Veranstaltungen im Wintersemester 2009/10

For quite some time now “Cultural Studies” has been an intriguing area of academic activity and is coming to be recognized as an important field of study in English departments and elsewhere. This course is intended to introduce students in the B.A. program to key concepts in cultural studies and familiarize them with the social and theoretical histories and contexts of the field. 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 forum.

Although Mark Twain is predominantly known as the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a significant portion of his work can be described as travel writing. From the beginning of his activities as a writer to the later phases of his career, Twain traveled widely, both in his own country and abroad, and thus came in contact with a wide range of cultures. This class will examine the specific instances of culture contact, their reflections in Twain's texts, and their larger significance.

Prospective participants are expected to have purchased a copy of the books and to have read them by the beginning of term. [Recommended Editions] They are also 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.

Although Upton Sinclair's story of Lithuanian immigrants suffering from the harsh living conditions in Chicago at the turn-of-the twentieth century is a little more than 100 years old, the issues the writer addresses are far from outdated. This is borne out by the publication of Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation (2001), a book that tackles many of the same issues in a contemporary setting. This class will engage students in an intensive reading of the two texts, analyze their specific features, and discuss the topics embedded in them.
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.
Students are expected to purchase their own copies of the two books and to have read them by the beginning of term. Recommended Editions

To register for this class, please go to http://www.ovgu.de/hkersten and use the link to the Moodle online platform.

A number of American writers started their careers as reporters and journalists before they turned themselves into writers of fiction. During the phase that might be considered their literary apprenticeship they learned to adapt their topics and their writing style to the demands of their reading public and to those of the marketplace. This class will examine how writers such as Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion, and others negotiated the transition between newspaper writing and fiction.
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.