Language Courses
Reading & Composition
Freshman Seminar
Courses Taught in English
Courses Taught in German
Dutch
Yiddish
Graduate
LANGUAGE COURSES
Please note that all sections of German 1 through German 4 will still meet five hours per week. However at each level we are introducing sections that will meet three days per week, rather than five days per week.
German 1
1. (5) Elementary German. Euba in charge.
Fall/Spring. Five units; classes meet three or five times a week. All four foreign language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) are addressed to help students acquire communicative competence in the German language while being sensitized to the links between language and culture. German 1 is for students with no prior knowledge of German.
German 2
2. (5) Elementary German. Euba in charge.
Fall/Spring. Five units; classes meet three or five times a week. Prerequisite: G1 or equivalent. In German 2, students will continue to develop communicative competence in the German language and expand their sensitivity towards the relationship between language and culture. While all language skills will be addressed, additional emphasis will be on the various styles of written and spoken German. Prerequisite: G1 or equivalent.
German 1G/2G
1G/2G. (0) Reading German for Graduates (S/U) . Euba in charge.
Fall/Spring. Taken on S/U basis. Prepares graduate students from other disciplines to take their German reading exam. One year of German should be taken before 1G; 1G or consent of instructor for 2G. Students who will take 2G should enroll in it at the beginning of the semester; 2G will begin approximately the eighth week of instruction. All students interested in the G courses should attend the first meeting of the semester.
German 3
3. (5) Intermediate German. Topics in German Language and Cultural History. Euba in charge.
Fall/Spring. Five units; classes meet three or five times a week. While continuing to expand students' communicative competence in German, this content-driven course will provide insights into postwar German history and cultural trends. Primary focus will be on the development of literacy skills (critical reading and writing), vocabulary expansion, and a thorough review of structural concepts. You will be guided towards expressing yourself on more abstract topics, such as language and power in society, multiculturalism, rebellion and protest, and social justice and towards drawing connections between texts and contexts, using a variety of text genres (journalistic, historical, short story, poetry, drama, advertising, film). This course fulfills the International Studies Breadth Requirement.
German 4
4. (5) Advanced German. Topics in German Language and Culture. Euba in charge.
Fall/Spring. Five units; classes meet three or five times a week. In this fourth-semester German language course you will work on strengthening your interpretative abilities as well as your written and oral forms of expression. While continuing the development of communicative competence and literacy skills, students will discuss a variety of texts and films and try to find innovative ways in which to engage with familiar presuppositions about who we are, about what determines our values and actions and about the function and power of language. This course fulfills the International Studies Breadth Requirement.
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READING AND COMPOSITION
German R5A
R5A. Reading & Composition
German R5A is designed to fulfill the first half of the university's Reading and Composition requirement. All readings and discussion will be in English.
R5A, sec.001 (4). Winters, M.
"Historical Fiction". In this course, we will read novels, dramas, and poems dealing with historical topics, considering both the periods in which these works are set, and the periods in which they were written. Reading list: Johann Grimmelshausen, The Life of Courage; Friedrich Schiller, Mary Stuart; Heinrich von Kleist, Michael Kohlhaas; Kleist, Prince Friedrich of Homburg; Eduard Mörike, Mozart’s Journey to Prague; Bertolt Brecht, Mother Courage and Her Children; Günter Grass; The Meeting at Telgte; Christa Wolf, No Place on Earth. Taught in English.
R5A, sec. 002. (4). Huffmaster, M.
TBA
R5A, sec.003 (4). Dobryden, P.
"Styles of Aesthetic Experience". This course will deal broadly with styles or 'attitudes' of aesthetic perception. What are the different ways in which literature, art, or media can be approached and experienced? How do texts and films represent, perform, and solicit different perceptual styles? What socio-cultural meanings are attached to such styles? We will engage with works of German literature, criticism, and film primarily from the first half of the 20th century, a period in which notions of perception and aesthetic reception were hotly debated. Among other topics we will discuss urban modernity; the birth of cinema and mass media; nervousness; 'high' and 'low' art; absorption, theatricality, distantiation, contemplation, attention, and distraction. Readings will include texts and excerpts of classic works from Kant, Georg Simmel, Siegfried Kracauer, Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann, Bertolt Brecht, Alfred Dšblin, and Robert Musil. We will also watch films by F.W. Murnau and Fritz Lang. Taught in Enlish.
R5A, sec. 004 (4). Layne, P.
"Rebels with a Cause". German Youth Culture in the 20th Century. This course will focus on rebellion in Germany in its many guises. We'll investigate the origins of rebellious movements in Germany prior to WWII and examine how postwar rebelsâ desire to break with the German past expressed itself in youthful rebellion both in East and West Germany. In addition we will explore how German speaking migrants complicated these matters. We will hone our critical reading and writing strategies using texts from F. Nietzsche, G. Grass, and E. Oezdamar among others. Taught in English.
R5A, sec. 5 (4). Etzler, M.
"Writing Pathology". Since the primary goal of this course is to acquire the skills necessary to read and write analytically, we will examine a variety of texts in which the author/narrator emphasizes and draws the reader's attention to their own writing process. We will look for example at novels, short stories and film to examine how a reflection on creative writing can also reveal the narrator's psychology and, in these particular cases, pathology. We will attempt to answer such questions as: How can we branch out from these personal "pathological" texts to gain an understanding of the community in which they originated? How do these works comment on the politics, society and culture of the time in which they were written? We will read authors such as Robert Walser, Franz Kafka, Rainer Maria Rilke and Thomas Bernhard. Taught in English.
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COURSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH
German 104 (3)- Senior Colloquium. Tennant E.
German 105 (3)- Middle High German for Undergraduates. Tennant E.
This course will introduce students to the language and literature of the Middle High German period. The focus will be on reading competence and linguistic analysis of Middle High German texts, using structural comparison with Modern German to help students develop their translation skills. Knowledge of Modern German (or another older Germanic language) recommended. Taught in English.
German 157C (4)- Heideggar and Arendt. Trop, G.
This course will examine, engage, and question forms of thought in the twentieth century that intensify our connection to our own bodies and conscious experience, our being in language and the meaning of art, our historicity, our relations with others, and our commitments and actions in the world. In addition to significant works by Heidegger and Arendt, we will read shorter texts by Gadamer, Husserl, and Merleau-Ponty. Taught in English.
German 160A (4)- A Century of Extremes. Schuering, M.
This course offers an introduction to the history and culture of divided Germany in the era of the Cold War. It will look at the different ways the two states dealt with the country's pre-1945 history, the relations to the Allied Powers, and the major cultural shifts which eventually created a watershed in the history of German mentalities. We will look at various kinds of sources, including literature and film. Major national debates will be touched upon, such as breaks and continuities within the national elites, re-armament and pacifism, the student movement, opposition and conformity under Socialism, and the rise of environmentalism. We will also discuss the problems and opportunities of re-unification.
German 170 (4)- History of the German Language. Rauch, I.
Designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the history of the language and culture of the united German, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein which transverses a rich legacy from the Lay of Hildebrand, through Luther and Grimm, to Grass and Der Spiegel. Discussion, via linguistic principles, of language processes in the genetic development of the German language, as well as interchange over time with closely and remotely related languages. No prerequisites.
German 186 (4)- Transnational Cinemas. Gokturk, D.
This course will combine readings on globalization and cosmopolitanism with case studies about the formation of a global consciousness through cinema and other audiovisual media. We will draw on anthropology as well as film and media studies, incorporating an element of field work, researching festivals, distribution circuits, new media platforms, and spectatorship. Close textual analysis of films in terms of staging, acting, and cinematography will form the basis of our investigations. Taught in English.
