Germany's Stories - Visions of Past & Present

In light of the recent events relating to refugees in Europe and the controversial stance Germany has taken with regard to this matter, this course seeks to examine various experiences of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in German-speaking Europe. Beginning in the pre-World War II era, the course offers historical and current perspectives on expulsion, persecution, integration, assimilation and multiculturalism as depicted in major media outlets, film and academic scholarship. We will discuss topics relating to the persecutions of Jews, the expulsion of ethnic Germans, and migrant labor movements – with a particular emphasis on Turkish guest workers and their legacy in present day Germany. In the second half of the course, we will ask how more recent geo-political shifts, such as the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Balkan Wars, continue to shape perceptions of cultural and national identity in Germany and Austria. Finally, we will conclude with an analysis of the current cultural and political debates in the media surrounding Syrian and African refugees in Germany.

This course aims at developing advanced literacy abilities of summarizing, interpreting, and presenting substantial arguments in professional and academic settings.

Required Texts: The instructor will provide all required texts.