German

Berlin is called the most sexually open capital of Europe today. In clubs, bars, workshops and festivals, a broad range and mix of sexual orientations are created in different and also crossing scenes and sex-positive spaces. Homosexual, transgender, tantric, polyamory, sex-positive and BDSM-oriented persons meet and celebrate and create new sexual techniques and lifestyles in so-called sex-positive spaces. The government of Berlin has already recognized the economic dimension of the liberal sexual culture. What does liberal sexual culture exactly mean? What kind of historical roots are important to analyze, e.g. the anonymity of the big city, the homosexual movement and the golden twenties? What was and is avant-garde and when does it turn into commerce? Four sub-items will structure the seminar: Sex-positive spaces, LGBTQI+ and Gender-Fluidity, Kink and Tantra, alternative porn films and literature. Excursions and interviews with experts will be part of the seminar. We will work with texts and films, and students will develop their own research question and project.

This course examines the history of Berlin during the Cold War, with a specific emphasis on the Berlin Wall. Literary texts, historical documents, photographs, and films are used to analyze this period of time. The course explores perspectives from both sides of the wall on the two cultural, social, and political societies that existed in Berlin during the Cold War. The course discusses whether at this point in time the “wall in the head” (Peter Schneider) has degraded completely or persists in contemporary Berlin. Students actively participate in class and attend a number of excursions in the city.

This seminar examines in detail the key political institutions and internal processes of the German political system. It takes an in-depth look at the workings of German democracy, the institutions of the state, and the political and legal frameworks that guide political decision-making at the federal, state, and municipal levels. Students engage with the constitutional bodies, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, discuss the duties and powers of the Federal Government, the Federal Chancellor, and the Federal President, explore the parliamentary system and Germany’s intelligence services, and address questions regarding political communication and decision-making. Drawing on selected historical turning points in post-war German politics, such as the resignation of Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt, students immerse themselves in the history and contemporary reality of the German political landscape. Program: Students acquire a solid understanding of Germany’s political system. They are enabled to critically reflect upon political institutions and processes, comprehend their operational mechanisms, and recognize the challenges and potentials that political actors and institutions have faced throughout the history of the Federal Republic.

This class is tailored to student life in Germany. The course introduces students to German language and culture and encourages and prepares them to speak German in everyday situations. Step by step, students increase their command of spoken and written German by practicing their speaking (including pronunciation), listening, reading, and writing skills. Particular attention is paid to vocabulary and grammar. The A1 level is split into two courses, the A1.1 course covers the first half of the level and the A1.2 course covers the second half of the level.