Contacts | Program of Study | Program Requirements | Capstone Project | Summary of Requirements: Literature and Culture Concentration | Summary of Requirements: Comparative Germanics Concentration | Honors | Grading | Study Abroad | Foreign Language Proficiency Certificates | Placement Testing | Accreditation Testing | Minor Program in Germanic Studies | Minor Program in Norwegian Studies | Yiddish Studies | Minor Program in Yiddish Studies | Yiddish Program Internship | German Courses (Language) | Languages Across the Curriculum (LxC) | German Courses (Literature and Culture)

Department Website: http://german.uchicago.edu

Program of Study

The program for the BA degree in Germanic Studies is intended to provide students with a wide ranging and highly personalized introduction to the language, literature, and culture of German-speaking countries and to various methods of approaching and examining these areas. It is designed to be complemented by other areas of study (e.g., anthropology, art history, comparative literature, economics, film studies, history, philosophy, political science, sociology).  

Students in other fields of study may also complete a minor in Germanic Studies. Information follows the description of the major.

Program Requirements

Students majoring in Germanic Studies can choose between two concentrations: Literature and Culture or Comparative Germanics.

1. Literature and Culture Concentration

Students typically register for:

  1. Six German language courses at the second-year level and above*
  2. Three courses in German literature and culture 
  3. Three courses in German literature and culture conducted in German, of which one may be a departmental course with a Languages Across the Curriculum (LxC) session and one may be an additional third-year course 
  4. GRMN 29900 Capstone Project

* Or prior satisfactory working knowledge of the language. Students may satisfy the required language courses through placement or accreditation examinations and may petition for back credits.

With prior approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may count up to two relevant German-oriented courses from other departments in the humanities or social sciences toward the requirements of the major in Germanic Studies. 

2. Comparative Germanics Concentration

Students pursuing the Comparative Germanics Concentration reach intermediate to advanced proficiency in two Germanic languages (German and either Yiddish or Norwegian) and develop familiarity with two Germanic cultures.

Students typically register for:

  1. Three German language courses at the second-year level and above* 
  2. Three Yiddish OR Norwegian language courses at the first-year level and above* 
  3. Six additional courses, of which at least three must be Germanic Literature and Culture courses
  4. GRMN 29900 Capstone Project 

* Or prior satisfactory working knowledge of the language. Students may satisfy the required language courses through placement or accreditation examinations and may petition for back credits.

With prior approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may count up to two relevant German-oriented courses from other departments in the humanities or social sciences toward the requirements of the major in Germanic Studies. 

Please note: More than half of the requirements for the major must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

Capstone Project

Students in both tracks of the Germanics major must complete a Capstone Project—a culminating senior project. This can be either a traditional BA Paper or a project of creative inquiry. 

Examples of alternatives to the BA Paper include (but are not limited to) an original translation, a creative writing text, an app or a podcast, an online exhibit, a website, or a documentary film. For these undertakings, students need to have sufficient previous experience with the relevant medium (e.g., artistic, digital, etc.) either through previous course work or independent practice. For the Capstone Project, students will have the opportunity to pursue their own individual intellectual interests, cultivate new skills and modes of communication and presentation, and potentially engage wider audiences for their scholarship. Projects must demonstrate substantial engagement with German-language culture(s), including the use of German-language sources, and they must include a written summary and reflection (at least five to seven pages). The written component of the creative inquiry project must contain a clear statement on the issue or problem the student is tackling, and it must provide background information on the chosen field (e.g., other translations, alternative digital designs that exist, etc.). Furthermore, the written component must include a critical self-analysis of the undertaking, and it must reflect on methodologies employed and contributions to the chosen area of inquiry.

The BA Paper typically is a research paper of at least twenty-five pages. While the paper may be written in either English or German, it must include a bibliography that makes ample use of Germanic-language sources. 

Students must submit a proposal for their Capstone Project to their faculty adviser by the beginning of the eighth week of Autumn Quarter in their senior year. A first draft of the paper or the written reflection is due on the first day of Spring Quarter, and the completed Capstone Project must be submitted by the beginning of the fifth week of Spring Quarter. Each student needs at least one adviser from within the department of Germanic Studies. 

Germanic Studies will accept a Capstone Project used to meet the BA requirement in another major, under the condition that original Germanic language sources are used. Students should consult with both chairs by the earliest BA proposal deadline (or by the end of their third year, when neither program publishes a deadline). A consent form, to be signed by both chairs, is available from the College adviser. It must be completed and returned to the College adviser by the end of Autumn Quarter of the student's year of graduation.

Outstanding Capstone Projects are eligible for the department’s McKenzie Prize.

Summary of Requirements: Literature and Culture Concentration

Second-Year German: One of the following three-course sequences: *300
Intensive German I-II-III
Deutsche Maerchen; Grünes Deutschland; Kunst und Kultur
Third-Year German: Any three of the following courses: **300
Erzaehlen
Gedicht
Philosophie
Film
Drama
Medien und Gesellschaft
Arbeitskulturen: Trends in the German-Speaking Working World
Three courses in literature or culture taken in German 300
Three courses in German literature and culture §300
GRMN 29900Capstone Project (Capstone Project)100
Total Units1300

Summary of Requirements: Comparative Germanics Concentration

Second-Year German: One of the following three-course sequences:*300
Deutsche Maerchen; Grünes Deutschland; Kunst und Kultur
Intensive German I-II-III
Three courses in first-year Norwegian or Yiddish, or above*300
Six additional Germanic language, literature, and/or culture courses, of which at least three must be literature and culture courses 600
GRMN 29900Capstone Project100
Total Units1300

Honors

Honors are reserved for students who achieve overall excellence in grades for courses in the College and within the major, as well as complete a Capstone Project that shows proof of outstanding original research or creative inquiry. Students with an overall GPA of at least 3.25 for College work and a GPA of at least 3.5 in courses within the major, and whose Capstone Project is judged superior by two evaluators, will be recommended to the Master of the Humanities Collegiate Division for honors. 

