GERM 183 - Surviving a Crisis: Lessons from Young-Adult Fiction in German-Speaking Culture

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

Whether you were in Berlin, Vienna, New York City, or somewhere else in the world, all of us in 2020 collectively went through a global crisis that is still rippling through our lives. In this course, we look at young-adult (YA) narratives whose protagonists are experiencing and working through life-altering events. Even as some launch themselves into adventures while others get thrown into them, all come out the other end profoundly transformed. In examining genres ranging from folktales to contemporary fiction, graphic novels, and digital content, we explore how different media formats engage with traumatic events: Who is telling these stories and what are their motives? How do online platforms change the way we narrate our lives, especially in moments of crisis? Our discussions are framed by introductory texts representing a variety of disciplinary approaches such as media studies, psychoanalysis, and queer and feminist theory. Anna Mayer.

Readings and discussions are in English.

Open only to first-year students; satisfies the college requirement for a First-Year Writing Seminar.

Three 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS