Nordamerikastudien

• (P) Understanding North America A2

  0176eA1.1
  • 32002 Grundkurs
    Understanding North America B (Yue Hu Sebastian Kohl Lora Anne Viola)
    Zeit: Fr 10:00-12:00, Fr 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 25.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

• (P) Understanding North America B2

  0176eA1.2
  • 32002 Grundkurs
    Understanding North America B (Yue Hu Sebastian Kohl Lora Anne Viola)
    Zeit: Fr 10:00-12:00, Fr 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 25.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

• (OM) Geschichte

  0574aA2.1
  • 32400 Seminar
    Migration in American History (Sebastian Jobs)
    Zeit: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In recent years, one of the most contentious in American politics has been immigration. However, many political arguments that have been brought forth during these debates are echoes of longer history that reaches all the way back to colonial times in North America. In our seminar, we will focus on major issues and events in the history of the United States’ immigration history, from the 17th century to the present. We will examine how political thoughts and cultural norms shaped the ways in which Americans viewed migration and the ways in which they tried to create American identities.

  • 32401 Proseminar
    Asian American History (Helen Anne Gibson)
    Zeit: Mi 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    Asian American History: Gary Y. Okihiro writes in American History Unbound: Asians and Pacific Islanders, “In this work, I celebrate oceans and Oceania, which are decolonizing discourses and material conditions. In fact, I begin with those fluid worlds, untethered from the seemingly fixed, immobile continents” (Okihiro 2015, p. 20). Like Okihiro’s American History Unbound, this seminar will begin and end with a celebration of oceans and Oceania. Beginning with Emily Cachapero, Chung Hoang Chuong, Elaine H. Kim, Janice Mirikitani, Jane Singh, and Judy Yung’s Making Waves: An Anthology of Writing by and about Asian American Women, students will engage both a historiography of Asian American feminisms and a material history of decolonial and liberatory oceanic movements (Asian Women United of California, eds. 1989; Fujiwara and Roshanravan, eds. 2018). Students should come to class prepared to experience history via zines, film, and philosophical text. Further, participants in this seminar will gain hands-on archival research experience in the digital archives of the Stabi Lab of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. We will be guided in our analytical orientation by Manulani Aluli Meyer’s invitation in “Holographic Epistemology: Native Common Sense”: “Ulu ka le’ale’a. Let joy rise!” (Aluli Meyer 2013, p. 94). Works cited: Asian Women United of California, eds. Making Waves: An Anthology of Writing by and about Asian American Women. Boston: Beacon Press, 1989. Aluli Meyer, Manulani. “Holographic Epistemology: Native Common Sense.” China Media Research 9, no. 2 (2013): 94-101. Fujiwara, Lynn and Shireen Roshanravan, eds. Asian American Feminisms & Women of Color Politics. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2018. Okihiro, Gary Y. American History Unbound: Asians and Pacific Islanders. Oakland: University of California Press, 2015.

• (OM) Kultur

  0574aA2.2
  • 32100 Seminar
    Theorizing Culture (Martin Lüthe)
    Zeit: Mo 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The object of this seminar is to introduce students to theories of culture(s) or cultural theory. With theories of culture abounding, we will only be able to discuss a selection of canonized texts. These texts will – hopefully – help to enhance our understanding of how we have come to theorize culture(s) in the field of North American studies (and literary and cultural studies, specifically). We will also make use of an introduction to North American cultural studies, which will help us to contextualize our theoretical texts. Furthermore, we will tackle various angles of how we make meaning of and through culture and how culture informs related fields of inquiry, such as, for example, media studies, philosophy, and sociology.

    Requirements and class mechanics:

     Participation credit requires regular and active attendance and a written response to reading assignments for a total of eight sessions.
    Full credit requires all of the above and an in-class exam.
    Participation in class and reading responses will be ungraded.

• (OM) Literatur

  0574aA2.3
  • 32200 Seminar
    Introduction to Literary Studies II (Birte Wege)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    This seminar complements the course "Introduction to Literary Studies I," further familiarizing students with conventions of genre and textual analysis. We will read texts written in different centuries but belonging to the same genre. Examples will include the jeremiad, gothic literature, New Journalism, graphic narratives, and science fiction. Along with this overview, you will learn about fundamental methods of interpretation, acquiring the tools you will use for literary analysis and academic writing throughout your studies.