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COURSES TAUGHT IN GERMAN
German 40
40 (2) German Conversation. Gordon, K.
Advanced German conversation course that includes discussions, debates, individual presentations, and one or two in-class movies in German. Most materials will be provided by the instructor but students will also be asked to use their own resources from printed or online media. Regular vocabulary quizzes will be part of the course grade. Taught in German.
German 100.
100 (3) Reading Culture- Dewulf, J.
This course is intended to acquaint students with selected works from German cultural history and to familiarize them with various methods of interpretation and analysis. Required of all German majors. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Arts and Literature or International Studies. Taught in German. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Arts and Literature or International Studies. Taught in German.
German 101
101 (3) Advanced German: Conversation, Composition and Style- Euba, N.
Fulfills the Arts and Literature or International breadth requirement. Taught in German. Students with native fluency in German are not eligible to enroll in German 101.
German 102D
102D (3) Advanced Language Practice: Popculture- Kooiker, J.
Focusing on popular culture in German speaking countries, this advanced level language course will help students to improve and expand on spoken and written language functions. Fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in Arts and Literature or International Studies. Taught in German.
German 112
112. (3) Early Modern Literature- Tennant, E.
Major texts from the 15th through the 17th century.
German 140
140 (3) Romanticism- Kudszus, W.
A study of selected key works of the Romantic period, among them Tieck's Der blonde Eckbert, Novalis' Hymnen an die Nacht, Eichendorff's Das Marmorbild, and Hoffmann's Der Sandmann. Texts in German only. Lectures and discussions in German and English. Requirements in German or English.
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DUTCH
Dutch 1. (5) Elementary Dutch. Hollander, I.
Prerequisite: None; no previous knowledge of Dutch is required.
Focus of the course is on acquiring basic communicative competence in the language, i.e. developing the ability to appropriately use the language (spoken as well as written) in authentic situations. The course introduces fundamental structures and a core vocabulary, which will enable you to engage in conversation and to read and write short texts. You are encouraged to build confidence and skill by actively participating in classroom activities and interacting with others. The course meets five hours per week. In addition to classroom instruction, one hour at the language lab is required.
Texts:
E. Ham, et al. Help! (Deel 1): Kunt u mij helpen? Compl. rev. ed. Utrecht: Nederlands Centrum Buitenlanders, 2002.
W.H.T.M. Tersteeg, et al. Help! English Supplement, Utrecht: Nederlands Centrum Buitenlanders, 1998.
Dutch 2 . (3) Elementary Dutch-Dewulf, J.
In this course, one reinforces and expands knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, increases fluency through oral and written exercises, and builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in 1.
Dutch 107 (3) Structure of Modern Dutch-Dewulf, J.
This course is designed for all students, graduate and undergraduate, who are interested in learning about the linguistic structure and analysis of the modern standard Dutch language. Classroom discussion will be in English, as will most of the readings. No previous knowledge of either Dutch or Linguistics is required for this course.
Dutch 110 (3)Advanced Dutch-Hollander, I.
Focus of this course is on reinforcing and expanding patterns and vocabulary acquired in 2. All the major grammar will be reviewed. Written and spoken proficiency will be improved.
Dutch 174 (4) Brussels: A Global Study of a European Capital City-Dewulf, J.
Its highly specific political, social and cultural outlook has made Brussels into a most fascinating object of study in the arts and the political and social sciences. From its limited role as the capital of a tiny country, it has been transformed into the capital of Europe. Hence, Brussels has come to be so explicitly at the centre of a large set of developments, that a global approach of its past and present not only allows one to grasp the essence of Belgian cultural and political complexity, but also of urban developments of a broader relevance. This course starts with a global historical introduction into the gradual identification of Brussels as the political centre of the southern Low Countries, the Belgian capital and eventually the capital of the European Union. It aims at a thorough, comprehensive study of Brussels, once a small, rather provincial main city of a tiny country, now the cosmopolitan capital of a progressively unified Europe. No knowledge of Dutch or French is required.
Dutch C178 (4) Cultural Studies- Dewulf, J.
"Intercultural, Hybridity and Miscegenation in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean from the 17th Century to the Present" - All readings and discussions in English. Cross-listed with African American Studies C178 section 1 and Spanish C178 section 1.
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YIDDISH Check out the new Yiddish web site!
Yiddish 101
101 (5) Elementary Yiddish. Wamsley, R.
This is an introduction to Yiddish language, literature, and culture. With particular focus on the basics of Yiddish grammar, we will develop reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills. In so doing, we will also have an opportunity to explore simple Yiddish songs, stories, and dialogues as reflections of Yiddish culture and history.
Yiddish 103
103 (3) Readings in Yiddish. Chaver, Y.
"Reading Yiddish Texts" - Y. L. Peretz, writing in Poland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was a Yiddish proto-modernist. One of the "Three Classic Writers", he is the first Yiddish writer to sound tones of modernity in the introspective voice of the individual grappling with a rapidly changing society. Peretz keenly appreciated traditional Yiddish literature and developed a distinctive neo-Hassidic prose that spoke to his readers' concerns. Tesxts by this prolific and multi-faceted writer will include poetry, prose and drama. Requirements: A reading knowledge of Yiddish. Taught in English.
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GRADUATE COURSES
LITERATURE/CULTURE
German 200
200 (4) Proseminar in German Literature. Largier, N.
TBA
German 201D
201D (4) 19th Century.Kudszus, W.
TBA
German 204
204 (2) Compact Seminar. Staff
"Das Nibelungenlied" - German majors must take the course as a letter grade. This is a one month long course meeting beginning Thursday, September 10 and ending Thursday, October 1, 2009. German taught.
German 210
210 (4) Age of Enlightenment. Feldman, K.
This course will examine theories of rhetoric, poetics, logic and language in 18th-century German thought. Authors may include Gottsched, Herder, Klopstock, Lessing, Goethe and others.
German 265
265 (4) Film Theory. Kaes, A.
TBA
GERMANIC LINGUISTICS
German 285
285 (4) Approaches and Issues in the Study of Modern German. Shannon, T.
This seminar is designed to provide students with a representative survey of various approaches to, and issues in, the study of the contemporary German language. These methods and issues will be illustrated by examining a number of problems in the analysis of modern German. Some of the theories and topics to be discussed include: structuralism, transformational grammar and its sucessors, dependency grammar, functional grammar, problems of phonological analysis, valence and sentence patterns functional sentence perspective and word order in German, pragmatics and semantic analysis.
German 290
290 (4) Seminar in German Linguistics. Rauch, I.
The fascinating field that is Germanic Linguistics will be considered from several foci: The understanding of the Germanic languages as a field of study which takes its roots in both Eastern and Western ancient cultures is perused through the ages to current times. The outreach of principles of Germanic linguistics to general linguistics and to non-linguistic related arts and sciences plays a substantial role. No prerequisites.
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PEDAGOGY
German 351
351 (3) Seminar in Foreign Language Pedagogy: Teaching College German (II). Euba, N.
This second course in a two-semester sequence is again designed to provide graduate students in German with knowledge and tools for their careers as teachers in the language classroom and beyond. Emphasizing critical reflection on pedagogical practices, this course will prepare for language teaching at the intermediate and advanced levels. The theoretical and practical exploration of recent developments in second language acquisition and teaching will focus on the development of literacy, the teaching of literary texts, the teaching of writing, and curriculum design. Along with the continous development of practices which promote professional growth, this should provide a basis for staying theoretically informed while participating in the professional discourse of a rapidly developing field. Included in this course is a significant practical component, addressing the day-to-day challenges of planning for and teaching the simultaneously offered intermediate German language courses.
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