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Berlin and Beyond (GERM20011)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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Students in this subject will learn about German history, language and society in the modern era from the perspectives of the capital, Berlin, and other locations such as Potsdam, Tübingen and Buckow. Beginning with one week in Tübingen students will gain a decentralised perspective on German history (from the foundation of the state, the Weimar Republic, the World Wars, until reunification) and an insight into the richly regional nature of German identity and language. By engaging with authors from the region, the stay in the heart of Baden-Württemberg also gets a literary component. Transferring to Berlin for the next thirteen days, students will learn about the challenges that face contemporary Germany including right-wing extremism, the refugee “crisis”, threats to the European Union and the legacy of both the Holocaust and the GDR. The subject ends with a stay in Buckow, a small town in the Nature Park Märkische Schweiz, where famous German writers used to compose their poems.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Identify key moments in German history, literature and culture from the 18th century until the present day
- Understand that there are regional differences in German history, language and culture
- Reflect upon the different public cultures of memory in Berlin and southern Germany
- Develop a decentralised perspective on German history, language and culture
- Engage with and reflect upon the cultural diversity that has arisen from the refugee "crisis" and its associated civil initiatives
- Evaluate aspects of German history, culture and language in writing.
Generic skills
- Oral and written intercultural communication (in German and English)
- Time management and work planning
- Analytical and critical
- Research
- Information literacy
- Collaboration
- Independence and self-responsibility.
Last updated: 8 November 2024