• (OM) Politik

  0574aA2.4
  • 32501 Seminar
    Canadian Politics (David Bosold)
    Zeit: Mo 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In this class, we will analyze the Canadian political system – focusing on the role of the Prime Minister, Cabinet, Parliament (House of Commons and the Senate) while also scrutinizing the nature of Canadian Federalism. The course will feature case studies of policy fields such as natural resources (e.g. Alberta’s oil sands), migration and trade (yes, those tariffs) and also address federal and provincial policies with regard to the country’s indigenous population. We will also be visiting the Canadian Embassy at Leipziger Platz (exact date tbd). For some hands-on experience, the class will feature a simulation of question period in the House of Commons.

• (OM) Soziologie

  0574aA2.5
  • 32600 Seminar
    Classical Sociology of Class and State (Osman Demirbag)
    Zeit: Do 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    This course examines the foundational theories of class and the state in classical sociology. By tracing the historical context and intellectual lineage of the seminal works, the course establishes a strong theoretical basis for understanding the political sociology and political economy debates. Students are expected to do the weekly readings.

  • 32601 Seminar
    Introduction to Urban Sociology (Sebastian Kohl)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The United States have developed into a predominantly urban nation over the last 150 years. Many social problems in its history have been particularly urban and American sociology started out as a sociology of mainly urban issues. This seminar traces the history of urbanization in the US through the lens of a number of different urban themes such as housing, suburbs, race, riots, policing, politics, gender and others. The seminar implicitly contains a comparative dimension by juxtaposing some unique features of American with European cities. Students should be prepared to read at least one entire book in the seminar and be open to empirical work on cities, including city datasets and possibly GIS.

• (OM) Wirtschaft

  0574aA2.6
  • 32700 Proseminar
    Statistical Reasoning (Ria Wilken)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 113 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    This course offers an introduction to statistical concepts and data analysis. It will prepare students to understand, interpret and use statistic tools and to organize, manage, and present data by a variety of statistical methods. Students will also learn how correlation and regression analysis can be used to discover statistical relationships between variables. The course will end with a brief introduction on causal inference. The course will use Stata, a statistical software package commonly used in economics and other social sciences. For a grade: written final examination. The final exam will cover all topics discussed in class. For active participation: Students are expected to be present and active for at least 4/5s of all classes and to perform sufficiently on all assignments over the course of the semester.

• (VM) Soziologie B – Soziale Prozesse (Sociology B – Social Processes)

  0574aB1.10
  • 32602 Vertiefungsseminar
    The Political Economy of Inequality and Redistribution in the US (Jonas von Ciriacy-Wantrup)
    Zeit: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 23.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The aim of this course is to understand why income and wealth inequality varies across space and time by focusing on one of the richest, but also one of the most unequal democracies of our time: The US. While in theory all citizens in a democracy have the same voting power - so one would expect democratic governments to act to keep inequality as low as possible - we see quite significant differences in economic inequality over time and space. Why is this? To answer these questions, the course examines different theories of inequality and different policy areas that affect inequality. We look at long-term trends in inequality and the structural features of capitalism that tend to push inequality upwards. We look at the wide range of policies in what is loosely termed the 'welfare state' that tend to mitigate the inequalities generated by market capitalism. We look at how demography, gender differences, migration and ethnicity relate to inequality. And we try to understand why elections sometimes produce governments that redistribute income and wealth from rich to poor, and sometimes produce governments that do the opposite. Finally, we look at how rising inequality - a clear trend in the rich world since the late 20th century - affects politics and democracy. Students with an interest in economic topics should take this course. No prior knowledge is required, but extensive reading is a prerequisite for successfully completing the course.

