German Courses Spring 2025

(4 credits)

• Lecture 1: MTWRF 8:50 – 9:40 am
• Lecture 2: MTWRF 11:00 – 11:50 am
• Lecture 3: MWR 3:30 – 4:50 pm

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: German 101/401 is an introductory course designed for beginners in German who have no previous knowledge of the German language. By the end of the first semester, you should be able to communicate effectively with others in German on a variety of topics, such as personal and public identity, family, education, career goals, and fitness. This class will expose you to authentic texts from a variety of sources in different genres and modes, for you to develop your reading, viewing, and listening skills and engage in critical thinking. Grammar and vocabulary will be introduced in context. Assessments focus on all skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Throughout the semester, you will learn more about yourself and deepen your linguistic and culture knowledge of the German-speaking world. You will also improve your language-learning strategies. To be successful and achieve course learning outcomes, you will be expected to complete homework on time and participate in class. Attendance is required. This course cannot be audited. The textbook, Augenblicke: German through Film, Media, and Texts (2e), is available at the UW Book Store for around $45 and is used in first-, second-, third-, and fourth-semester German. Contact the course supervisor, Dr. Jeanne Schueller (jmschuel@wisc.edu), with any questions about the course or appropriate placement.

Prerequisites: None

This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 401.

(4 credits)

• Lecture 1: MTWRF 9:55 – 10:45 am
• Lecture 2: MTWRF 12:05 – 12:55 pm
• Lecture 3: MTWRF 2:25 – 3:15 pm
• Lecture 4: MWR 3:30 – 4:50 pm

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: German 102/402 is a continuation of German 101. Students need to have completed German 101 or achieve an appropriate score on the placement exam to enroll. By the end of the second semester, you should be able to communicate effectively with others in German on a variety of topics, such as soccer, technological innovations, and national identity. This class will expose you to authentic texts from a variety of sources in different genres and modes, for you to develop your reading, viewing, and listening skills and engage in critical thinking. Grammar and vocabulary will be introduced in context. Assessments focus on all skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Throughout the semester, you will learn more about yourself and deepen your linguistic and culture knowledge of the German-speaking world. You will also improve your language-learning strategies. To be successful and achieve course learning outcomes, you will be expected to complete homework on time and participate in class. Attendance is required. This course cannot be audited. The textbook, Augenblicke: German through Film, Media, and Texts (2e), is available at the UW Book Store for around $45 and is used in first-, second-, third-, and fourth-semester German. Contact the course supervisor, Dr. Jeanne Schueller (jmschuel@wisc.edu), with any questions about the course or appropriate placement.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 101 or appropriate score on the placement exam.

This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 402.

(4 credits)

• 9:55 – 10:45 am

Course Description: Continuation of GERMAN 111/GERMAN 311. All required course materials will be provided.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 111 or appropriate score on the placement exam. Open to First-Year Students.

(This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 312.)

(4 credits)

• Lecture 1: MTWR 11:00 am – 11:50 am
• Lecture 2: MW 3:30 – 5:10 pm

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: German 203/403 is a continuation of German 102. Students need to have completed German 102 or achieve an appropriate score on the placement exam to enroll. By the end of the third semester, you should be able to communicate effectively with others in German on a variety of topics, such as civic and social engagement, legends and myths, and traditions and celebrations. This class will expose you to authentic texts from a variety of sources in different genres and modes, for you to develop your reading, viewing, and listening skills and engage in critical thinking. Grammar and vocabulary will be introduced in context. Assessments focus on all skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Throughout the semester, you will learn more about yourself and deepen your linguistic and culture knowledge of the German-speaking world. You will also improve your language-learning strategies. To be successful and achieve course learning outcomes, you will be expected to complete homework on time and participate in class. Attendance is required. This course cannot be audited. The textbook, Augenblicke: German through Film, Media, and Texts (2e), is available at the UW Book Store for around $45 and is used in first-, second-, third-, and fourth-semester German. Contact the course supervisor, Dr. Jeanne Schueller (jmschuel@wisc.edu), with any questions about the course or appropriate placement.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 102 or appropriate score on the placement exam.

This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 403.

(4 credits)

• Lecture 1: MTWR 9:55 – 10:45 am
• Lecture 2: MTWR 11:00 – 11:50 am
• Lecture 3: MW 3:30 – 5:10 pm

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: German 204/404 is a continuation of German 203. Students need to have completed German 203 or achieve an appropriate score on the placement exam to enroll. By the end of the fourth semester, you should be able to communicate effectively with others in German on a variety of topics, such as city and rural life, how film influences cultural perspectives, the concept of home, and migration, immigration, and integration. This class will expose you to authentic texts from a variety of sources in different genres and modes, for you to develop your reading, viewing, and listening skills and engage in critical thinking. Grammar and vocabulary will be introduced in context. Assessments focus on all skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). Throughout the semester, you will learn more about yourself and deepen your linguistic and culture knowledge of the German-speaking world. You will also improve your language-learning strategies. To be successful and achieve course learning outcomes, you will be expected to complete homework on time and participate in class. Attendance is required. This course cannot be audited. The textbook, Augenblicke: German through Film, Media, and Texts (2e), is available at the UW Book Store for around $45 and is used in first-, second-, third-, and fourth-semester German. Contact the course supervisor, Dr. Jeanne Schueller (jmschuel@wisc.edu), with any questions about the course or appropriate placement.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 203 or appropriate score on the placement exam.

This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 404.

(4 credits)

• MTWR 12:05 – 12:55 pm

Course Description: Continuation of GERMAN 213/313. All required course materials will be provided.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 203 or appropriate score on the placement exam.

(This course is also offered to graduate students for 3 credits as GERMAN 314.)

(3 credits)

• Lecture 1: MWF 12:05 – 12:55 pm
• Lecture 2: MWF 1:20 – 2:10 pm

Course Description: Drawing mainly on contemporary audio and video materials from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, students will explore linguistic and cultural variation of German by learning how native speakers vary their use of sound structures, vocabulary, and grammar according to speech situation.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, the aim is for students to:

• improve their comprehension and production of spoken German via exposure to the language in use in audio and video formats and through use of the International Phonetic Alphabet;
• develop communication strategies to increase oral fluency;
• promote their awareness of how spoken German varies according to speech situation and region mainly in terms of sound structures, vocabulary, and pragmatics of speech;
• enhance their understanding of contemporary German-speaking cultures in Europe and the central role that language plays in shaping these cultures.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 204 or appropriate score on placement exam or consent of the course supervisor. This course can be taken subsequent to, prior to, or concurrent with GERMAN 262, GERMAN 258, and GERMAN 285. Open to first-year students.

(3 credits)

• Lecture 1: MWF 9:55 – 10:45 am
• Lecture 2: MWF 1:20 – 2:10 pm

Instructor: Julia Goetze

Course Description: This course is designed to acquaint you with German literary, cultural, and historical texts and provide an overview of cultural developments in German-speaking countries. An important goal of this course is to offer explicit instruction on reading strategies to help students improve their comprehension of a range of texts. In German 258, you will recognize different genres (text types) and identify applicable reading strategies; implement critical reading skills for reading and comprehending different genres and written registers; identify, define, and implement vocabulary related to the topics covered in class; situate a text within its cultural and historical contexts in the German-speaking world; demonstrate the ability to read autonomously; and select and interpret a text based on individual academic interests. Two books and a course pack are required and can be purchased at the UW Book Store. All other materials will be available on Canvas. Contact the course coordinator, Dr. Jeanne Schueller (jmschuel@wisc.edu), with any questions about the course or appropriate placement.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 204 or placement into GERMAN 249, 258, or 262. Open to first-year students.

Fulfills Literature Breadth.

(3 credits)

• Lecture 1: TR 9:30 – 10:45 am
• Lecture 2: TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm

Instructor: Katerina Somers

Course Description: Fairytales, murder mysteries, film reviews, and … resumes? Welcome to Intermediate German Writing! In this class, students will expand and enhance their writing skills in German by exploring a variety of different text types and genres reflecting the diversity of the German-speaking world. Daily course participation will involve active in-class discussion as well as collaborative and individual writing activities. Learners will work with authentic texts, music, and film, and they will also engage with synonyms, regional variations, and register to develop the skills to express themselves effectively and creatively in German. Through the composition of a variety of text types, from the practical to the fanciful, course participants will expand their individual comfort zone and improve their own communication skills as well as comprehension of written texts. Materials and in-class discussions will be in German.

Prerequisites: German 204 or appropriate score on placement exam or consent of instructor. This course can be taken subsequent to, prior to, or concurrent with German 249 and German 258.

(Honors Optional)

(3 credits)

• MW 4:00 – 5:15 pm

Instructor: Pamela Potter

Course Description: In the twentieth century, Berlin has functioned as the seat of government and as a showcase for conflicting ideologies during the Cold War, and it now faces the challenge of returning to its function as reunified Germany’s capital without ignoring its past.  Through it all, Berlin has maintained a reputation as a center for artistic experimentation and a mecca for alternative culture.  This course will examine the various arts and forms of entertainment from the turn of the century through the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the Cold War, and the reunification, in an effort to determine how politics, economics, and demographics have come together to shape a unique Berlin culture.  The format of this course will be hybrid, with a combination of lectures and flipped classroom formats (on-line work followed up with in-class active-learning projects).  Most weeks the class will meet once in-person , but some weeks it will be necessary to meet in-person twice (for student presentations, guest lectures, etc.).

Prerequisites: None

(Taught in English.)

(3 credits)

• MWF 12:05 – 12:55 pm

Instructor: Sunny Yudkoff

Course Description: The following course introduces students to the space of the hotel as a site of cross-cultural exchange and medical recuperation. The literature and films under examination focus on Central European sites of rest and healing between the World Wars. Driving the syllabus are the hotels, health resorts, and sanatoria that came to serve as locations in which Jewish identity was negotiated against a complex backdrop of increasing integration and exclusion. We will survey material originally produced in Yiddish, Hebrew, German, Polish, French, and English, including work by: Sholem Aleichem, David Vogel, Vicki Baum, Arthur Schnitzler, Zofia Nałkowska, Siegfried Kracauer, Wes Anderson, Thomas Mann, Adam Sachs, and Olga Tokarczuk.

Prerequisites: None

(Meets with JS 230)

(3 credits)

• Lecture: MW 12:05 – 12:55 pm
• Discussion 1: M 2:25 – 3:15 pm
• Discussion 2: T 8:50 – 9:40 am
• Discussion 3: T 11:00 – 11:50 am

Instructor: Pamela Potter

Course Description: Was Nazi Germany the incarnation of evil in the modern world? Did its culture consist only of propaganda? How did everyday Germans conduct their lives in the Third Reich? This course introduces students to the conditions that led to the Nazis’ rise to power in 1933 and then examines how Nazi policies influenced daily life. We will consider both the culture of everyday life – gender relations, religion, education, consumer culture –and the more traditional domains of high and low culture: music, theater, film, radio, art, architecture, and literature. The course aims to identify common misconceptions about life and culture in Nazi Germany, to gain a deeper understanding of the workings of its cultural policy and use of media, and to assess whether there is anything we can identify as a distinct “Nazi culture.”

All readings are in English and will be available on Canvas. There will be a mid-term and final examination, as well as additional weekly assignments due in the sections.

Prerequisites: None

(3 credits)

• TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm

Instructor: B. Venkat Mani

Course Description: You’ve been reading about refugees and migrants on social media and in the news, but don’t know where to start? You have some familiarity with the topic but want to engage with it through literature, film, and music on a global scale? Then this is a course for you.  The main aim of this course is to discuss how migrants and refugees shape and transform the world we live in.  

Migration continues to be a highly contested topic in the world today. In 2016 the number of people living outside nations of their birth was highest in recorded human history. For 2020, the United Nations’ High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates 82.4 million forcibly displaced people around the world. The Covid-19 global pandemic brought new challenges. Humans living in refugee camps, detention centers, or simply separated from their loved ones due to closing of international travel were impacted all over the world. The proliferation of refugees and stateless people in the world has coincided with the resurgence of exclusive nationalism, and divisive rhetoric centered on securing and insulating borders. In Europe and North America, immigration has defined the demographic make-up of specific nations for centuries. Especially since the end of the Second World War, waves of mass-migration have had a major impact on politics, society, and culture, giving rise to forms of aesthetic expression in literature, film, and music. 

In this course, we will give human faces to statistics through their stories. We will engage with “migration” as a concept and a lived reality of our world, as a social, cultural, political, and historical phenomenon. In addition to discussing migration as a journey from the nation of birth to the adopted nation of residence we will discuss migration as a multidirectional, multi-lingual movement of ideas. The focus of our course will be migration into Germany, but we will compare and contrast it with migrations into US and UK.  

What is so special about the German migration history in the 20th century? How does migration change the social fabric of Germany and other European nations? How has migration enriched literature, culture, music, food, and sports? How do racial, ethnic, religious, and other forms of discrimination pose challenges to inclusion of German/ European migrant subjects? What is the difference between willful and forced migration? How do we understand refugee narratives? These and other questions will be central to this course.  

We will discuss how the understanding of migration in the Euro-American world has changed in the 20th and 21st  centuries. We will analyze how migration as an experience is manifested in literature, cinema, and music, and how issues of identities and difference, tolerance and acceptance, nationalism and cosmopolitanism form and inform societies today. Most importantly, we will explore how categories such as home and elsewhere, the self and the other, belonging and cultural citizenship find expression in contemporary nations. 

(Meets-with LitTrans 276. Open to Freshmen; Fulfills Literature and Humanities Breadth Requirements. Also Counts toward: International Studies Major [Culture in the Age of Globalization Track], German Major, European Studies Certificate, South Asia Studies Certificate)

(3 credits)

• TR 2:30 – 3:45 pm

Instructor: Sabine Moedersheim

Course Description: “Climate Fiction “ is an emerging genre of literature, graphic novels, and film exploring the consequences of climate change in the age of the “Anthropocene”, the epoch in which human impacts on the planet’s ecological systems reach a dangerous tipping point. The aim of this course is to discuss the human experience of climate change on a global scale through analyses of works by German authors such as Lutz Seiler, Yoko Tawada, Ilija Trojanow, Christa Wolf as well as writers from around the world, including Margaret Atwood, Octavia E. Butler, Amitav Ghosh, and others. We will explore dystopian, and apocalyptic stories but also works that imagine a more just future of resilience and social equality.

All materials will be in English translations or with English subtitles. Lectures and discussions will be in English. Prior knowledge of German is welcome but not required.

Prerequisites: Satisfied Communications A requirement

(Level: Intermediate. Breadth: Literature. L&S credit type: Counts as LAS credit (L&S). Cross listed: GERMAN 276, LITTRANS 276)

(3 credits)

• TR 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

Instructor: B. Venkat Mani

Course Description: What makes “Great Books” so great? Who decides which literary works are classics or masterpieces? Why do some literary works become international bestsellers or “most read” books, while others do not? How do we, as readers in the 21^st century read and give new meanings to the so-called great books? How have our reading habits changed as we move from physical books to e-reading devices using screens?

These and other questions will guide us through this course, as we learn how literary works enter a larger world literary space through translations. We will engage with a few classics from the ancient to the modern eras alongside the magnificent histories of their circulation through orality, and later in print in translation. We will read and discuss some contemporary works that became instant bestsellers, and try to understand what made them so popular and well-received globally. We will also learn about how the world of literature transformed materially: from stone tablets to leaves, papyrus, paper and now to e-tablets. We will explore how literary awards such as the Nobel Prize impact literary markets and contribute to readerships. Last but not least, we will follow the “afterlives” of classic works and authors, both dead and alive, on film, TV, and social media platforms such as Book-Tube, Book-Tok and Bookstagram to see how readers today engage with them and re-circulate them globally in the digital age.

Prerequisites: Declared in Honors program

(Open to Freshmen; Fulfills Literature and Humanities Breadth Requirements. Meets-with LitTrans 276)

(3 credits)

• MWF 1:20 – 2:10 pm

Instructor: Sunny Yudkoff

Course Description: American literature has never been written in one language. While English has become dominant in the United States, there has been a long tradition of American literary and cultural production in other languages. This class focuses on the Jewish immigrant experience in Yiddish—a fusion language that brings together German, Hebrew, English, Russian, Latin, and more. We will follow Yiddish culture from the beginning of the twentieth century until today as it has been alternatingly supported, neglected, and imbued with nostalgia. The questions driving our inquiry will be: What does it mean to translate America into Yiddish and what does it mean to translate Yiddish for America? Major terms to be discussed include: cultural translation, ethnicity, migration, “Melting Pot,” multilingualism, and assimilation. Themes include: Jewish-Christian difference, ethnic American humor, race and Jewish culture.

Prerequisites: None

(This course counts as a cognate course for the German major. This course fulfills the General Education requirement in Ethnic Studies.)

(3 credits)

• MWF 1:20 – 2:10 pm

Instructor: Melissa Sheedy

Course Description: From wolves to witches, Rumpelstiltskin to Rapunzel, the German fairy-tale tradition is filled with rich imagery, familiar themes, and political and social subversion. Of enduring popularity and as constant subjects of reimagination and revitalization, German tales and their retellings serve as a unique lens through which to view the social, political, and cultural contexts in which they were produced. Through these texts, we will glimpse the underlying perceptions and values regarding family, gender, nation, nature, religion, and society, both in the first half of the 19th century and in the Germany of the last 25 years. With an eye to depictions of gender and gender roles as well as to conceptions of the environment and civilization, we will critically engage with these works and contextualize them within the social and political landscapes that shaped them. Our investigations will center on tales and their retellings in a variety of forms, with a special focus on fairytales by women writers. In recognizing and analyzing the Märchen’s influences in literature, art, music, poetry, and pop culture, we will begin to appreciate the fairy-tale’s enduring legacy and its place within German literary and cultural history. This course counts as a cognate course for the German major.

(3 credits)

• MWF 9:55 – 11:50 am

Instructor: Melissa Sheedy

Course Description: Fairytales, murder mysteries, graphic novels, and pop music … Welcome to Intermediate Intensive (Honors) German! In this class, students will expand and enhance their reading and writing skills in German by exploring a variety of different text types and genres. Daily course participation will involve active in-class discussion as well as collaborative and individual writing activities. Learners will work with authentic texts, music, advertisements, and film reflecting the diversity of the German-speaking world, and they will engage with topics such as identity and culture, science and technology, and crime and punishment to develop the skills to express themselves creatively and effectively in German. In tandem with a focus on proficiency in writing, students will also work with and develop strategies to make reading in German enjoyable and valuable. Through the reading and composition of a variety of text types, from the practical to the fanciful, course participants will expand their individual comfort zones and improve their own communication skills as well as comprehension of written texts. Materials and in-class discussions will be in German. Equivalent to GERMAN 258 and 262.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 204 or appropriate score on placement exam. Not open to students with credit for GERMAN 258 or 262. Open to first-year students.

(3 credits)

• TR 4:00 – 5:15 pm

Instructor: Jolanda Vanderwal Taylor

(Meets-with LitTrans 326 and German 625.)

(3 credits)

• TR 4:00 – 5:15 pm

Instructor: Sabine Moedersheim

Course Description: In diesem Kurs werden wir deutschsprachige Science-Fiction-Literatur vom frühen 20. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart lesen. Wer liest Science-Fiction? Wer schreibt Science-Fiction? Was sagen die Erfindungen und Fantasien über die Gesellschaft? Wie wollen wir in der Zukunft leben? Science-Fiction gilt zwar weithin als männliches Genre, doch haben Frauen nicht nur bei der Erfindung des Genres eine wichtige Rolle gespielt, sondern es auch nachhaltig geprägt. Themen, die wir erforschen werden: Kalter Krieg der Sterne, Black to the Future, Amazonen im Weltraum, Steampunk, Ökopunk, Zukunftsromane, SF-Filme und -Fernsehserien. Dazu werden wir Texte von Thea von Harbou, Hans Dominik, Kurd Laβwitz, Myra Çakan, Marie Graßhoff, Marc-Uwe Kling  u.a. lesen. Texte und Materialien werden auf Canvas bereitgestellt.

Prerequisites: GERMAN 249, 258, and 262 or GERMAN 249 and 284

Honors section: German 385

Level: Advanced

Breadth: Literature

(3 credits)

• MWF 11:00 – 11:50 am

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: This course examines German-language comics and graphic novels as reflective of cultural, social, and historical conditions. The course also focuses on aspects of comics theory, artistic practices, and narrative form. Students develop skills to analyze and interpret graphic novels and create original work. Assessments include active class participation, preparation of single-page storyboards, a review of and in-class presentation on a graphic novel of students’ choice selected from the instructor’s collection, single-page storyboards, and a 2-page comic for a class zine. Partner, small-group, and whole-class discussions will be in German. No books required for purchase. All materials will be made available on Canvas.

Prerequisites: German 249, 258, and 262; or 249 and 285; or consent of instructor.

Fulfills Literature Breadth

(3 credits)

• TR 1:00 – 2:15 pm

Instructor: Julie Larson-Guenette

Course Description: What does it mean to “resist” a regime? What is passive versus active resistance?

In this course, we will explore German resistance following Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 and examine ways in which individuals and groups (both within and outside of Germany) resisted the Nazi regime with aims to undermine the fascist dictatorship and end the war in Europe (1939-1945). Various resistance efforts and initiatives were comprised of men and women of diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic status including military officers, civilians, workers, students, artists and intellectuals, clergy and the nobility. Course materials will include written texts (e.g., literary, primary and secondary) and films (both narrative features and documentaries). We will also spend a substantial portion of the semester examining and analyzing primary source documents from the Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand (German Resistance Memorial Center). Course evaluation criteria include active participation and preparation, several graded canvas assignments, a midterm exam, presentations and a final research paper. Language of the course is German, there may be some readings in English. Students enrolled in GER 676 and GER 683 will have additional requirements to fulfill the senior capstone and/or honors criteria.

Prerequisites: German 249, 258, and 262; or 249 and 285; or consent of instructor.

(Meets with German 676 and German 683.)

(3 credits)

• MWF 9:55 – 10:45 am

Instructor: Jeanne Schueller

Course Description: This course is designed to broaden your knowledge of German language and culture through the analysis and interpretation of film. We will consider the historical and cultural contexts of each film and read thematically related fiction and non-fiction texts. The course will introduce you to several critically acclaimed German-language films that explore a range of topics and genres. I will provide you with materials to help you better understand the films, but I am also interested in your reactions to them – what you enjoy, how they make you feel, what you discover about the German-speaking world, and what you learn about yourself through the process and the semester. Film-specific terminology and aspects of film analysis will be introduced at the beginning of the course and revisited throughout the semester to facilitate our discussion of the films. Films and readings will be in German. Some films have German or English subtitles, and others are in German with no subtitles. Assessments include pre- and post-viewing activities, two reflective essays, a film review, an in-class presentation of your film review, and active class participation. Partner, small-group, and whole-class discussions will be in German. Class materials will be available for download from Canvas. Feature-length films will be viewed outside of class; some short films will be viewed together in class.

Prerequisites: German 249, 258, and 262; or 249 and 285; or consent of instructor.

(3 credits)

• TR 8:00 – 9:15 am

Course Description: This course provides further practice in reading and translating German expository prose in a variety of fields. At the start of the semester a review of both grammatical and syntactical topics vital to progress in reading will be combined with a discussion of selected chapters in R.A. Korb, Jannach’s German for Reading Knowledge. During the balance of the semester specific reading will be made available through both photocopy and internet sources. The goal for all participants will be enhanced practice and confidence in reading German at various levels of both scholarly and journalistic prose, in addition to developing a focus in reading for their specific research areas.

(3 credits)

• TR 1:00 – 2:15 pm

Instructor: Adam Stern

Course Description: In this course, we will study the “philosophy of religion” by engaging in a close reading of three major theorists of modernity: the political theorist Hannah Arendt, the decolonial thinker Sylvia Wynter, and the anthropologist Talal Asad. Through a sustained comparison of their writing on religion in the modern world, we will consider a range of interconnected topics, including theology, politics, race, colonialism, secularism, economics, and gender.

(Meets-with Relig St. 501 and Philos 501.)

(3 credits)

• TR 4:00 – 5:15 pm

Instructor: Jolanda Vanderwal Taylor

(Meets with German 325 and LitTrans 326.)

(3 credits)

• W 12:05 – 12:55 pm

Instructor: Jolanda Vanderwal Taylor

(3 credits)

• TR 1:00 – 2:15 pm

Instructor: Katerina Somers

Course Description: This course is an introduction to the historical varieties of German that were written between 1050 and 1350 and are commonly referred to as Middle High German. We will investigate these medieval varieties as “scripti,” that is, as historical artifacts of a literization process whereby a German-speaker turned their still mostly oral vernacular into a written scriptus in accordance with a particular sociocultural context. This course provides students with a foundation for continued study in the following fields: medieval language and literature, German literature as a historical phenomenon, and sociohistorical linguistics.

Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor

(3 credits)

• M 3:30 – 5:25 pm

Instructor: Julia Goetze

Course Description: There is a growing consensus in general education that teacher-student relationships (TSRs) “play a critical and central role in motivating and engaging students to learn” (Wentzel, 2016, p. 211). This body of research posits that the affective quality of TSRs is a central and crucial motivator for student (academic) achievement. But what motivates students and teachers to form social relationships in the classroom? Is there general agreement between all classroom participants on what constitutes positive TSRs? And how exactly are teachers’ and students’ social motivation(s) to establish positive TSRs linked to classroom achievement?

This seminar takes these questions as a starting point and adopts the following course structure. First, students receive a broad overview of different domains of motivation research in SLA and adjacent fields, which transcend SLA’s narrow focus on achievement and include power and relationship motives. Second, students zero in on social motivation and examine existing theoretical frameworks in general education, educational, psychology, and SLA, including attachment theory, social support theory, and self-determination theory. Third, student engage in critical discussions around the most pertinent challenges and gaps in the domain of social motivation research in SLA today, which include the applicability of existing frameworks to language classrooms, the lack of feasible research designs to simultaneously investigate teacher and student participants, and the lack of existing research on language teachers’ motivations. Fourth, students will use course readings and discussions as a base to collaboratively design and implement an empirical research project with the aim to draft a complete manuscript that can be submitted for publication.

Prerequisites: Graduate Standing

Enrollment should be capped at 8; instructor permission to enroll is required!

(3 credits)

• R 3:30 – 5:25 pm

Instructor: Zach Ramon Fitzpatrick

Course Description: What do Kant’s writings about race, Goethe’s concept of Weltliteratur, A. W. Schlegel’s founding of German Indology, gelbe Gefahr, Jewish exile in Shanghai, Korean guestworkers, Vietnamese contract laborers, and anti-Asian racism during the pandemic have in common? They are all potential topics of the vibrant interdisciplinary sub-field of Asian German studies, which has been a staple of the German Studies Association annual conference since 2009. This course will provide an introduction to foundational texts, research areas, and approaches, including divergences between how research has developed in Germany and in the United States. The course will span early encounters between Germany and Asia within literature/philosophy/geopolitics since the 18th century, the history of Asian migration/exile/refuge in the 20th century, and the 21st-century development of a self-determined diasporic consciousness. Materials will include a variety of primary texts (literature, film, media, etc.), theoretical readings, and secondary literature by contemporary scholars.

Language of instruction: German

Prerequisites: Graduate/professional standing

(3 credits)

• T 3:30 – 5:25 pm

Instructor: Sonja Klocke

Course Description: Are you wondering how to make literature in English translation attractive for your students? Are you thinking about ways to teach Nelly Sachs, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Anna Akhmatova, Leo Tolstoy, Astrid Lindgren, August Strindberg … to students accustomed to miniscule screens with ephemeral flashes of communication that instantaneously vanish into thin air (both with regards to endurance and actually visible text)? Then this seminar is for you. Intended for current and/or future instructors of college-level literature courses, it offers an introduction to methods and didactics of teaching literature. The goal is to help you learn about and understand key concepts of approaching different genres in creative ways that make these texts appealing to undergraduate students. Course participants will design instructional materials, lessons, and assessment tools for teaching literature, and are encouraged to develop their identity as teachers of fictional texts. This seminar combines theory and practice-oriented work and is entirely assignment- and project-based (no exams).

Evaluation: Attendance; class participation; preparation for class and of readings as well as discussion of these readings before class on canvas; presentation on a theoretical text students choose in consultation with instructor; presentation of instructional materials and lesson plan; classroom observation; teaching portfolio.

Contact: Please contact sklocke@wisc.edu with any questions.

Prerequisites: Graduate or professional student

Language of instruction: English