SFT11608 German Literature and Culture (Autumn 2016)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Mandatory course in German One-Year Programme.

Included in the 60 ECTS German module that can be part of the Bachelor's Programme in Society, Language, and Culture.

Lecture Semester

German One-Year Programme: 1^st semester (autumn)

Bachelor in Society, Language, and Culture: 1^st, 3^rd or 5^th semester (autumn)

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

Literature:

The student

• is acquainted with central literary tendencies, genres and authors from the German area in the period from 1945 until today.

Culture:

The student

• is acquainted with main features of the political and cultural history of the German area from 1945 until today.
• is aquainted with politics, economic and social structures and conditions, and geography.

Skills

Literature:

The student

• is able to read, discuss and analyse literary texts using the terminology of literary science.

Culture:

The student

• is able to handle cultural similarities and differences adequately and have sound intercultural communication skills.

General competence

The student

• has gained further knowledge of literature and culture in the German area from 1945 until today.

Content

The course introduces specific literary terminology and approaches. It comprises literature from various German-language countries from 1945 until today. The literature is studied from the perspective of political, cultural and literary history. Included in the course is an introduction to using the university college library comprising catalogues, reference works, databases, literature search, and criticism of the sources.  

The literature part concentrates on modern German literature including literature for children and adolescents. The role of literary didactics in foreign language teaching is thematised.

The teaching of literature and culture is coordinated chronologically so that it deals with central events or phenomena in the target countries. It deals with the period from 1945 until today in political, cultural and literary history.

Social science topics are also studied (such as geography, political systems, economic and social structures, education).

Forms of teaching and learning

The course is taught in seminars as well as being webbased.
The course material is distributed digitally. Developing reading proficiency and analytical skills is emphasised, as well as sensibilisation to cultural differences and similarities through student-active learning.
Library as well as ICT resources are utilised.

Workload

Approx. 280 hours.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

None.

Examination

Assessment is based on a portfolio with texts written in the course of the semester. The portfolio comprises three texts: two less extensive texts of 1-2 pages each and one more extensive assignment of 4 to 5 text pages.

The portfolio contributions are to be text documents (with 1 ½ line spacing) with correct use of references and notes. They are to be submitted by given deadlines. The students are given individual supervision when writing the assignments. Further information on the assignments is given by the instructor. Assessment of the portfolio takes into account text comprehension, level of independent work, level of knowledge, and ability to formulate. The A-F grading scale is used.

A new portfolio must be submitted in the case of a new exam or re-sit.

In the case of a complaint the entire portfolio is subject to new assessment.

Course evaluation

The course is evaluated by the students twice per semester and the results are processed by the faculty committee for study quality.

Literature

The list was updated 26 November 2014. Should changes be made to the reading list, the students will be notified no later than the beginning of the semester.

BORCHERT, Wolfgang: Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch (K).

DÜRRENMATT, Friedrich: Romulus der Große. Eine ungeschichtliche historische Komödie in vier Akten (Diogenes Taschenbücher Nr. 23042).

EICH, Günter: Inventur (K).

FRIED, Erich: Gespräch über Bäume (K).

HERMANN, Judith: Sommerhaus, später. Erzählungen (Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag Bd. 14770; følgende fortellinger leses: 'Rote Korallen', 'Sonja' og 'Sommerhaus, später').

HERRNDORF, Wolfgang: Tschick (Rowohlt/rotfuchs).

JANDL, Ernst: ottos mops (K), schtzngrmm (K), falamaleikum (K), auf dem land (K).

KUNERT, Günter: Über einige Davongekommene (K).

NADJ ABONJI, Melinda: Zuhause in der Fremde – Versuche zur Integration (K)

VERTLIB, Vladimir: Ich und die Eingeborenen (K)

VESTLI, Elin Nesje/LANGEMEYER, Peter: Deutschsprachige Nachkriegsliteratur von Wolfgang Borchert bis Judith Hermann (tilgjengelig digitalt eller kjøpes på høgskolen).

The shorter texts (K) are available in a seperate booklet together with the compendium.

Culture:

LeMO: Lebendiges Museum Online (Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn): http://www.dhm.de/lemo/home.html