German Studies 310: Migration and Identity in Contemporary Germany

The question of whether Germany is an “Einwanderungsland” or not is one defining political questions of the twenty-first century. The arrival of large numbers of refugees in Germany and other central European countries since the early 2000s has made this debate more urgent. This course asks what it means to be German in the globalizing world through the in-depth study of German-language texts primarily by authors with an immigration background. Authors studied may include Yoko Tawada, Abbas Khider, Zafer Senocak, Emine Özdamar, and others. In this course, literary inquiry is accompanied by the further development of high-level language skills with a focus on discussion skills, presentational language, advanced grammar, and regular writing assignments. Students will gain additional conversation practice through required weekly conversation groups with the language assistant.  Course taught in German.