analysis of different perspectives relevant to the study area.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will develop:
• An understanding of debates around German identity and nationhood, and a knowledge of how these have played out in political, literary, and cultural discourse
• Specific and critical knowledge of selected political writings, fiction and poetry, films, historical documents, and other relevant sources
• An understanding of the relationship between shared historical experience, collective mentality, cultural identity, and political thought and action
• An understanding of key events and experiences that have shaped German identity, and an ability to evaluate and analyse representations of these events in various media

• By the end of this module, students should have gained the ability to:
• Critically analyse historical, political, literary, and visual texts
• Understand shifting concepts of identity across different periods of German political and cultural history
• Relate contemporary political debates, such as those around identity, migration, multiculturalism, and the environment, to their historical antecedents

• By the end of this module, students should have improved their:
• Critical and analytical thinking
• Ability to analyse, interpret, and contextualise historical sources and political and literary texts
• Essay-writing, commentary and oral communication skills
• Structuring of arguments
• Independent learning and research
• Ability to discuss topical or general issues with fluency

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will take the form of weekly lectures and fortnightly seminars.
• Lectures will familiarise students with the relevant socio-historical context and introduce the key theoretical and critical issues raised by the texts under consideration.
• By preparing for the fortnightly seminar, which will alternate guided discussions with formative group presentations, students will develop skills in independent learning, rapid critical reading, synthesis, analytical thinking, and the presentation of coherent argument.
• Through reading and preparation of key texts in German, students will thus also increase their proficiency in the target language.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Regular programme of viewing and reading, alternating close analysis of key visual materials from the German-speaking countries with wider contextual / background reading in both English and German; class presentations; active participation in class discussion, based on weekly set tasks.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University