Grading

Students who are majoring in Germanic Studies must receive a quality grade in all courses taken to meet requirements in the major. Non-majors have the option of taking courses for Pass/Fail grading (except for language courses, which must be taken for quality grades). More than half of the requirements for the major must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

Study Abroad

As early in their course of study as possible, interested students are encouraged to take advantage of one of the study abroad options that are available in the College. The five options are:

  1. A program in Vienna, which is offered each Autumn Quarter, includes three courses of European Civilization, as well as German language instruction on several levels.
  2. The College also co-sponsors, with the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, a yearlong program at the Freie Universität Berlin. Students register for regular classes at the Freie Universität or at other Berlin universities. To be eligible, students must have completed the second year of German language courses or an equivalent, and should have completed all general education requirements.
  3. Third-year majors can apply for a Romberg Summer Research Grant to do preparatory work for the BA paper.
    • Send your application, a two-page single-spaced description of your research project and a budget description, to the Director of Undergraduate Studies by March 1.
  4. Students who wish to do a summer study abroad program can apply for a Foreign Language Acquisition Grant (FLAG) that is administered by the College and provides support for a minimum of eight weeks of study at a recognized summer program abroad. Students must have completed GRMN 10300 Elementary German For Beginners-3 or its equivalent to be eligible for FLAG support for the study of German. For more information, visit study-abroad.uchicago.edu/sitg.
  5. DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Programs
    • DAAD German Studies Research Grant: Supports third- or fourth-year students seeking a one-to-two-month research experience in Germany
    • DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE): Offers a stipend of 650 Euros per month for up to three months to conduct research in Germany over the summer
    • DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship: Supports second- and third-year students who wish to study and conduct research in Germany for four to ten months
    • DAAD University Summer Course Grant: Summer courses at German universities to help build your language skills while studying anything from film to politics to engineering
    • UA7 Study and Internship Program (SIP) in Germany: Provides support for study at a German university, followed by an internship (including applied science research)

For other opportunities, details, and updates, visit ccrf.uchicago.edu/scholarships-and-fellowships/daad-german-academic-exchange-programs or contact Arthur Salvo at aksalvo@uchicago.edu.

More than half of the requirements for the major must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

Foreign Language Proficiency Certificates

It is recommended that students studying German complete one of the College’s Language Proficiency Certificates (Practical or Advanced) as documentation of functional ability in German. Students who successfully pass a University of Chicago oral and written proficiency test will receive a certificate of proficiency in a foreign language and will have this proficiency noted on their transcripts. Students are eligible to take the Advanced examination after they have completed courses beyond the second year of language study and subsequently have spent a minimum of one quarter abroad in an approved program. FLAG students are also eligible. For more information, contact Maeve Hooper at hooperm@uchicago.edu, and consult languageassessment.uchicago.edu.

Placement Testing

The German Placement Test is offered online to students registered at the University. Students may only take the Placement Test once. A score on the test does not confer credit, rather, it provides students with an entry point into the German language program. For questions or issues regarding placement, please contact the Director of the German Language Program, Maeve Hooper, hooperm@uchicago.edu.

Accreditation Testing

For issues regarding accreditation, please contact the Director of the German Language Program, Maeve Hooper, hooperm@uchicago.edu.

Minor Program in Germanic Studies

Students in other fields of study may complete a minor in Germanic Studies. The minor in Germanic Studies requires a total of six courses in addition to the second-year language sequence (GRMN 20100-20201-20301 Deutsche Maerchen; Grünes Deutschland; Kunst und Kultur) (or credit for the equivalent as determined by petition). These six courses usually include the third-year sequence and three literature/culture courses. Two of the literature/culture courses must be taken in German. Note that credit toward the minor for courses taken abroad must be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.

Students who elect the minor program in Germanic Studies must meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor and must submit the Consent to Complete a Minor Program form, obtained from their College adviser or online. Students choose courses in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. The director's approval for the minor program should be submitted to the student's College adviser by the deadline above on the consent form.

Courses in the minor may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

The following group of courses would comprise a minor in Germanic Studies. Other programs may be designed in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.

Summary of Requirements: Germanic Studies Minor

Third-Year German: Any three of the following courses: 300
Erzaehlen
Gedicht
Philosophie
Film
Drama
Medien und Gesellschaft
Arbeitskulturen: Trends in the German-Speaking Working World
Three courses in German literature and culture *300
Total Units600

Minor Program in Norwegian Studies

See the Norwegian Studies page in this catalog for program requirements and courses for the minor in Norwegian Studies.

Yiddish Studies

Students may enroll in the beginning language sequence (YDDH 10100-10200-10300 Elementary Yiddish for Beginners I-II-III) as well as the intermediate sequence (YDDH 20100 Intermediate Yiddish I and YDDH 20200 Intermediate Yiddish II: Archival Skills). There are opportunities for independent study for students whose Yiddish is above the intermediate level. Courses in Yiddish literature taught in English are offered biannually through the Department of Germanic Studies and may also be available in the Department of Comparative Literature. Courses in Yiddish may also be applied to the major or minor in Jewish Studies. Students interested in pursuing these degrees should consult Nancy Pardee (npardee@uchicago.edu). Students who study in the Yiddish program may be eligible for funding for supplemental Yiddish language study in the summers or for internships.

