Course Objectives
This course will introduce you to important developments in German-speaking society and culture around 1900 with respect to gender and (sex)uality in the arts, emphasizing life in Austro-Hungary at the time. We will engage with art and its ideas, analyze and interpret it, and also simply enjoy reading, listening, or looking at it. I hope to provide the space to think and grow together.
When it comes to writing, you will work on increasing your English writing and critical reading skills. You can understand writing as a process and begin to develop an effective process of your own. You can learn how to seek and use feedback and can develop confidence in your writing, both through experience and by producing polished pieces of your own writing. You can improve your ability to summarize, explain, and justify your reflections about class topics.
In general, you can learn to reflect on your own interests in relation to the material and your respective cultures. You can understand the social reality in which you live to a greater extent.
When it comes to writing, you will work on increasing your English writing and critical reading skills. You can understand writing as a process and begin to develop an effective process of your own. You can learn how to seek and use feedback and can develop confidence in your writing, both through experience and by producing polished pieces of your own writing. You can improve your ability to summarize, explain, and justify your reflections about class topics.
In general, you can learn to reflect on your own interests in relation to the material and your respective cultures. You can understand the social reality in which you live to a greater extent.
Responsibility of The Instructor
As instructor of this class, I will
- provide you with a challenging and supportive environment for discussions where even difficult topics can be addressed in an appropriate matter.
- offer you relevant texts about the topic that will help you expand your own knowledge and language skills.
- facilitate discussions and provide you with background information where needed.
- help the class in general and students individually to improve their writing skills.
- be open to constructive feedback and dedicated to your scholarly and personal advancement.
- work together with you to build an inclusive and respectful classroom that values diversity of all kinds. I hope that our differences enrich and enhance our understanding of one another and of the world around us. I am working hard to normalize and recenter diverse voices in this discourse that have always been part of the German-speaking world.
Responsibilities of THE Students to Succeed in Class
To be successful in this class, you
- come prepared to class for each session and attend actively with curiosity and engagement.
- annotate the readings and take notes about the questions I pose for each session so you can participate in class discussions. I have found that students who complete the readings before class are better equipped to participate in class discussions, integrate the readings with the lectures, and do better on assignments.
- participate frequently in class discussions and take notes about the discussions that are useful to your learning. I have experienced that particularly through conversations in class, students’ learning improves and motivation increases.
- submit assignments by the deadline (see below) so you can get timely feedback on your progress and are prepared to move on to the next assignment that will improve your skills and expand your knowledge about the topic.
- ask questions when things are unclear (there are no stupid questions!).
- keep me informed when life happens and you may have to miss/postpone class sessions or assignments.
NOTE TAKING NEEDS
Please bring a “device” to take notes on (that can be an analog notebook or a laptop or a tablet). Please also bring the texts we discuss with you each day, either as a print out or in digital form. Reading on a smartphone and taking notes inside a text is tough and time-consuming, so I do not recommend this strategy. Having notes on your computer/tablet is crucial for participation. I encourage course-related use of technology. Take notes while you read at home and in class, especially for the questions I pose for each session. Highlight the document and also write out notes for the most important passages. Unless you have a photographic memory, you will not be able to participate fully in class without proper notes. Read passages multiple times, particularly for shorter texts. This will help not only with your vocabulary knowledge, but also to find nuances in the text that were hiding from you during the first reading. When something gets hard, take a break and return an hour or two later. If it is still hard, get in contact with your classmates and/or me to find solutions. In general, seek help from your classmates, me, and other resources on campus.
Class Climate
Some of our class material will incorporate sensitive material. Instead of trigger warnings, however, I will contextualize the works as best as I can for you to digest the material at hand. Research shows that trigger warnings can be most harmful to the very individuals they were designed to protect. Check out this helpful video by two Carleton professors about trigger warnings. I agree with one point they make in particular: I do not have the moral authority to decide which trigger warnings to include, and, by extension, to decide whose pain matters most. In my classes, I hope that we can face difficult moments together and help each other with provocative, destabilizing, and disturbing material. After all, this is how people can change the world when the world needs to be changed.
When discussing the sensitive matters of gender and marginalization, it is important that all members of the class keep an open mind, that includes me as the instructor. Our readings and discussions may focus on mature, difficult, and potentially challenging topics and are often political and personal. Readings and discussions might trigger anger, humor, discomfort, excitement, anxiety, confusion, or boredom. Some of us will have emotional responses to the texts; some of us will have emotional responses to other people’s understanding of the texts; we should all feel responsible for creating a space that is both intellectually rigorous and respectful. Above all, let’s be respectful (even when we strongly disagree) and mindful of the ways that our identities position us in the course. I expect everyone to be prepared to approach the readings and discussion among class members in a mature and respectful way.
When discussing the sensitive matters of gender and marginalization, it is important that all members of the class keep an open mind, that includes me as the instructor. Our readings and discussions may focus on mature, difficult, and potentially challenging topics and are often political and personal. Readings and discussions might trigger anger, humor, discomfort, excitement, anxiety, confusion, or boredom. Some of us will have emotional responses to the texts; some of us will have emotional responses to other people’s understanding of the texts; we should all feel responsible for creating a space that is both intellectually rigorous and respectful. Above all, let’s be respectful (even when we strongly disagree) and mindful of the ways that our identities position us in the course. I expect everyone to be prepared to approach the readings and discussion among class members in a mature and respectful way.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
This course abides by the policies for Academic Integrity at Carleton (These can be found here.). Any suspected violations of the academic integrity code will be forwarded to the Academic Standing Committee. Please familiarize yourself with the definitions on this website. Any effort to present someone else’s work as your own is considered plagiarism, even if it is in another language.
ACCOMODATIONS
We all need accommodations in various forms at various times throughout our lives. The Office of Accessibility Resources promotes access and equity for all students of Carleton. They value full access to the wide range of academic, organizational, residential, and work opportunities for Carleton students, regardless of disability status. Contact them if you need their assistance.
WRITING CENTER
The students and staff of the Writing Center in the Libe are ready to help you achieve your full potential in writing. Seek them out for any of the writing assignments you will work on in class. Receiving feedback from multiple sources (me, fellow students, Writing Center, others) will improve your work.