Culture of German-Speaking Countries – Contemporary Issues

Year
0
Academic year
2018-2019
Code
01011681
Subject Area
Área Científica do Menor
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

 

Teaching Methods

Lessons will combine moments of greater lecturing character (for which both teacher and students will be responsible) and moments of collective analysis and debate of various texts, documents and other material related to the issues in question. Students will be encouraged to develop their analytical skills and their capacity to look autonomously for information as well as to present the results of their research both orally and in writing.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the semester, students should be able to

1) analyze and comment on texts and documents related to the unit’s main topics;

2) relate the various cultural contexts with each other, analyzing them critically and in a historical perspectivation;

3) research and interpret relevant information about the topics;

4) analyze and present the discussed themes, showing intellectual autonomy, synthesizing capacity, argumentation skills and high proficiency in oral and written expression;

5) to show that they have developed attitudes of intellectual curiosity and rigor, as well as a critical and emancipated thought.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The c.u.aims at providing the students with a view of the political and cultural history of Germany(from early postwar to reunification)focusing on a range of fundamental issues.

1. The early postwar period:«zero hour»and the rubble;flight and expulsion from the East;Cold War and the foundation of the two German States;the question of German guilt

2. The FRG: the Grundgesetz;the Adenauer Era;the Gruppe 47;the 68er-Bewegung and the feminist movement;Vergangenheitsbewältigung;New German Cinema;Neue Subjektivität; the problem of terrorism; the citizens’ movements, and Die Grünen

3. The GDR:the Constitution and socialista state;the role of Brecht;the Uprising of 1953;the construction of the Berlin Wall; Bitterfelder Weg; Neue Subjektivität;the Wolf Biermann case;the role of Stasi; the crisis and decline

4. Inner-German relations

5. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the process of reunification

The syllabus may change in various editions, depending on the academic staff member

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria de Fátima Gil Rodrigues da Silva

Assessment Methods

Final evaluation
Exam: 100.0%

Continuous evaluation
Mini Tests: 25.0%
Other: 25.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Beutin, W. et al. (1993-94). História da Literatura Alemã das Origens à Actualidade. 2 vols., Lisboa: Apáginastantas/Cosmos.

Kitchen, M. (2011). A History of Modern Germany: from 1800 to the Present, Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Müller, H. (2002). Schlaglichter der deutschen Geschichte, Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.

Opitz, A. et al. (1998). Sociedade e Cultura Alemãs. Lisboa: Universidade Aberta.

Raff, D. (61992). Deutsche Geschichte, München: Heyne.

Scheidl, L. et al. (eds.) (31996). Dois Séculos de História Alemã. Política, Sociedade e Cultura, Coimbra: Minerva.

Watanabe-O´Kelly, H. (ed.) (2008). The Cambridge History Of German Literature. Cambridge et al.: CUP.

Wellbery, D.E. et al. (org.) (2004). A New History of German Literature,Cambridge: Harvard UP.