Undergraduates are eligible to apply for the Vladimir and Pearl Heifetz Memorial Fellowship and the Vivian Lefsky Hort Memorial Fellowship (for East European Jewish literature), and the Joseph Kremen Memorial Fellowship (for East European Jewish Arts, Music, and Theater) at the YIVO institute for Jewish Research. These are two–three-month in-residence (in New York) research grants: www.yivo.org/List-of-Fellowships. Furthermore, the Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies offers undergraduate summer research grants: ccjs.uchicago.edu/undergraduate-summer-research-grants.

For further information on the Yiddish program and on opportunities, please contact Jessica Kirzane, Lecturer in Yiddish, jkirzane@uchicago.edu.

Minor Program in Yiddish Studies

See the Yiddish Studies page in this catalog for program requirements and courses for the minor in Yiddish Studies.

Yiddish Program Internship

Career Advancement and the Greenberg Center co-sponsor an undergraduate intern from the University of Chicago to work for In geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies.

German Courses (Language)

FIRST-YEAR SEQUENCE

GRMN 10100-10200-10300. Elementary German for Beginners I-II-III.

This sequence develops proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for use in everyday communication. Knowledge and awareness of the different cultures of the German speaking countries is also a goal.

GRMN 10100. Elementary German For Beginners-1. 100 Units.

This sequence develops proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for use in everyday communication. Knowledge and awareness of the different cultures of the German speaking countries is also a goal. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10200. Elementary German For Beginners-2. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10100 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10300. Elementary German For Beginners-3. 100 Units.

This sequence develops proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for use in everyday communication. Knowledge and awareness of the different cultures of the German speaking countries is also a goal.Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10200 or 10201, or placement. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

Terms Offered: Autumn,Winter,Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10200 or 10201, or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10123. Summer Intensive Introductory German. 300 Units.

Summer Introductory German is a 7-week course designed for students wishing to develop intermediate proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking for use in everyday communication. Students will work with authentic materials as well as gain familiarity with the different cultures of the German-speaking countries. The course meets Monday through Thursday for three hours per day, with additional 90-minute meeting times in the afternoon. Summer Introductory German is the equivalent of the 10100-10200-10300 sequence offered during the regular academic year at the University of Chicago and satisfies the university competency requirement. During Summer 2020, this course will be offered online and it will be adjusted accordingly.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Summer

GRMN 10201. Elementary German 2. 100 Units.

This is an accelerated version of the GRMN 10100-10200 sequence intended for students with previous knowledge of the language. Prerequisite(s): Placement or consent of language coordinator.No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

Terms Offered: Autumn,Winter
Prerequisite(s): Placement or consent of language coordinator
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 12001-12002-12003. Intensive German I-II-III.

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students to high-intermediate levels in all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening so that students can enter third-year level courses in German. Learners who are starting German late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

GRMN 12001. Intensive German I. 200 Units.

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students to high-intermediate levels in all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening so that students can enter third-year level courses in German. Learners who are starting German late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD

GRMN 12002. Intensive German II. 200 Units.

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students to high-intermediate levels in all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening so that students can enter third-year level courses in German. Learners who are starting German late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD

GRMN 12003. Intensive German III. 200 Units.

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students to high-intermediate levels in all four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening so that students can enter third-year level courses in German. Learners who are starting German late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD

GRMN 13100. Reading German. 100 Units.

This course prepares students to read a variety of German texts. By the end of the quarter, students should have a fundamental knowledge of German grammar and a basic vocabulary. While the course does not teach conversational German, the basic elements of pronunciation are introduced.

Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): Prior knowledge of German not required. No auditors permitted. This course does not prepare students for the competency exam. Must be taken for a quality grade.

SECOND-YEAR SEQUENCE

GRMN 20100-20201-20301. Deutsche Maerchen; Grünes Deutschland; Kunst und Kultur.

Second-Year Sequence

GRMN 20100. Deutsche Maerchen. 100 Units.

This intermediate course moves students with German-language competency towards a content-based seminar in German. Class time is devoted to discussion of assigned reading in German and a review and expansion of basic German grammar. Assigned reading is primarily fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm, some well known like "Little Red Riding Hood" and some less well known, like "Frau Holle." We will identify and discuss the most common structural elements of fairy tales, such as character types and plot elements, in order to compare the fairy tales. We will cover two modern adaptations of Grimms' fairy tales to explore the political and social commentary fairy tales can provide. We will use these two adaptations from 1971 and 1996 to discuss class conflict and immigration, respectively. Finally, we read excerpts of a novella from the Romantic era to explore how fairy tale elements are used beyond the genre usually associated with children. Students complete writing assignments in German beginning with a paragraph and ending with a 1-page analytic essay and a 2-page fairy tale of their own creation. A system of drafts and regular grammar assignments help students to identify and correct their errors, improving language acuity. While students may satisfy the college language requirement with just an examination, this course is an important step in our content-based German language program at UChicago and study abroad opportunities.

Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Winter
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10300 or placement using the online language assessment Canvas site.
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. Please contact Prof. Hooper at hooperm@uchicago.edu with questions.

