Prof. Dr. Holger Kersten
Anglistik/Amerikanistik
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik

 
 

Veranstaltungen im Sommersemester 2022
Lehrangebot im Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg


Aufbaumodul Kulturwissenschaft 1 / I (Angloamerikanische Geschichte)
American Democracy: Hopes and Threats
Do, 8:00 - 12:00 | Adam-Kuckhoff-Str. 35, SR3

Often referring to itself as "the world's oldest democracy," the United States has in recent years gone through a period of major political challenges. From President Woodrow Wilson's 1917 ambitious call that "the world must be made safe for democracy" the country, in 2021, reached a point at which its own democratic principles came under attack. In January 2022, a CBS poll showed that 66% of those interviewed said that U.S. democracy today is threatened. Taking its cue from these disturbing developments, this class will invite students to take a closer look at the origins and the development of America's democratic ideals. With the help of primary documents and research literature, students will be given opportunities to explore and investigate central aspects of American history and culture and to reflect on the current state of affairs in American political and cultural life. Students wishing to sign up for this class must be prepared to participate actively in class and to commit themselves to weekly reading and writing assignments. Reading material will be made available in the course of the semester. 

To receive full credit for this class (5 CP), students will have to produce a "Hausarbeit." More information about the specific requirements will be announced in the first session.

Please use Stud.IP to register for this class.


Vertiefungsmodul Amerikanistik/Literatur I
Literary Humor in 19th-Century America
Di, 16:00 - 18:00 | Adam-Kuckhoff-Str. 35, SR3

After the English colonies had achieved their political independence in 1776, the young nation began to explore and develop its own literary and cultural traditions. In their endeavor to find some characteristic feature that would distinguish America from its European roots, cultural observers turned to "humor" as a characteristic national element. Walter Blair, a pioneer of the study of American humor, called humor "the most popular achievement of our countrymen." In an attempt to develop an enhanced understanding of this significant phenomenon in 19th-century American culture, this class will take a look at representative texts and authors from the period and analyze them in their historical contexts. Students interested in signing up for this class are encouraged to familiarize themselves ahead of time with general aspects of the topic. Reading material will be made available in the course of the semester.

To receive full credit for this class (5 CP), students will have to produce a "Hausarbeit." More information about the specific requirements will be announced in the first session.

Please use Stud.IP to register for this class.


Vertiefungsmodul Amerikanistik/Literatur II
John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath  
Do, 12:00 - 14:00 
| Hörsaal XII [Löw]

When he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962, John Steinbeck, one of the best-known and most widely read American writers of the twentieth century, expressed his belief that a literary author is "charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement." His novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1939), which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940, can be seen as an illustration of this conviction. It has been both admired and attacked for its vivid and moving descriptions of a family trapped by environmental disaster and economic desperation. This class will focus on selected aspects of Steinbeck's novel and provide students with opportunities to analyze, discuss, and understand the writer's work in the context of American literary history. It will also encourage them to explore the various literary and cultural issues which have given his writings an enduring relevance.

The success of this class will depend on student engagement and participation, especially on the willingness of each participant to devote a significant amount of time and effort to the weekly reading and writing assignments which will be the centerpiece of this class. Prospective participants are strongly encouraged to purchase a copy of the book,* to read the novel before the beginning of term, and to familiarize themselves in advance with the general aspects of the topic.

To receive full credit for this class (5 CP), students will have to produce a "Hausarbeit." More information about the specific requirements will be announced in the first class session. This class will be relevant for students wishing to write their exam essay in literary studies (Staatsexamensessay - Arbeit unter Aufsicht).

* John Steinbeck, _The Grapes of Wrath: Text and Criticism_, ed. Peter Lisca (Penguin Books, 1997. ISBN: 978-0140247756)

Please use Stud.IP  to register for this class.

Forschungskolloquium Angloamerikanische Kulturwissenschaft / Literaturwissenschaft
Forschungskolloquium Amerikanistik: Literatur und Kultur
Di, 18:00 - 20:00 | Adam-Kuckhoff-Str. 35, SR3

This course will provide advanced students with a forum to present and discuss their current B.A., M.A., or Staatsexamen projects in American Studies. The format provides opportunities for constructive feedback and helpful suggestions regarding research techniques and the challenges arising from working on a larger project. Details about the specifics for this online class will be addressed in the first session. If you intend to write your final thesis (B.A., M.A. or Staatsexamensarbeit) in the course of the upcoming summer term, but have not decided on an advisor and a specific topic, please contact me by email before the semester starts in April. 

Please use Stud.IP to register for this class.


 
  Version vom 01.03.2022