  • 32603 Seminar
    Conflict in contemporary societies: Exploring dynamics of politicization, problem definition, agenda setting in theory and practice I (Clara Heinrich)
    Zeit: Di 08:00-10:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    This course can only be taken together with 32604-S25 (Conflict in contemporary societies II)

    Kommentar

    This course introduces students to the sociology of the public sphere and the related dynamics of conflict that surround policy making in contemporary societies in both conceptual and empirical terms. Each double session combines theoretical reflections and discussions of key concepts and arguments with practical, hands-on introductions to methods suitable for studying the public sphere. The methods covered range from qualitative text and discourse analysis using MaxQDA to quantitative approaches of text analysis in R including basic exploratory analyses, dictionary based approaches and sentiment analysis as well as more complex language models.
    Students are not expected to have any prior knowledge in programming or other software, but are expected to participate actively in the course,  prepare readings and submit small take-home assignments.
    For students from the BA North-American Studies: If completed with a term paper, the full course covers one "Advanced Module" (Vertiefungsmodul) in sociology.

  • 32604 Vertiefungsseminar
    Conflict in contemporary societies: Exploring dynamics of politicization, problem definition, agenda setting in theory and practice II (Clara Heinrich)
    Zeit: Di 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    This course can only be taken together with 32603-S25 (Conflict in contemporary societies I)

    Kommentar

    This course introduces students to the sociology of the public sphere and the related dynamics of conflict that surround policy making in contemporary societies in both conceptual and empirical terms. Each double session combines theoretical reflections and discussions of key concepts and arguments with practical, hands-on introductions to methods suitable for studying the public sphere. The methods covered range from qualitative text and discourse analysis using MaxQDA to quantitative approaches of text analysis in R including basic exploratory analyses, dictionary based approaches and sentiment analysis as well as more complex language models.
    Students are not expected to have any prior knowledge in programming or other software, but are expected to participate actively in the course,  prepare readings and submit small take-home assignments.
    For students from the BA North-American Studies: If completed with a term paper, the full course covers one "Advanced Module" (Vertiefungsmodul) in sociology.

• (VM) Wirtschaft B – Wirtschaftsgeschichte und Finanzmärkte (Economics B – Economic History and Financial Markets)

  0574aB1.12
  • 32701 Seminar
    Introduction to the Long-Run Effects of Natural Disasters (Freya Rubel)
    Zeit: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The course explores the long-term socio-economic consequences of exposure to natural disasters, focusing on the level of the individual. It consists of two complementary components. The first part of the course provides students with a theoretical foundation for understanding how natural disasters can shape economic and social outcomes over time. It will focus on discussing channels and mechanisms through which the natural environment and disasters or upheaval, in particular, affect individuals. Topics covered include the impact of such disasters on health, education, household income, labour markets, and migration. Students will be familiarized with underlying microeconomic models, discuss research methods like causal inference strategies, and analyse empirical findings from academic research. The second part of the course is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the concepts covered in class through active engagement with empirical studies. Students are required to present and critically discuss academic papers that investigate natural disaster effects using micro-level data. The seminar emphasizes methodological approaches, data sources, and empirical strategies, encouraging students to evaluate the presented research critically and develop their analytical skills. Active participation in both components of the course is required to pass the module. The final examination will consist of either the submission of a final term paper or a written examination. The final decision will be announced in time. Attendance in the first session of the course is mandatory.

  • 32702 Vertiefungsseminar
    Evidence on the Long-Run Effects of Natural Disasters: Case Studies (Yue Hu)
    Zeit: Do 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The course explores the long-term socio-economic consequences of exposure to natural disasters, focusing on the level of the individual. It consists of two complementary components. The first part of the course provides students with a theoretical foundation for understanding how natural disasters can shape economic and social outcomes over time. It will focus on discussing channels and mechanisms through which the natural environment and disasters or upheaval, in particular, affect individuals. Topics covered include the impact of such disasters on health, education, household income, labour markets, and migration. Students will be familiarized with underlying microeconomic models, discuss research methods like causal inference strategies, and analyse empirical findings from academic research. The second part of the course is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the concepts covered in class through active engagement with empirical studies. Students are required to present and critically discuss academic papers that investigate natural disaster effects using micro-level data. The seminar emphasizes methodological approaches, data sources, and empirical strategies, encouraging students to evaluate the presented research critically and develop their analytical skills. Active participation in both components of the course is required to pass the module. The final examination will consist of either the submission of a final term paper or a written examination. The final decision will be announced in time. Attendance in the first session of the course is mandatory.

