Veranstaltungen im Sommersemester 2009

After part I of this introductory course provided an overview of the different meanings of “culture” and the issues arising from these meanings, the second part will examine different dimensions of culture, such as space, time, visual culture, and the body. The course will finish with a survey of critical perspectives on “Cultural Studies.” Study material will be made available by the beginning of term. For a “Studiennachweis” and to complete the module, students have to pass a final written test comprising the three mandatory introductory courses, and attend one of the tutorials regularly. Prospective participants must be prepared to participate actively and to commit themselves to weekly reading and writing assignments. – To register for this class, please go to http://www.ovgu.de/hkersten and use the link to the Moodle online platform.

Animals have always played important roles in the lives and the imagination of human beings. Even a cursory view at American culture shows the importance animals have in contemporary America and in American history. From the real animals of the North American continent to the anthropomorphized creatures on TV, in movies, and in comics, animals – it is impossible to imagine American life without the presence of animal images and animal representations. Apart from the relevance the topic has gained in the context of the current environmental debate, animals figure prominently in myths, folklore, literature, movies, as well as in other manifestations of American culture. This course intends to introduce students to the various relationships between humans and animals in the American context. It will examine the symbolical power with which animals have been invested and it will also address the legal, philosophical and historical perspectives on the human-animal relationship in the United States. Prospective participants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves in advance with the general aspects of this topic. They must be prepared to participate actively and to commit themselves to weekly reading and writing assignments. Course material will be made available by the beginning of term. Check my web pages for updated information. To register for this class, please go to http://www.ovgu.de/hkersten and use the link to the Moodle online platform.

Die Veranstaltung richtet sich Studierende der Anglistik, die beabsichtigen, im Rahmen meiner Themen- und Prüfungsbereiche (sowohl Literatur- als auch Kulturstudien) eine Studienabschlussarbeit zu schreiben (Magister-, Staatsexamens- sowie B.A.-Arbeiten). Das Kolloquium wird zunächst grundsätzliche Fragen zu den Formen des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens ansprechen und danach auf die Themenbereiche eingehen, die sich aus den konkreten Projekten der TeilnehmerInnen ergeben. Bitte melden Sie sich über die Moodle-Plattform für diese Veranstaltung an (http://www.ovgu.de/hkersten > Moodle Plattform).

Despite the fact that a pronounced interest in America's ethnic literatures did not emerge until the 1960s in the midst of an intensive debate about the literary canon, it would be wrong to assume that writers who did not belong to a white mainstream were missing from the literary landscape of 19th-century America. As a matter of fact, authors of Native American, African American, and Asian American background did produce powerful texts which had a significant impact on American literature and captured the attention of a growing reading audience as well as the respect of the literary establishment. It is the purpose of this class to study a selection from the work of these writers and to develop an understanding of the fundamental issues involved in their literary production and in the cultural contexts from which it emerged. – Reading material will be made available by the beginning of term. Prospective participants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves in advance with the general aspects of this subject. They must be prepared to participate actively in class and to commit themselves to weekly reading and writing assignments. – To register for this class, please go to http://www.ovgu.de/hkersten and use the link to the Moodle online platform.