GRMN 20201. Grünes Deutschland. 100 Units.

Over the past three decades Germany has become a global leader in environmentalism and sustainability practices. This course develops students' proficiency in all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) and reviews basic grammar while exploring various aspects of "Green Germany," from recycling and transportation to renewable energies (die Energiewende) to the history of the green movement. We investigate environmental practices and attitudes in German-speaking countries while comparing them with those in the US and other countries. In doing so, we consider whether environmental practices in German-speaking countries represent positive and feasible models for other countries. Students work with authentic and current materials (articles, websites, videos) and pursue a variety of independent projects (research, creative), including a final project on how to make the university campus more sustainable.

Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Winter
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20100 or placement exam
Equivalent Course(s): CEGU 20201

GRMN 20301. Kunst und Kultur. 100 Units.

This course is designed to provide students with the tools to analyze and discuss works of art in their historical and cultural contexts, and to prepare them for more advanced coursework in German. Though the syllabus may differ based on the instructor, the course typically includes units on film, short fiction, poetry, and the visual arts. Driving questions include the role of art in society and politics, the construction of German identity through art, and the relationship between art and history. By the end of the quarter, students will have improved their reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities, and will have solidified their understanding of select grammatical concepts.

Instructor(s): Maeve Hooper     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: GRMN 20201 or placement exam.

THIRD-YEAR SEQUENCE

GRMN 21103-21303-21403. Erzählen; Gedichte; Philosophie.

It is not necessary to take these courses in sequence. These courses serve as preparation for seminar-style classes. Students work with a variety of texts and learn to present and participate in instructor- and student-led discussions of relevant issues and topics. Student also write short essays and longer research papers. Work in grammar, structure, and vocabulary moves students toward more idiomatic use of German.

GRMN 21103. Erzaehlen. 100 Units.

It is not necessary to take these courses in sequence, but three of the four courses are required for the major. These courses serve as preparation for seminar-style classes. Students work with a variety of texts and learn to present and participate in instructor- and student-led discussions of relevant issues and topics. Student also write short essays and longer research papers. Work in grammar, structure, and vocabulary moves students toward more idiomatic use of German. This course develops advanced German skills through the study of narratives of various authors from different periods. Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 21303. Gedicht. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skills through the study of poetry of various authors from different periods.

Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 21403. Philosophie. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skills through the study of philosophical texts of various authors from different periods.

Terms Offered: Spring. Offered in even-numbered years.
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 21503. Film. 100 Units.

In Winter 2023, two sections will be taught by Prof. Burgoyne. Film: Alltag und Verbrechen in Ostdeutschland Nine films, the first of which from 1932 and the last of which from 2012 will serve as the material with which we examine changing methods of documentary and dramatic film. We will spend two sessions on each film, the first of which focused on the historical background of the decade in question and the second of which on discussing filmic technique. The requisite vocabulary for film analysis in German will be introduced in order to discuss various types of shots and sequences. We will analyze the methods by which filmic technique may be used to convey social criticism and the ideals of Socialism. Our focus on East German cinema and the DEFA company will theoretically ground our discussion of realism and Socialist Realism in film. The themes of "daily life" in the GDR will be juxtaposed with "crimes" such as those of the Second World War, alternative lifestyles, Republikflucht, and sedition, to name a few. All discussion, reading, and assignments in German.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD Winter

GRMN 21603. Drama. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skill through the study of dramas and/or films of various authors/directors from different eras.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD

GRMN 21703. Medien und Gesellschaft. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: TBD

GRMN 21803. Arbeitskulturen: Trends in the German-Speaking Working World. 100 Units.

In this course we explore contemporary issues in German culture and society through the lens of working life. We examine the issues surrounding the notoriously high taxes that workers pay in German-speaking countries and the social services that these taxes fund, including socialized health care, unemployment insurance, and pensions. After a brief introduction to the post-war history of the democratic socialism as a governmental type in German-speaking countries, students will explore the issues surrounding working life by reading texts from online newspapers, journals, social media and other sources. Students will also practice listening skills using a variety of streaming media: newscasts, talk shows, comedy shows, and narrative television series. In our examinations and discussions of these materials, we will focus not only on the issues surrounding working life itself, but especially the balance that arises in regards to such personal choices as holidays, hobbies, and family choices. The American corporate world will be our primary basis of comparison. We will also review the current political landscape in German-speaking Europe to contextualize the existing cultural norms. Students will choose the topic and reading for the final week of class. Assignments for this course are designed to practice skills such as effective digital communication, presenting one's professional biography and opinion, as well as interviewing strategies. All readings & assignments in German.

Instructor(s): Nicole Burgoyne     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or 20301 or placement using the online language assessment Canvas site.
Note(s): Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. Please contact Prof. Burgoyne at burgoyne@uchicago.edu with questions.

Languages Across the Curriculum (LxC)

LxC courses have two possible formats: (1) an additional course meeting during which students read and discuss authentic source material and primary texts in German; or (2) a course in another discipline (such as history) that is taught entirely in German. Prerequisite German language skills depend on the course format and content. LxC courses maintain or improve students’ German language skills while giving them a unique and broadened perspective into the regular course content.

German Courses (Literature and Culture)

Students who are majoring or minoring in German and take courses taught in English are expected to do the majority of their course work in German. In such cases, students must work out with the instructor a reasonable set of assignments based on German-language texts.

GRMN 22311. Berlin: Conflict, Community, and Sustainability. 100 Units.