• (VM) Geschichte B - Geschichte Nordamerikas seit 1865 (History B – History of North America since 1865)

  0574aB1.2
  • 32402 Vertiefungsseminar
    Trans History (Helen Anne Gibson)
    Zeit: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In this seminar, we will pause to reflect on moments in trans history in the United States, informed by the scholarship of C. Riley Snorton in Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity (Snorton 2017) and Susan Stryker in Transgender History (Stryker 2008), among other important works. We will further engage gender theory in Marquis Bey’s Black Trans Feminism (Bey 2022), Jafari S. Allen’s There’s a disco ball between us: a theory of Black gay life (Allen 2022), and Judith Butler’s Who’s Afraid of Gender? (Butler 2024). Complementing this history and theorization of the lived experiences of trans people, students in this seminar will read community history zines like “A Queer and Trans Fat Activist Timeline: Queering Fat Activist Nationality and Cultural Imperialism” (Cooper 2012) and engage contemporary film such as The Right Girls (Wolfer 2018). Further, students will gain hands-on archival research experience at both the Spinnboden Lesbenarchiv & Bibliothek e.V. and the digital archives of the Stabi Lab of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Works cited: Allen, Jafari S. There’s a disco ball between us: a theory of Black gay life (Durham/London: Duke UP, 2022). Bey, Marquis. Black Trans Feminism (Durham/London: Duke UP, 2022). Butler, Judith, Who’s Afraid of Gender? (Toronto: Vintage Canada, 2024). Cooper, Charlotte. “A Queer and Trans Fat Activist Timeline: Queering Fat Activist Nationality and Cultural Imperialism,” Fat Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Body Weight and Society 1, no. 1 (2012): 61-74. Snorton, C. Riley. Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2017). Stryker, Susan. Transgender History (Berkeley: Seal Press, 2008). Wolfer, Timothy, director. The Right Girls (Baltimore: Wolfer Productions, 2018).

  • 32403 Vertiefungsseminar
    From Honeymoon to Headaches: Turkish-American Relations During the Cold War (Lesar Yurtsever)
    Zeit: Mo 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    From Honeymoon to Headaches: Turkish-American Relations During the Cold War On October 9, 2019, President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding Turkey's intervention in Syria against Kurdish forces without U.S. approval "Let's work out a good deal! You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy!" This statement underscores the enduring asymmetry in U.S.-Turkish relations since the Cold War– “Comply, or face consequences”. This course explores how Turkey has navigated its dual role as a “natural ally” of the United States and an independent regional actor with its own strategic ambitions during the Cold War. By examining key moments from 1945 to 1990, such as the partnership during the Korean War (1950-53) or the conflicts during the Cyprus crisis (1963/64), the seminar highlights how Turkey strategically employed concepts of Westernism and Nationalism to negotiate its position during these events. Students will evaluate primary and secondary sources to critically assess U.S.-Turkish relationship from multiple perspectives. They will develop essential skills in reading and analyzing academic texts, writing scholarly papers, and working as historians. Students will also gain a broader perspective on the Cold War, with a particular focus on Turkey as a central actor. To successfully complete the course, students are required to actively participate in class, engage with the weekly readings, and submit a weekly “reading reflection” (5-8 lines) on Blackboard (24 hours before each session), and take part in a fictional conference between representatives of both states. At the end of the term, eligible students will take an exam.

• (VM) Kultur A – Ideengeschichte und Kulturgeschichte einzelner Medien (Culture A – History of Ideas and Cultural History of Individual Media)

  0574aB1.3
  • 32101 Vertiefungsseminar
    Queer Latinx Art (Alexis Salas)
    Zeit: Mi 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 23.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    This BA-level advanced seminar in contemporary art focuses upon makers who identify as queer and Latinx (United States-ian, including Puerto Rico) whose visual artistic practice address queerness by challenging heteronormative, cis, settler colonialist, Western, and patriarchal frameworks of bodies, histories, and ideas. Starting in the 1960s and extending to the present, the course’s historical scope encompasses various Civil Rights movements: the Chicano movement, HIV/AIDS crisis, marriage equality, and current anti-queer/trans and anti-immigrant legislation, while offering a narrative overview of queer Latinx artists across visual art mediums. Recognizing that different historical moments have named and understood Latinx-ness and queerness through their contemporary experiences, the course traces the work of thinkers and makers who engage with the theoretical and practical possibilities offered by a convening of these concepts. Please register at: culture@jfki.fu-berlin.de with your name, matriculation number, study program, and zedat email address before lecture time starts.

