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Germanness is often equated with whiteness, but this no longer reflects the reality of German society. In this course we engage with historical events that complicate the idea of Germanness as well as current creative works that revise Germany's national identity as based on race. Together we investigate national identity, belonging, and the politics of integration and inclusion.

Students in this course will explore an aspect of Austrian literature and culture as it relates to depictions of nature, boundaries, identity, spirituality, or the legacy of the past and will also refine their receptive (listening, reading) and productive (speaking, writing) skills in German through summary, description, comparison, and narration.

In this supposedly post-feminist age, gender nonetheless shapes lived experience. This course introduces students to the literature and thematic concerns of "women's writing" in German. Taking an intersectional approach to identity, we consider gender as one facet that shapes life and literary production.

Contemporary German plays will be read in a reader's theater format, discussed in the context of current social/cultural events, and performed in German. Emphasis upon expanding vocabulary and improving pronunciation, intonation, and expression. Conducted in German.

Using a variety of cultural products (films, poetry, memoirs, essays, newspaper articles, and museum exhibits) created after German unification, we consider the ways that Germans remember their divided past and how it shapes their current understanding of the German nation. Ultimately we ask whether it is possible yet to speak of a unified Germany.

In this course, we will describe characteristics of German Romanticism focusing on nature and spirituality and explore how the depiction of nature in Romanticism is a vehicle for discussions about environmental degradation and solutions in contemporary Germany. We will engage with a variety of images and text genres, including literature, public debate, and political posters.

Students will investigate a variety of media or a single medium (such as art, theater, film, and music) to analyze depictions of nature, boundaries, identity, spirituality, or the legacy of the past in German-speaking cultures. Concurrent with refining their German language skills, students will learn specific vocabulary to analyze each medium.

Academic internships are available for qualified students (3.0 GPA; 3.25 GPA in German). Internships provide students with job experience pertinent to the study of German. The internship may be taken for one to three credit hours. Students may receive an IP (In Progress) grade until the completion of their internship.

Research, study, or original work under the direction of a faculty mentor, leading to a scholarly thesis document with a public presentation of results. Requires approval of thesis director, department chair, dean, and the director of the honors program, when appropriate.