Berlin: What makes a city? Who decides how a city grows and changes, and what criteria do they use - should it be beautiful, efficient, sustainable, open, just? How do economic systems and political ideologies shape urban development? What is the "right to the city," and what does it mean for city-dwellers to exercise it? These are just some of the questions we will seek to answer in our course, Berlin: Conflict, Community, and Sustainability. This is a September Term study abroad course. The program includes a side trip over a long weekend to the cities of Hamburg and Lübeck.

Instructor(s): Evan Carver     Terms Offered: Summer
Prerequisite(s): Admission to Berlin: Conflict, Community, and Sustainability study abroad program.
Note(s): Study Abroad September Term AY 23-24
Equivalent Course(s): CEGU 22311, ENST 22311

GRMN 23324. The Human Form in Contemporary Art. 100 Units.

In a present where humanity faces planetary challenges with an unprecedented urgency, the human form - what Marx calls our "genus-being" (Gattungswesen) - has become a focus for artistic production of all sorts. The thesis of the class is this: Contemporary art is an actualization of the human form that doesn't presuppose the form, doesn't take it for granted, but instead troubles the form and poses it as a question. The class considers presentations of the form in performance art (Tino Sehgal, Anne Imhof, Wu Tsang), sculpture (Kara Walker, Cai Guo-Qiang, Cecilia Vicuña), writing (Friederike Mayröcker, Layli Long Soldier, Tracie Morris), sound (Maria Chavez, Christina Kubisch, Samson Young), and painting (Michael Armitage, Tammy Nguyen, Mark Bradford). The class contextualizes these artists with theoretical work by Sylvia Wynter, Donna Haraway, Bruno Latour, Peter Sloterdijk, Dipesh Chakrabarty, Jane Bennett, Achille Mbembe, Eva Horn, and Emanuele Coccia. Readings and discussion in English.

Instructor(s): Florian Klinger     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 23324, CMLT 23324, MUSI 23324

GRMN 23524. Beauty in Nature. 100 Units.

Course Description: In this class, we will examine the relationship between art, nature, and the self around 1800 through the idea of the beautiful. In his Critique of Judgement (1790), Immanuel Kant enshrines beauty as the highest and purest aesthetic category; however, Kant's aesthetics of the beautiful respond to an already-widespread tendency in his time to present nature aesthetically - as idyll, paradise, arcadia - which only evolves and intensifies in the following decades. What, we might ask, is the appeal of nature as the ideal locus of the beautiful? How can the experience of beauty in nature be both mediated and immediate? What sort of nature is being represented, and where is it located? We will think through these questions together through a range of literary, musical, and artistic works by Salomon Gessner, J.W. Goethe, Ludwig Tieck, Karoline von Günderrode, Franz Schubert, Joseph von Eichendorff, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Caspar David Friedrich, Philipp Otto Runge, and others. Readings and discussion will be in German.

Instructor(s): Ella Wilhelm     Terms Offered: Spring

GRMN 23623. Evil: Myth, Symbol and Reality. 100 Units.

From the horrors of the Shoah to violence suffered by individuals, the question of the origin, meaning, and reality of evil done by humans has vexed thinkers throughout the ages. This seminar is an inquiry into the problem of evil on three registers of reflection: myth, symbol, and reality. We will be exploring important philosophical, Jewish, and Christian texts. These include Martin Buber, Good and Evil, Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem, Immanuel Kant, Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone, Paul Ricoeur, The Symbolism of Evil, Edward Farley, Good and Evil, Hans Jonas, Mortality and Morality and Claudia Card, The Atrocity Paradigm. There will also be a viewing of the movie Seven (1995) directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. Accordingly, the seminar probes the reality of evil and the symbolic and mythic resources of religious traditions to articulate the meaning and origin of human evil. The question of "theodicy" is then not the primary focus given the seminar's inquiry into the fact and reality of human evil. Each student will submit a 5-7 page critical review of either Jonathan Glover's Humanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century or Susan Neiman's, Evil in Modern Thought. Each Student also will write a 15 page (double spaced;12pt font) paper on one or more of the texts read in the course with respect to her or his own research interests.

Instructor(s): William Schweiker     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): This course meets the HS or CS Committee distribution requirement for Divinity students.
Equivalent Course(s): THEO 33600, RETH 33600, RLST 23600, GRMN 33623, JWSC 23600, FNDL 23600

GRMN 23683. What is Nature? - 20th-Century Continental Philosophy. 100 Units.

In this course, we follow the topic of the meaning of nature in philosophy, beginning our exploration right around the point when explicit discussion of nature becomes less prominent. We intend to develop a coherent narrative about major philosophical developments from Nietzsche through Derrida through the lens offered by this question, examining existentialism, phenomenology, and deconstruction along the way. Students should come away from this course with a grounded sense of what each term means, resulting in foundational knowledge of Continental philosophy after Nietzsche. We will take an interdisciplinary approach, as the question of nature often emerges for our authors in engagement with art, whether drama, poetry, or painting, all of which will be addressed. This course's starting point for our reflections on nature is Nietzsche's notion of the death of God, a theme to which we will return with all three of our main authors, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Derrida. Recurrent themes will be: nature and eros, nature and human finitude, the human being as (un)natural, and the very viability of the concept of nature. Additional authors include Aristotle, Plato, Sappho, Sophocles, Friedrich Hölderlin, Leo Strauss, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Judith Butler, and discuss paintings by Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh. An interesting question to pose along the way will be the relationship (or lack thereof) between the views of nature on offer to our ecological concerns today.

