20th Century German Culture
Code
711101016
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Línguas, Culturas e Literaturas Modernas, Secção de Estudos Alemães
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Gabriela Fragoso
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To become more knowledge-based and more learned in Contemporary German Culture;
b) To learn how to contextualize the authors and to review the limits of contemporary culture;
c) To read critically key texts on german culture and to be able to interpret the environment within which the text was written and its relations with affined cultures (such as the Austrian);
d) To be able to reflect about German cultural identity: \"Leitkultur\" vs. Multikulti\";
e) To organize bibliographic research as a preparation for critical reading of a text;
f) To produce a short research paper on one of the works studied in class.
Prerequisites
With or without A2.2 german language level.
Subject matter
a) The relationship between German politics and culture: the problem of Germany´s long and complex relationship to ethnic Germans outside its national borders;
b) The Third Reich and the German Democratic Republic: one-party control of all areas of life and its expression in various cultural forms;
c) German Federal Republic before and after reunification: aspects of high culture (art, literature, music) vs. popular culture (film, design, popmusic, television);
d) Germany vs. Austria: the concept of Austrian nationhood in its relation to post-war Germany;
e) Social und cultural movements which played a main role in the development of modern German society: ecology, feminism, children´s rights, animal rights (examples from the literature and the cinema)
Bibliography
Benjamin, W. (¹1936, 1977). Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit. Drei Studien zur Kunstsoziologie. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag.
Hermand, J. (2006). Deutsche Kulturgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Darmstadt: Primus Verlag.
Johnston, W. M. (2006). Österreichische Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte: Gesellschaft und Ideen im Donauraum 1848 bis 1938. Wien: Böhlau Verlag.
Trommler, F. (2013). Kulturmacht ohne Kompass. Deutsche auswärtige Kulturbeziehungen im 20. Jahrhundert . Köln: Böhlau Verlag (ISBN 9783412211196).
Niven, W. J. & Jordan, J. (2003 ). Politics and Culture in Twentieth-century Germany. New York: Camden House.
Krista, O.,Bridenthal, R. & Reagin, N. (eds) (2005). The \"Heimat\" Abroad. The Boundaries of Germanness. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.
Teaching method
The teaching method is mainly reflexive and oriented to the contents of the CU. Students will present and discuss key texts and documents of the workshop.
Evaluation method
A mid-term test (25%) and a final test (25%). Participation in class is mandatory and includes an oral presentation(50%).