LT 415 - Contemporary German Literature through a social lens

This seminar will examine how burning social issues are discussed in contemporary German literature. What differences and similarities can we identify and what possible explanations exist? Students will question assumptions about German and American culture by engaging with various literary texts, plays, lectures or films. 

The course explores how fictional literature depicts people and societies from certain perspectives, focusing on the following themes: migration, gender equality and climate change. We will discuss whether and by what means literary inquiry into these issues can and should influence socio-political discourse and bring about new perspectives within society as a whole. Three course-related trips will provide a current outlook through visits to the theater or cinema. In addition to lectures and readings, panel discussions will also provide a dialogue on course-related topics. Students will discover the diversity of contemporary German literature and gain deeper insights into current social discourses. They will learn to reflect on the current handling of migration, climate change and gender equality within a German context, also in comparison to the USA, and connect them with their own experiences. They will develop a more comprehensive understanding of their own perceptions, beliefs and behaviors, which may serve as a guidepost in an ever-changing modern world.