Instructor(s): Mat Messerschmidt      Terms Offered: Winter. Winter 2024
Equivalent Course(s): SCTH 20683, SCTH 30683, RLST 23503

GRMN 23724. Beauty in Nature. 100 Units.

In this class, we will examine the relationship between art, nature, and the self around 1800 through the idea of the beautiful. In his Critique of Judgement (1790), Immanuel Kant enshrines beauty as the highest and purest aesthetic category; however, Kant's aesthetics of the beautiful respond to an already-widespread tendency in his time to present nature aesthetically - as idyll, paradise, arcadia - which only evolves and intensifies in the following decades. What, we might ask, is the appeal of nature as the ideal locus of the beautiful? How can the experience of beauty in nature be both mediated and immediate? What sort of nature is being represented, and where is it located? We will think through these questions together through a range of literary, musical, and artistic works by Salomon Gessner, J.W. Goethe, Ludwig Tieck, Karoline von Günderrode, Franz Schubert, Joseph von Eichendorff, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Caspar David Friedrich, Philipp Otto Runge, and others. Note: This seminar is conducted in German and is intended for advanced learners of German (undergraduate and graduate students welcome).

Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 33724

GRMN 24524. The Illustrated Book. 100 Units.

Kafka prohibited images of Gregor Samsa. In a 1915 letter to his publisher, he stipulated that the insect should not be drawn, not even to be seen from a distance. Why? Along with Henry James, Mallarmé, and others, Kafka seemed to fear that illustration would diminish the power of the text to "illustrate" or illuminate in its own way, as Hillis Miller has put it. The study of illustration has, however, emerged as a new interdisciplinary field in recent years, though illustration has often been neglected as an ornamental "handmaiden" to the printed word or as a commercial appendage to the book. This seminar will approach the topic with a focus on the heyday of the illustrated book, the nineteenth century, from the perspectives of book history, literary criticism, art history, word and image studies, and translation and adaptation studies. Topics to be considered to include: paratextuality; illustration as translation and/or adaptation; extra-illustration; illustration and authorship; text-image interactions or non-interactions; illustration and mass production; photography and illustration.

Instructor(s): Catriona Macleod     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 34524

GRMN 24824. Theaters of Revolution. German Drama 1789 - 1918. 100 Units.

In 1871, the historian Jacob Burckhardt claimed that 1789 marked the beginning of the world-historical "age of revolution," a "great drama" of which only the first "act" had so far been completed. By portraying revolution as an unfinished drama, Burckhardt took up metaphorical language that was commonplace during his time. This course will take the suggested relationship between drama and revolution seriously. We will read German stage dramas that are concerned with revolutionary politics throughout the "long nineteenth century", a period that, from a German perspective, is set off and concluded by two revolutions. We will investigate the mutual relationship between revolution and theater from multiple angles. Some of the questions we will explore are: Does drama offer a unique perspective on the unfolding of historical revolutions? How does theater reflect changed notions of continuity and rupture within the context of historical revolutions? Can drama open spaces for individual encounters such as love in the midst of dissolving social bonds? Does drama take up revolutionary energy to generate new forms of theatrical presentation? What is theater's (alleged or real) potential to incite rebellion? We will read dramas by G. Büchner, G. Hauptmann, R. Goering, B. Brecht, and others. We will contrast literary texts with theoretical reflections on revolution by thinkers such as K. Marx, H. Arendt, and R. Koselleck. Readings and discussion in English.

Instructor(s): Peter Metzel     Terms Offered: Winter

GRMN 24921. Robert Musil: Altered States. 100 Units.

This course is an introduction to the work of Robert Musil, one of the major novelists of the twentieth century. We will focus on Musil's idea of the "Other Condition" [der andere Zustand], which he once described-in contrast to our normal way of life-as a "secret rising and ebbing of our being with that of things and other people." What is this "Other Condition": what are its ethics and aesthetics, and how can it be expressed in literature? We will begin with readings from Musil's critical writings and early narrative prose, then devote the majority of the quarter to his unfinished magnum opus, The Man without Qualities. Particular attention will be paid to Musil's experimentations with narrative form and his development of the genre of "essayism. Readings and discussion in English.

Instructor(s): Sophie Salvo     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): FNDL 24921, GRMN 34921

GRMN 25424. Spiritual Exercises: Giving Form to Thought and Life from Plato to Descartes. 100 Units.

This course will examine the tradition of spiritual exercises from antiquity to the early modern period. Spiritual exercises were at the core of classical paideia, the regimen of self-formation designed and promoted by ancient philosophers, orators, and other pedagogues. As Pierre Hadot and Michel Foucault have demonstrated, ancient philosophy first and foremost has to be understood as a "way of life," as a set of techniques and practices for shaping the self according to wisdom. It was not until philosophy's critical turn with Kant that it shed its practical dimension and became a "theoretical" discipline. Early Christianity, stylizing itself as the "true philosophy," eagerly adopted the ancient spiritual exercises and retooled them for its salvational ends. Throughout the middle ages and early modern period spiritual exercises and meditative techniques informed a host of religious, cultural, and artistic practices and media such as prayer and devotional reading, religious art and poetry, but also theatrical performances and musical works. We will focus on individual exercises like the meditation, the examination of conscience, the discernment of spirits, the application of senses, prosoche (attention), consolation, contemplation, etc., and discuss authors such as Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, John Cassian, Augustine, Bonaventure, Ignatius, Descartes, and others.