  • 32102 Vertiefungsseminar
    The Sitcom and U.S. American TV (Martin Lüthe)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-16:00, zusätzliche Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In this seminar we will look at the sitcom as an important genre in the history of TV broadcasting. In fact, we will aspire to conceive of the heyday of TV as entangled with the success and pervasiveness of the sitcom. Beginning with radio, the situational comedy has impacted U.S. serial storytelling even before U.S. American families made room for TV and has undoubtedly served as an engine of the broadcasting era (and arguably all the way through the private cable / the post-network era of the 1980s and 1990s). Even our contemporary media age of post-TV initially still capitalized on the familiarity of the sitcom formula; however, the age of digital streaming services and the second screen has since impeded on the lasting  success of the sitcom as genre, partly as a result of changing programming and viewing practices (think: complex TV and reality TV as powerful competitors in our contemporary audiovisual digital media ecologies). We will look at a variety of different sitcom formats (from the classic family and work-place sitcoms to the animated sitcom) and on the cultural work they have done (and still do?) and the stories they allow U.S. culture to tell itself about itself.

     Requirements and class mechanics:

    Participation credit requires regular and active attendance and a written response to reading assignments for a total of eight sessions.
    Full credit requires all of the above and a research paper.
    Participation in class and reading responses will be ungraded.

  • 32103 Vertiefungsseminar
    Popular Romance and/as Genre (Katie Deane)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    From romance-only bookstores to BookTok Bestsellers, Romantasy fandoms to Dark Romance debates, the past five years have seen a dramatic increase in the visibility of one of the most-read fiction genres in North America: Popular Romance. This course will use three interconnected ways of thinking about genre – as aesthetic forms, as material objects, and as communities – to examine what Romance is, how Romance is made, and what Romance does. Over the course of the semester, we’ll discuss issues critical to the genre in the context of its historical development in the U.S. and Canada, from the narrative function of the happy ending, to the inclusion of explicit sexual content and fights for more diverse representation. We will ask both what the Romance genre can tell us about social, material, and technological shifts in North America, as well as how genres form, operate, and reproduce. Students will come away with a foundational understanding of Popular Romance for further academic study, experience in digital research methods, and the vocabulary to address other transmedial popular genres.

• (VM) Kultur B – Theorien amerikanischer Kultur und Geschichte ethnischer, regionaler und geschlechtsspezifischer Kulturen (Culture B – Theories of ultures)

  0574aB1.4
  • 32103 Vertiefungsseminar
    Popular Romance and/as Genre (Katie Deane)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    From romance-only bookstores to BookTok Bestsellers, Romantasy fandoms to Dark Romance debates, the past five years have seen a dramatic increase in the visibility of one of the most-read fiction genres in North America: Popular Romance. This course will use three interconnected ways of thinking about genre – as aesthetic forms, as material objects, and as communities – to examine what Romance is, how Romance is made, and what Romance does. Over the course of the semester, we’ll discuss issues critical to the genre in the context of its historical development in the U.S. and Canada, from the narrative function of the happy ending, to the inclusion of explicit sexual content and fights for more diverse representation. We will ask both what the Romance genre can tell us about social, material, and technological shifts in North America, as well as how genres form, operate, and reproduce. Students will come away with a foundational understanding of Popular Romance for further academic study, experience in digital research methods, and the vocabulary to address other transmedial popular genres.

