Literature and knowledge: the example of the German literature topics.

Introduction to German literature and good knowledge of German (advanced level B2+ as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Subjects covered by this course:

Examples of the topics of the course are misanthropy, evil, linguistic scepticism in the literature of the turn of the century (1800/1900), the fascination for "pure color" in modern literature, nature and landscape, the preference for the subtle in the postmodern style, etc. Depending on the chosen theme, its presence in other European literatures and artistic expressions will also be explored.

Participants who complete this course successfully will be able to

- deepen their understanding of a theme in the literature of German speaking countries an a historical and theoretical perspective;
- understand the cultural, philosophical, esthetical and historical context of the chosen theme: how did the theme appear and develop in the literary domain? from which sources could writers obtain their knowledge enabling them to explore it in fiction? is there even a specific contribution to the understanding of the phenomenon itself which was contributed by the literary expression it had stimulated?
- begin a theoretical reflexion on the interaction between literature and science (Literatur und Wissen) which is currently a major subject of discussion in literary sciences in German speaking countries.

The subject and the approach taken by the course can be seen as a continuation of the course on the history of literature and thought which were given in the BAC program, which in turn was based on an introduction to literary theory.

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

Continuous evaluation of the work accomplished during the course (oral contributions, discussions).

Written final exam (individual) on the basis of a personalized reading assignment.

Literary analyses carried out by small groups in collaboration with the professor.

Depending on the selected theme.

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