Equivalent Course(s): COGS 22017, CLAS 35423, CLCV 25423, FNDL 25424, CMLT 35424, CMLT 25424, RLST 25424, GRMN 35424, RLVC 35424

GRMN 25521. The Romantic Mountain. 100 Units.

Caspar David Friedrich's painting Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (1818), in which a figure, back turned enigmatically to the viewer, gazes out on a vast foggy expanse from a craggy mountain, has become virtually synonymous with German Romanticism. The experience of standing on top of a mountain or of voyaging deep into its interior touches on aesthetics (particularly the sublime), science (the rise of geology), and, increasingly, industrialization, spoliation, and related modern phenomena such as alpinism and tourism. This course examines the Romantic fascination with mountains from a number of cultural perspectives, as well as its after-life in the early 20th-century Bergfilm genre. Readings of, among others: Kant, Tieck, Hoffmann, Heine, and Stifter. Readings and discussions in German

Instructor(s): Catriona MacLeod     Terms Offered: Winter

GRMN 25524. Writing Gender. 100 Units.

In German, even if you are not writing about gender, you are always writing gender: the grammatical categories "masculine," "feminine," and "neuter" are implicated in every noun declension and personal pronoun. How have writers negotiated this in their constructions of gender identity? In this course, we will examine how gender has been thought within and beyond the masculine/feminine binary in German intellectual history. We will study historical conceptions of grammatical gender as well as recent attempts to make German more inclusive for genderfluid and trans people (e.g., neopronouns). Finally, we will consider how authors use literature as a space for gender exploration, such as in Kim de L'Horizon's recent award-winning novel Blutbuch. Readings and discussions in English.

Instructor(s): Sophie Salvo     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): GNSE 20129, GNSE 30129, GRMN 35524

GRMN 25823. Fascism. 100 Units.

Developments in recent years have clearly shown a resurgent interest in "fascism". While it designates a phenomenon which might concern everyone, it is also a term used more often in the manner of an insult than a precisely defined concept. One might even say it is what W.B. Gallie once called an essentially contested concept-not because many claim it for themselves today, but on the contrary, because virtually everyone denounces it in their own specific way. In this course, students will consider what "fascism" means by engaging with several influential explanations of it. We will read and discuss more contemporary philosophical views (Stanley, Eco), historical perspectives and documents (Paxton), but also classic perspectives from political theory (Arendt), philosophy (Burnham), and critical theory (Horkheimer, Adorno, Pollock), as well as political economy (Neumann, Sohn-Rethel, Gerschenkron, Fraenkel, Kalecki). With an eye to its historical and contemporary applications, our purpose throughout will be to reconstruct the arguments which we will consider in order to develop a rigorous concept of "fascism". This course will be offered in English. Its only prerequisite is a non-dogmatic approach to reading and discussion.

Instructor(s): Daniel Burnfin     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): PHIL 35823, DEMS 25823, HIST 22508, PHIL 25823, GRMN 35823, HIST 32508

GRMN 26223. Rainer Maria Rilke: Poetry and Prose. 100 Units.

The seminar will address Rilke's major works, focusing on the New Poems, The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge, the Duino Elegies, and the Sonnets to Orpheus. Critical essays on the conditions of literary production in modernity by Benjamin, Simmel, Kracauer, among others, will be consulted.

Instructor(s): Eric Santner     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 36223

GRMN 26423. Improvisation. 100 Units.

What sort of action is improvisation? This seminar aims (1) to elaborate an understanding of improvisation in action-theoretical terms (Can we distinguish between improvised and nonimprovised action?); (2) to consider the political implications (Does improvisation produce its performers' identities or suspend them, and what are the power relations at work in improvisation?); (3) reflect on aesthetic improvisation specifically (What is involved in accounting for improvisation in music, poetry, dance, and the arts in general?). Taking as its main examples the traditions of Jazz, Free Improvisation, and Performance Art, the seminar includes readings by Derek Bailey, Beth Preston, George E. Lewis, Lydia Goehr, Dieter Mersch, Fred Moten, Georg Bertram, Alessandro Bertinetto, Claus Beisbart and Lucia Angelino. The seminar will also seek to include a visit at the improvisation event Freedom From and Freedom To at Chicago's Elastic Arts. Readings and discussion in English. Undergraduates by permission only.

Instructor(s): Florian Klinger     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): RLVC 36423, GRMN 36423

GRMN 26524. Hannah Arendt's Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy. 100 Units.

This seminar is a study of Arendt's lecture course on Kant's aesthetics - a text that Arendt did not live to turn into the book titled Judging that was supposed to conclude the trilogy The Life of the Mind. We will consider the conception of the political that Arendt proposes in the lecture. What does it mean to be free? Why is freedom found only in our relating to one another? How can I include an other in my view? What is it to be a citizen of the world? Can we conceive of a planetary right to pay visits? We will also include other text by Arendt that help to understand the lecture, and we will read the texts by Kant on which Arendt draws: selections from the Critique of the Power of Judgment and from the Anthropology, and the essays Idea for a Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Aim, and On Eternal Peace. The class is designed for Arendt novices and returning readers alike. Readings and discussion in English. Undergraduates by permission only.

Instructor(s): Florian Klinger     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 36524, DVPR 36524

GRMN 26600. Violence and Religion. 100 Units.