  • 32101 Vertiefungsseminar
    Queer Latinx Art (Alexis Salas)
    Zeit: Mi 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 23.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    This BA-level advanced seminar in contemporary art focuses upon makers who identify as queer and Latinx (United States-ian, including Puerto Rico) whose visual artistic practice address queerness by challenging heteronormative, cis, settler colonialist, Western, and patriarchal frameworks of bodies, histories, and ideas. Starting in the 1960s and extending to the present, the course’s historical scope encompasses various Civil Rights movements: the Chicano movement, HIV/AIDS crisis, marriage equality, and current anti-queer/trans and anti-immigrant legislation, while offering a narrative overview of queer Latinx artists across visual art mediums. Recognizing that different historical moments have named and understood Latinx-ness and queerness through their contemporary experiences, the course traces the work of thinkers and makers who engage with the theoretical and practical possibilities offered by a convening of these concepts. Please register at: culture@jfki.fu-berlin.de with your name, matriculation number, study program, and zedat email address before lecture time starts.

  • 32102 Vertiefungsseminar
    The Sitcom and U.S. American TV (Martin Lüthe)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-16:00, zusätzliche Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In this seminar we will look at the sitcom as an important genre in the history of TV broadcasting. In fact, we will aspire to conceive of the heyday of TV as entangled with the success and pervasiveness of the sitcom. Beginning with radio, the situational comedy has impacted U.S. serial storytelling even before U.S. American families made room for TV and has undoubtedly served as an engine of the broadcasting era (and arguably all the way through the private cable / the post-network era of the 1980s and 1990s). Even our contemporary media age of post-TV initially still capitalized on the familiarity of the sitcom formula; however, the age of digital streaming services and the second screen has since impeded on the lasting  success of the sitcom as genre, partly as a result of changing programming and viewing practices (think: complex TV and reality TV as powerful competitors in our contemporary audiovisual digital media ecologies). We will look at a variety of different sitcom formats (from the classic family and work-place sitcoms to the animated sitcom) and on the cultural work they have done (and still do?) and the stories they allow U.S. culture to tell itself about itself.

     Requirements and class mechanics:

    Participation credit requires regular and active attendance and a written response to reading assignments for a total of eight sessions.
    Full credit requires all of the above and a research paper.
    Participation in class and reading responses will be ungraded.

  • 32106 Vertiefungsseminar
    A second Native American Renaissance? An Introduction to Indigenous North America (Andreas Lipowsky)
    Zeit: Do 16-20 s.t. (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 203 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    "Armageddon in Our Bones, Utopia in Our Souls" (Julian Brave NoiseCat) ----- In recent decades, Indigenous societies in the United States and Canada have made significant strides toward political sovereignty and cultural self-determination. This seminar will introduce participants to some of the key discourses and issues that resonate in Indian Country today. It also seeks to reflect on indigeneity as an increasingly globalized identity formation, a relatively recent phenomenon. On this basis, we will turn to the vibrant, if often paradoxical, relationship between Indigenous lifeworlds and political struggles and their reception in academic discourse, particularly in the context of discussions of the Anthropocene and political anthropology. We will discuss Indigenous resurgence movements from Red Power to the Standing Rock protests, read testimonies from residential school survivors, and engage with the writing of Indigenous theorists such as Vine Delora, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, and Robin Wall Kimmerer.

• (VM) Literatur A – Literarische Epochen (Literature A – Literary Epochs)

  0574aB1.5
  • 32202 Vertiefungsseminar
    Melville's Periodical Fiction (Stefanie Müller)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Zusätzl. Angaben / Voraussetzungen

    If you want to participate in and receive credits for this class, please take note of the following conditions for participation: 1. Register on Blackboard for this class as soon as possible so that you access to the material that we will discuss in session one (April 15). 2. The shopping period is limited to week one. You must commit to the class by our second meeting. Please purchase Billy Budd, Bartleby, and Other Stories by Herman Melville (Penguin Classics).

    Kommentar

    For a long time, the research on Herman Melville’s fiction focused on his novels, in particular, of course, Moby Dick. This was at least in part due to Melville’s famous “dollars damn me”-statement, which Americanists liked to see as an expression of a tormented genius who would never write for a paying audience. As always, history is messier than that, and the texts that Melville wrote for periodicals such as Harper’s Magazine were plentiful and suggest that he actually enjoyed writing them. In this class, we will look at his best known as well as lesser known pieces, discuss works by other contemporary writers, and generally seek to understand how Melville’s writing developed as part of the stylistic and generic environment of periodical fiction.

