5 credits
15.0 h
Q1
This biannual learning unit is being organized in 2017-2018
Teacher(s)
Büssgen Antje;
Language
Deutsch
Prerequisites
To have successfully followed the courses on the history of German literature in the Bachelor, and to show a strong interest in this area of research.
Main themes
The content of the seminar depends on the research carried out in the unit and the licence dissertations undertaken by the students; it thus changes every year.
Aims
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| 1 | To give the students a chance to participate in a collective research project, to integrate a personal research project in this methodological framework, possibly in connection with the realisation of their master dissertation and other research activities. |
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”.
Content
This seminar focuses on methodological questions for conduction research in literary studies with a view to the different challenges a master's dissertation can present.
In 2017/2018, the thematic focus of the seminar is the following: 'Europe as seen by writers: the construction of Europe as a peace project'. Since the so-called 'Kunstperiode' (around 1800), German-speaking intellectuals developed a view of a politically and culturally unified Europe in order to secure lasting peace. The development of the EU after World War II is without a doubt the outcome of those intellectual reflections and projects ¬' most often presented in the form of essays. Nowadays, the EU is once again in the centre of a large public debate due to the political and social crises in Europe. Diverging positions range from a complete rejection claiming the return of the nation state (like the 'Brexit') to the request to create an entirely new form of European politics in form a republic (Ulrike Guérot : Warum Europa eine Republik werden muss. Eine politische Utopie, 2015).
We will read a series of essays written by writers and philosophers who contributed to the discourse of a united Europe in the 20th and 21st century (e.g. Stefan Zweig and Robert Menasse). In 2017, Austrian writer Robert Menasse published a novel dealing with the European Union in times of crisis (« Die Hauptstadt », Suhrkamp 2017). The plot takes place in the European institutions in Brussels. The analysis of this novel will conclude the readings for this seminar.
In 2017/2018, the thematic focus of the seminar is the following: 'Europe as seen by writers: the construction of Europe as a peace project'. Since the so-called 'Kunstperiode' (around 1800), German-speaking intellectuals developed a view of a politically and culturally unified Europe in order to secure lasting peace. The development of the EU after World War II is without a doubt the outcome of those intellectual reflections and projects ¬' most often presented in the form of essays. Nowadays, the EU is once again in the centre of a large public debate due to the political and social crises in Europe. Diverging positions range from a complete rejection claiming the return of the nation state (like the 'Brexit') to the request to create an entirely new form of European politics in form a republic (Ulrike Guérot : Warum Europa eine Republik werden muss. Eine politische Utopie, 2015).
We will read a series of essays written by writers and philosophers who contributed to the discourse of a united Europe in the 20th and 21st century (e.g. Stefan Zweig and Robert Menasse). In 2017, Austrian writer Robert Menasse published a novel dealing with the European Union in times of crisis (« Die Hauptstadt », Suhrkamp 2017). The plot takes place in the European institutions in Brussels. The analysis of this novel will conclude the readings for this seminar.
Teaching methods
Introduction by the lecturer at the beginning of the course; discussions of texts prepared individually. The oral presentations serve as a starting point for the analysis of literary texts and for the discussion of topics related to them.
Evaluation methods
Continuous assessment in class (reading at home and active participation in discussions, oral presentation on the basis of a written 'Thesenpapier': 30%); final evaluation in form of a written paper: 70 %. Regular attendance and active participation are a prerequisite for the final evaluation.
Other information
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Bibliography
Hoffnung Europa. Deutsche Essays von Novalis bis Enzensberger. Hrsg. von Paul Michael Lützeler, Frankfurt a.M.: Fischer 1994.
Europa? Zur Kulturgeschichte einer Idee. Hrsg. von Tomislav Zelic, Zaneta Sambunjak und Anita P. Pintaric, Würzburg: Könighausen & Neumann 2015.
Jeßing, Benedikt: Arbeitstechniken des literaturwissenschaftlichen Studiums. Stuttgart: Reclam 2010.
Schumacher, Regine : Schreiben in den Literaturwissenschaften. Paderborn: Fink 2017.
Une bibliographie détaillée sur la thématique de l'Europe sera diffusée au séminaire.
Europa? Zur Kulturgeschichte einer Idee. Hrsg. von Tomislav Zelic, Zaneta Sambunjak und Anita P. Pintaric, Würzburg: Könighausen & Neumann 2015.
Jeßing, Benedikt: Arbeitstechniken des literaturwissenschaftlichen Studiums. Stuttgart: Reclam 2010.
Schumacher, Regine : Schreiben in den Literaturwissenschaften. Paderborn: Fink 2017.
Une bibliographie détaillée sur la thématique de l'Europe sera diffusée au séminaire.
Faculty or entity
LMOD
