| |
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.
|
|
|