• (VM) Literatur B – Literarische Gattungen (Literature B – Literary Genres)

  0574aB1.6
  • 32201 Vertiefungsseminar
    The Real Thing: American Literary Naturalism (James Dorson)
    Zeit: Mi 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: 2 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 5)
    

    Kommentar

    This class examines the rise of naturalist literature in the U.S. in response to three seminal transformations of American culture and society around the turn of the twentieth century: 1) a new conception of nature following Darwin’s theory of natural selection; 2) the rapid growth of major urban centers like Chicago and New York City; and 3) changing gender relations with the rise of the New Woman. Naturalist fiction was the first body of literature to give these epochal developments cultural expression. At the same time, naturalist writers used the topics of evolution, the city, and female emancipation to distinguish their own fiction from literary realism and to challenge the very conception of reality itself. Through close readings of naturalist texts, we will examine how the natural world, the vast city, and the New Woman all became figures of “the Real” in naturalist fiction, leading to new forms of representation that would transform the literary landscape at the fin de siècle. Organized around the themes of nature, the urban experience, and gender, we will read literary criticism alongside stories, excerpts, and novels by Frank Norris, Kate Chopin, Stephen Crane, Edith Wharton, Theodore Dreiser, Jack London, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

  • 32202 Vertiefungsseminar
    Melville's Periodical Fiction (Stefanie Müller)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Zusätzl. Angaben / Voraussetzungen

    If you want to participate in and receive credits for this class, please take note of the following conditions for participation: 1. Register on Blackboard for this class as soon as possible so that you access to the material that we will discuss in session one (April 15). 2. The shopping period is limited to week one. You must commit to the class by our second meeting. Please purchase Billy Budd, Bartleby, and Other Stories by Herman Melville (Penguin Classics).

    Kommentar

    For a long time, the research on Herman Melville’s fiction focused on his novels, in particular, of course, Moby Dick. This was at least in part due to Melville’s famous “dollars damn me”-statement, which Americanists liked to see as an expression of a tormented genius who would never write for a paying audience. As always, history is messier than that, and the texts that Melville wrote for periodicals such as Harper’s Magazine were plentiful and suggest that he actually enjoyed writing them. In this class, we will look at his best known as well as lesser known pieces, discuss works by other contemporary writers, and generally seek to understand how Melville’s writing developed as part of the stylistic and generic environment of periodical fiction.

  • 32203 Seminar
    Graphic Narrative (Birte Wege)
    Zeit: Di 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    Comics are frequently derided as low-brow, kid’s stuff, a threat to literacy or even to moral values. Fans and scholars alike, meanwhile, see them as – often avant-garde – work that is uniquely situated to engage with political and social issues of their day, beyond what is available for other modes of expression. This seminar will provide an introduction and overview to the works of the broad category of ‘graphic narrative.’ We will combine theory readings from comics studies and literary studies with key primary texts in each session, ranging from early comic strips and wordless novels to superheroes, underground comix, and the many iterations of the graphic novel genre produced in the last three decades. We will examine the work of, amongst others, George Herriman, R.Crumb, Art Spiegelman, The Hernandez Brothers, Alison Bechdel, Joe Sacco, and Lynda Barry.

• (VM) Politik B – Staat und Zivilgesellschaft ( Political B – State and Civil Society)

  0574aB1.8
  • 32502 Vertiefungsseminar
    The U.S. at the UN (Lora Anne Viola)
    Zeit: Mo 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    Please note that the first session on April 14th will be held online.

    Kommentar

    This course explores the politics of the United States at the United Nations from its founding role through to today’s conflictual relations. We will examine the historical context, current debates, and major issues that have shaped U.S. foreign policy at the UN. Through case studies and simulation exercises, we will critically assess the role of both the US and the UN in shaping dynamics of conflict and cooperation in the international system.

