GERM 274 - Deep Dives into German Culture

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as INTL 274) Topic for 2022/23b: What Remains? East-Germany, Putin and the War in Ukraine. Polls show that while West Germans are enthusiastically supportive of efforts to assist the Ukrainians against Putin’s war of aggression, the numbers in East Germany and the former area of the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR) are much more ambiguous. Nostalgia for a seemingly stable sense of belonging in the Soviet bloc, pro-Putin propaganda, and lingering resentment against the West (that still seems to be better off than the East) all contribute to an East German society full of fissures and contradictions. This intensive acquaints students with some of the history of the former socialist GDR and explores what remains of the GDR’s legacy. Working in groups, students select, research and present films, literature, memorials, and/or news reports and lead discussions on key issues in GDR culture during and after the existence of the iron curtain. Silke von der Emde.

Readings and discussions are in English.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: INT