GRMN0415
Colonial Fantasies
Colonial Fantasies
Lasting from 1884 to 1918, Germany’s scramble for overseas territory began late and was relatively short lived. However, the nation’s lack of colonies did not keep Germans from fantasizing about faraway lands and their inhabitants. In this course we will explore such “Colonial Fantasies” in the realm of literature, film, and art. We will discuss Germany’s era of actual colonialism in Africa, representations of colonial life and political debates about the colonies, and traces of colonial thinking in contemporary Germany. We will also examine Germany's "Indianthusiasm", Indian hobbyist movements in Germany, and colonial endeavors and scientific expedition in South America. Readings will include texts by Kleist, Heine, Keller, May, Timm, Ayim, and Hahn-Hahn. 3 hrs sem.
Lasting from 1884 to 1918, Germany’s scramble for overseas territory began late and was relatively short lived. However, the nation’s lack of colonies did not keep Germans from fantasizing about faraway lands and their inhabitants. In this course we will explore such “Colonial Fantasies” in the realm of literature, film, and art. We will discuss Germany’s era of actual colonialism in Africa, representations of colonial life and political debates about the colonies, and traces of colonial thinking in contemporary Germany. We will also examine Germany's "Indianthusiasm", Indian hobbyist movements in Germany, and colonial endeavors and scientific expedition in South America. Readings will include texts by Kleist, Heine, Keller, May, Timm, Ayim, and Hahn-Hahn. 3 hrs sem.