German

Towards the end of postmodernism, and at the dawn of the "internet age," thinkers such as Michel de Certeau and Marc Augé developed a conceptual model to describe the rather vague feeling of arbitrariness and interchangeability of space they experienced in modern cities, the idea that the few remaining identifiable "places" in our contemporary urban environments were mere remnants of earlier, culturally inscribed sites, re-manufactured for commercial (touristic) purposes. The vast remaining areas of the city were "non-places" and urban "filaments" that did not provide a sense of belonging. This freed city dwellers to (artistically or otherwise) misappropriate or re-inscribe objects of the urban fabric. In the early 1990s, the term hypermodernism (or supermodernism) was introduced to provide a framework for these observations in fields ranging from philosophy to anthropology and architecture. We will consider this concept and its more recent iterations with respect to new and planned buildings in Berlin (by international firms such as OMA and Herzog & de Meuron), to places of infrastructure (train stations, airports), shopping centers, so-called POPS (privately owned public spaces) and urban wilderness areas. Course participants will be encouraged to explore the city on their own and "respond" to particular sites through visuals, audio recordings, (creative) texts and other forms of artistic expression

Students further expand their listening, reading, speaking and writing skills with authentic texts and communication situations in the fields of everyday life, popular science, culture and society, and literature.

In this bridge class on the A2/B1 level according to CEFR, students learn to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). They study to communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Students work to describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need. In addition, students learn to understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. They deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling to an area where German is spoken. Students learn to produce simple connected texts on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. They acquire skills to describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. Topics are taken from Berlin and German history and culture and also include politics as well as intercultural topics and current events.

In the 19th century, the Tibetan Plateau was one of the last so-called "blank spots" on European maps, along with other regions of Central Asia. Due to its strategic position in Central Asia and growing economic interests, developing Tibet became an ambitious goal for many Europeans. The seminar examines in what form and with what motives different interest groups such as missionaries, traders, adventurers, scientists and colonial officials acquired and circulated knowledge about Tibet. Why was certain knowledge considered important? How was the collected knowledge interpreted, used and presented? The aim of the seminar is the methodical introduction of the students to colonial history in Asia and the discussion of the role of the so-calledGreat Game between Great Britain and Russia for supremacy in Central Asia, the effects of which reach into the present.
 

On the basis of historical sources and overviews, this seminar presents the most important German protest movements. While the first part focuses on the great protest movements of the second half of the twentieth century, the second part is devoted to contemporary protest movements. Our special interest is the media support of the protest and the critical questioning of keywords like "Wutbürger".

This course provides a basic background into the current research on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its treatment, including cognitive, exposure-based, narrative, and psychodynamic treatment approaches. Students present about the current literature behind a specific treatment method as well as engage in in-class exercises and discussions on the nuances and limitations of different approaches.

Prejudices and stereotypes against different groups are widespread and can lead to discrimination and exclusion. In order to break down prejudices against different groups, it is often suggested that contact and exchange be established between the groups concerned. In this seminar we will deal with the question of whether contact between two groups can actually lead to a reduction in prejudices, which framework conditions are useful for reducing prejudices through contact and what further consequences contact can have for both groups. The topics are developed on the basis of empirical studies and presented, discussed and applied to practical examples in the context of lectures and interactive group work.

This course for foreign students is designed to improve students’ language skills and vocabulary. Areas of focus include grammar, conversation, writing exercises, and listening and reading exercises. In addition, excursions are planned to introduce students to German culture. Students work with cultural and historical topics in everyday situations and broaden their intercultural knowledge. They are introduced to independent learning methods and familiarize themselves with typical learning situations at German universities. In this class at the A2/B1 level according to CEFR, students review and learn basic grammar points and are systematically introduced to basic vocabulary, and they also consolidate and systematically build further basic grammar points and vocabulary. All four skills are developed and applied to everyday situations and some study-related situations.

This course provides an overview of the history of German literature from the 18th to the 21st century. Starting from the knowledge that the psychological sensitivities of an age are reflected in literature, and supported by reading and discussing representative texts, e.g. from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, Franz Kafka, Bertolt Brecht or Ferdinand von Schirach, the focus of the seminar is based on the following topics: the desires, demands, and utopias found in the literature; the influence of developments of the history of thought, social upheavals, and technological innovations on literary expression; the interplay between art, music, and literature; the ability of fiction to inspire social changes; and the ways in which respective authors incorporate literary legacies into their own works. A valid and living impression of literary development from the classical period to the present is provided through texts, and also through film clips and field trips. For instance, the course includes a visit to the Deutsches Historisches Museum and students obtain deeper insight into the art of the Romantic period with a tour through the Alte Nationalgalerie.

This in-depth seminar on the general methodology of psychotherapy focuses on child and adolescent psychotherapy with a focus on the consequences of trauma and child protection. The heart of the seminar is the dream-focused behavioral therapy, a modular and component-based therapy with about 16 sessions with the children and a caregiver. In addition, further methods of trauma therapy with children and adolescents and other trauma-related topics such as experiences of racism and discrimination and their consideration in psychotherapy are examined in more detail.