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Required Texts: Available in Book Store: G.E. Lessing, Nathan der Weise
(1779)
Available on reserve in Andrews Library Der Schatz im Silbersee (Film) What is German? With the ongoing discussion about whether or not and under what circumstances to grant permanent resident status to immigrants (and second- and third-generation children of immigrants) living today in Germany, with a constitution that dictates that having German ancestors is what makes one German, with continued division between eastern and western Germany, and with increasing questions about Germany's role within the European Union, the question of what and who is German is one of the most pressing issues facing German society today. The question is far from new, however. This course investigages literature by and about minorities living in German-speaking countries from the late eighteenth century to the present in order to investigate some of the depictions and constructions of the Other in German Life and Letters. We will focus primarily on literary works and film, but we will also discuss the socio-cultural context in which these texts were written and read. Questions for discussion will include: Which individuals and what groups have been considered Other at different times in German history? What constitutes their otherness? How and to what ends have native Germans depicted minorities in their writing? To what extent has the notion of an Other been necessary for the construction of German national identity? How do minority writers depict Germans and minorities within German society? To what extent do we find in the works of minority writers a tendency towards assimilation or a desire to maintain an outsider status? What is the relationship between an author's cultural identity and her/his writing? Participation: Attendance and active participation in class discussions are required. I expect you to come to class having read the assignment closely and having thought about the study questions generated by the class. If you must miss a class, please notify me ahead of time. Absences are excused only in the case of illness, family emergency, and activities or religious holidays recognized by the College of Wooster. Unexcused absences will affect your participation grade significantly. The following types of assignments are intended to help you read the texts as closely as possible which, in turn, will both help us in our class discussions and you in your writing. They will also help you to devel your writing skills in German. *Reading Journal--After you read the assignment and before you come to class, you should write a one-page response (auf Deutsch!) to what you have read. What you focus on in the response is up to you, but it might help to summarize what you have read and then to respond to one or more of the study questions I give you or your own questions about at you have read. Please keep all of your responses together (on disk or in a notebook) and bring these journals with you to class. I will collect them (from a one of you at a time) regularly throughout the semester. *Film Worksheets and Discussion Questions--You will receive worksheets for each of the films we view and will be expected to post discussion questions about the films to the class listserve. These assignments are intended to deepen your understanding of the texts we read and to improve your writing skills. You will write three 5-7 page papers that will be due on September 29, October 30, December 1 respectively. Because good writing encourages recursivity, I encourage you show me a rough draft before handing in these papers. If you are not happy with the grade you receive on a paper, you may rewrite it and I will then average the two grades together. Revisions are due two weeks after I return the papers to you. Exams: There will be a midterm examination on October 13 and a final examination on December 12 at 7 p.m.. If you wish, as an alternative to the final exam, you may write a final research paper based on one of your shorter essays. Your grade will be determined as follows: 15%--Participation (includes regular attendance): 15%--Homework (reading journal, film worksheets, questions sent to listserv) 40%--Papers (three 5-7 page papers) 10%--Midterm 20%--Final Exam or Research Paper (12-15 pages)
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