  • 32503 Vertiefungsseminar
    American Politics and Film (Thomas Greven)
    Zeit: Di 18:00-20:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    Politics and political issues are featured in many American film and TV productions. There are almost countless movies about US presidents, elections, political scandals etc. From a political science perspective, taking a closer look at how American politics is represented in movies and television is worthwhile because these media influence how citizens view political institutions, actors, and processes as well as various policies. While it is difficult to empirically pinpoint the exact impact of film and TV representations on political culture (values and attitudes) and political action (e.g., voting and protest behavior), their analysis allows for important insights into debates and controversies on issues such as democratic participation, economic power, religion, racism, sexism etc. In this seminar, students will develop a solid understanding of the basic institutions, actors, and processes of American government and politics, based on the study of selected films, TV series and readings from political science as well as film studies. We will also try to answer the overarching question of what films and TV contribute to an understanding of the current crisis of American democracy.

  • 32504 Vertiefungsseminar
    Election Coverage in the US and Canada (David Bosold)
    Zeit: Do 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 340 Hörsaal (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    In this hands-on seminar we will analyze the recent developments in election coverage of public (PBS, NPR ¦ CBC, Radio Canada) and commercial broadcasters (FOX ¦ CTV) in the US and Canada. Against the backdrop of the recently announced snap elections in Canada on April 28,2025 we will focus on Canada in the first part of the course before turning to the US in the second half of the term in which we will work on a policy tracker of Donald Trump’s presidency and the implementation of policies outlined in the Republican Party Platform.

  • 32505 Vertiefungsseminar
    International Institutions: Theory and Practice (Hannah-Aeterna Borne)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    Current international politics is shaped by multifaceted challenges—from economic inequalities and environmental degradation to enduring geopolitical conflicts—that highlight the necessity of global cooperation. Even when most needed, cooperation can be as difficult to navigate as the challenges it seeks to address. This course aims to explore how international institutions foster cooperation among different actors and shape the international system. Students will engage with central debates in international relations (IR) regarding the effectiveness and contested nature of these institutions. To this end, the course will introduce students to foundational IR theories, including realism, neo-liberal institutionalism, and constructivism, alongside critical perspectives such as feminism and postcolonialism. Grounded in theoretical insights, we will discuss current global challenges and explore a range of international institutions. The course is designed to develop a solid understanding of how international institutions (attempt to) facilitate cooperation. By the end, students will be equipped to critically assess various theoretical perspectives and apply them to global challenges that require transnational solutions.

• (VM) Soziologie A – Soziale Strukturen (Sociology A – Social Structures)

  0574aB1.9
  • 32602 Vertiefungsseminar
    The Political Economy of Inequality and Redistribution in the US (Jonas von Ciriacy-Wantrup)
    Zeit: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 23.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The aim of this course is to understand why income and wealth inequality varies across space and time by focusing on one of the richest, but also one of the most unequal democracies of our time: The US. While in theory all citizens in a democracy have the same voting power - so one would expect democratic governments to act to keep inequality as low as possible - we see quite significant differences in economic inequality over time and space. Why is this? To answer these questions, the course examines different theories of inequality and different policy areas that affect inequality. We look at long-term trends in inequality and the structural features of capitalism that tend to push inequality upwards. We look at the wide range of policies in what is loosely termed the 'welfare state' that tend to mitigate the inequalities generated by market capitalism. We look at how demography, gender differences, migration and ethnicity relate to inequality. And we try to understand why elections sometimes produce governments that redistribute income and wealth from rich to poor, and sometimes produce governments that do the opposite. Finally, we look at how rising inequality - a clear trend in the rich world since the late 20th century - affects politics and democracy. Students with an interest in economic topics should take this course. No prior knowledge is required, but extensive reading is a prerequisite for successfully completing the course.

• Module ohne Lehrangebot in diesem Semester

  3 Module
  • (VM) Geschichte A - Geschichte Nordamerikas bis 1865 (History A – History of North America before 1865) 0574aB1.1
  • (VM) Wirtschaft A – Wachstum, Verteilung und Konjunktur in Nordamerika (Economics A – Growth, Distribution and Economic Cycles in North America) 0574aB1.11
  • (VM) Politik A – Policies and Politics 0574aB1.7