Why do disputes about religion so often break out into violent conflict? How does violence in literature relate to real world violence? Would a more secular world be more peaceful? This course will examine the role of violence in ancient and modern societies. We will focus on the recurring connection between violence and the divine. The first part of the course will explore how human communities depict violence in sacred texts, works of literature, and political rhetoric. Why do myths frequently portray the relationship between gods and humans as a violent one? What role does violence play in religious rituals? What is it that makes violence destructive under certain conditions and unifying under others? The second part of the course will examine classic theories of sacred violence to examine how theorists have explained the centrality of violence within religious narratives and the ways religion both facilitates and opposes violence No previous coursework is required to enroll.

Instructor(s): Joseph Haydt     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): RLST 26600, JWSC 26615

GRMN 26624. Ekphrasis. 100 Units.

What happens when a text gives voice to a previously mute art work? Ekphrasis - the verbal representation of visual art - continues to be a central concern of word and image studies today. The understanding of ekphrasis as an often hostile paragone between word and image exists alongside notions of a more reciprocal model involving a dialogue or "encounter" between visual and verbal cultures. The affective dimension of the relationship -- ekphrastic hope, ekphrastic fear -- has also been prominent in recent scholarship, as well as attention to the "queerness" of ekphrasis. Drawing on literary works and theories from a range of periods and national traditions, the course will examine stations in the long history of ekphrasis. Why are certain literary genres such as the novel or the sonnet privileged sites for ekphrasis? How can art history inform our understanding of such encounters, and to what extent can we say that it is a discipline based in ekphrasis? What can we learn from current work on description, intermediality, narrative theory, and translation theory? Readings from Homer, Philostratus, Lessing, Goethe, Keats, A.W. Schlegel, Kleist, Sebald, Genette, among others.

Instructor(s): Catriona MacLeod     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): CMLT 26624, GRMN 36624, ENGL 26624, ARTH 36624, CMLT 36624, ARTH 26624, ENGL 36624

GRMN 27617. Introduction to Global Catholicism. 100 Units.

With over a billion adherents, Catholicism is both the largest Christian denomination and a global religious tradition. This course introduces students to multiple ways Catholicism shapes the moral and political commitments of believers and how it informs politics and the larger society. How does the Catholic church, at once centralized and internally diverse, exist as a multilingual and multicultural community? How has Catholicism responded to increasingly secularized cultures in industrialized nations? What place do religious beliefs have in the public sphere? We will examine the different ways Catholics approach these moral, social, and theological questions and how their answers shape and are shaped by their cultural locations. No previous coursework is required to enroll.

Instructor(s): Joseph Haydt     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): FNDL 27617, GLST 27617, RLST 27617

GRMN 28500. Comparative Fairy Tales. 100 Units.

How do we account for the allure of fairy tales? For some, fairy tales count as sacred tales meant to enchant rather than edify. For others, they are cautionary tales, replete with obvious moral lessons. For the purposes of the course, we will assume that these critics are correct in their contention that fairy tales contain essential underlying meanings. We will conduct our own readings of fairy tales from the German Brothers Grimm, the Norwegians, Asbjørnsen and Moe and the Dane, Hans Christian Andersen, relying on our own critical skills as well as selected secondary readings.

Instructor(s): Kimberly Kenny     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): HUMA 28400, NORW 28500, CMLT 21600

GRMN 28872. Jews in Nazi Germany: Lion Feuchtwanger's novel The Oppermanns in historical context. 100 Units.

Recently republished in 2022, Lion Feuchtwanger's 1933 best-seller The Oppermanns depicts a Jewish family who grapple with the Nazi seizure of power in Germany. Like many at the time, the Oppemanns think that the regime will be short-lived, but Feuchtwanger's prescient novel anticipates the entrenchment of Nazi power and the creeping curtailment of Jewish life in Germany with uncanny accuracy-from the thugs attacking individuals to the Ministry of Propaganda's demonization of Jewish Germans in mass media, via the enforced "Aryanization" of businesses required to employ non-Jewish managers. Discussion will focus on Feuchtwanger's nuanced portrayal of the distinct ways in which family members react to these assaults, supplemented by historical texts, including the analysis of Nazi language (1946) by Victor Klemperer, a Jewish-German survivor, and documents in the Weimar Republic Sourcebook.

Equivalent Course(s): FNDL 28872, ENGL 28872, CMLT 28872, JWSC 28872

GRMN 29700. Reading and Research Course in German. 100 Units.

No description available. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies Note(s): Students must consult with the instructor by the eighth week of the preceding quarter to determine the subject of the course and the work to be done. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.

Terms Offered: Autumn,Winter,Spring
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies
Note(s): Students must consult with the instructor by the eighth week of the preceding quarter to determine the subject of the course and the work to be done. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.

GRMN 29900. Capstone Project. 100 Units.

A culminating senior project. This can be either a traditional BA Paper, or a project of creative inquiry.

Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Winter
Prerequisite(s): Fourth-year standing. Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies.
Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.


Contacts

Chair


David Wellbery
WB 410

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Undergraduate Primary Contact

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Sophie Salvo
WB 117
773.834.3969
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Secondary Contact

Director of Germanic Language Program; Senior Lecturer in Germanic Studies
Maeve Hooper
Cobb 502
773.834.7184
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Senior Lecturer

Senior Lecturer in Norwegian
Kimberly Kenny
Classics 415

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Instructor

Assistant Instructional Professor in Yiddish
Jessica Kirzane
Cobb 501

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Administrative Contact

Department Administrator
Emily Anderson
CL 25F
773.702.8494
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