GRM2061 - German History and Culture

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

Semester 1

4 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-Time Day

This study-unit will introduce students to modern German history and culture and is open both to students of German and of all faculties as well as the general public. The range of topics includes German colonialism, the First World War and the Weimar Republic, National Socialism and the Second World War, the German Democratic Republic and the Cold War.

The study-unit will provide an overview of key dates and important social and political developments. A central focus will be on how historical events are remembered and how they are still relevant to contemporary German society. Through a cultural studies approach general connections between memory, identity, and culture will be analysed critically. In this way, the study-unit will also address the role of cultural memory in the construction of cultural identities.

In this context, a range of examples, from films to street signs and from poems to architecture, can be explored to shed light on how historical events are represented in contemporary German society. Students will also be encouraged to select their own examples and propose their own case studies.

No knowledge of German is required.

Method of Assessment

Assessment Component/s

Weighting

Assignment

50%

Presentation

50%

Main Reading List

Assmann, Jan (2001): Cultural Memory and Early Civilization: Writing, Remembrance, and Political Imagination. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Boyle, Nicolas (2008): German Literature: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fulbrook, Mary (2019): A Concise History of Germany. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McGregor, Neil: Germany: Memories of a Nation. London: Penguin 2016.

Need help?

Please check your eligibility to join this short course and time-tabling details with the Faculty of Arts. The short course will only be delivered subject to a minimum number of applications being received.

Information for International applicants

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Study-unit Aims

This study-unit aims to

enhance participants' understanding of modern German history and culture;
improve students’ general ability to understand current events in German politics and society;
introduce students to a number of fundamental concepts from cultural studies;
foster analytical abilities and critical thinking by studying the complex phenomena and sometimes contentious issues connected with the construction of cultural identities.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

demonstrate knowledge about important events and developments in modern German history and their importance for contemporary German society;
understand fundamental concepts of cultural studies relating to memory, identity, and culture.

Learning Outcomes: Skills

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

apply the notion of “cultural memory” in the context of contemporary social phenomena and discourses in Germany;
critically analyse representations of historical events and periods:
reflect on the role of historical memory in the construction of collective identities;
develop a self-directed case study within the framework of the course syllabus.

Non EU Applicants:

EUR260

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Micro-credentials offer the possibility of providing flexible learning pathways to respond to evolving needs and new developments, thus enabling students to tailor their studies to their needs. Micro-credentials may be combined or transferred into larger credentials, such as certificates, diplomas and degrees, provided that the relevant programme requirements are met. Applicants wishing to transfer micro-credentials to a programme of study are encouraged to seek the advice of the relevant academic entity.