GRMN 0416
Identity Politics
Identity Politics in a Unified Germany
The debate over German identity has taken on more conflicted dimensions since the recent unification of the two Germanys. The increasingly multicultural nature of the German society foregrounds questions about the homogeneity of the German identity. This course explores a variety of texts dealing with identity construction in which attempts to create a coherent and cohesive identity use 'others' based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and physical ability. Texts: Volker Braun, Unvollendete Geschichte; Gertrud Kolmar, Eine jüdische Mutter; Kemal Kurt, Was ist die Mehrzahl von Heimat?/; Christa Wolf, /Auf dem Weg nach Tabou; May Ayim, Grenzenlos und unverschämt.
The debate over German identity has taken on more conflicted dimensions since the recent unification of the two Germanys. The increasingly multicultural nature of the German society foregrounds questions about the homogeneity of the German identity. This course explores a variety of texts dealing with identity construction in which attempts to create a coherent and cohesive identity use 'others' based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and physical ability. Texts: Volker Braun, Unvollendete Geschichte; Gertrud Kolmar, Eine jüdische Mutter; Kemal Kurt, Was ist die Mehrzahl von Heimat?/; Christa Wolf, /Auf dem Weg nach Tabou; May Ayim, Grenzenlos und unverschämt.