Antisemitism in English and American Literature and Culture

Dozentinnen/Dozenten:

Christoph Houswitschka, Pascal Fischer

Angaben:

Hauptseminar, 2 SWS, ECTS: 8, Erweiterungsbereich

Termine:

Mi, 18:00 - 20:00, MG1/02.05

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:
BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik:
Vertiefungsmodul Literaturwissenschaft: Seminar (8 ECTS)

Vertiefungsmodul Kulturwissenschaft: Seminar (8 ECTS)

BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik (bis einschließl. Studienbeginn zum WS 2008/09):
freie Erweiterung: Seminar 6 ECTS

LA GY:
Vertiefungsmodul Literaturwissenschaft: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Vertiefungsmodul Kulturwissenschaft. Seminar (8 ECTS)

MA English and American Studies:
Master Module English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Master Module British and American Culture: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Profile Module English and American Literature I-VI: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Profile Module British and American Culture I-VI: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)

Consolidation Module English and American Literature I-IV: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Consolidation Module British and American Culture I-IV: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)

Erweiterungsbereich English and American Studies:
Master Module or Profile Module I or III English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Master Module or Profile Module I or III British and American Culture: Seminar (8 ECTS)

Erasmus and other visiting students:
Seminar (6 or 8 ECTS)

BA-Hauptfach Jüdische Studien:
B/H 2a+b (Einführung in die jüdische Religionsgeschichte)
A/H 1a+1b+1 Sternchen (Jüdische Religionsgeschichte)
V/H 1 (Jüdische Literatur, Kunst und Kultur)

BA-Nebenfach Jüdische Studien und Judaistik 45:
A/N-45 1+2 Sternchen (Jüdische Religionsgeschichte)
V/N-45 2a+3a (Sprache und Literatur)

BA-Nebenfach Jüdische Studien und Judaistik 30:
A/N-30 1+2 Sternchen (Jüdische Religionsgeschichte)

2. (De)Registration:
in FlexNow! (except for guest auditors): 01.10.2018 (10:00) - 10.01.2019 (23:59)
guest auditors: please contact lecturer

Inhalt:

While Britain and the United States have contributed greatly to the promotion of liberal ideals like justice, tolerance and equality, one should not ignore the ugly underbelly of narrow-mindedness, prejudice and bigotry that has also existed. That anti-Semitism has proved to be one of the most enduring and baneful forms of hostility can partly be attributed to its ability to transform – “like a virus, it mutates,” as Jonathan Sacks, the former Orthodox Chief Rabbi of the UK, put it in a speech in the House of Commons on September 13, 2018.
This advanced seminar in literary and cultural studies will look at many of the mutations of the disease from the early modern period until today. Christian anti-Judaism did not only decry the Jewish religion as callous and legalistic, but accused its followers of blindness, stubbornness and clannishness. Ultimately, Jews were blamed for the death of Christ. Racial forms of anti-Semitism, which developed in the course of the 19th century, elaborated on these ancient prejudices, hallucinating about unsavory Jewish character traits, filthy bodies and licentious practices. The irrational character of anti-Jewish racism is nowhere better illustrated than in the grand conspiracies Jews were suspected of scheming.
Drawing upon a plethora of texts and phenomena, the seminar will elucidate these elements in their historical contexts. Questions addressed in the seminar include, but are not limited to, the following: How is the issue of Jewishness and anti-Semitism negotiated in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice? In what way did nineteenth-century physiognomic theories reflect anti-Semitic ideas? To what extent does Charles Dickens' character Fagin in Oliver Twist epitomize anti-Semitic stereotypes? What was the impact of the The Protocols of the Elders of Zion on early-twentieth century attitudes towards the Jews? What role did Henry Ford play in the promotion of anti-Semitism in the US? Who followed Nazi ideology in Britain and the US in the 1930s and ‘40s? What Jewish institutions combatted anti-Semitism in America? How has anti-Semitism been portrayed by Jewish-American authors? What are the connections between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism? What is the debate about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's anti-Semitism all about?

Empfohlene Literatur:

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Einführungsveranstaltungen der Anglistik/Amerikanistik für Studienanfänger im WS 2018/2019

Dozentinnen/Dozenten:

Manfred Krug, Christoph Houswitschka, Christa Jansohn, Christine Gerhardt, Pascal Fischer

Angaben:

Sonstige Lehrveranstaltung

Termine:

Einzeltermin am 9.10.2018, 12:00 - 13:00, MG1/00.04
Einzeltermin am 10.10.2018, 18:00 - 20:00, U5/01.17
Einzeltermin am 11.10.2018, 12:00 - 14:00, U5/00.24, U5/01.22
Einzeltermin am 11.10.2018, 14:00 - 16:00, U5/01.17
Einzeltermin am 12.10.2018, 9:00 - 9:45, 13:00 - 15:00, U7/01.05
Einzeltermin am 12.10.2018, 10:00 - 11:15, U9/01.11

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

Dienstag, 09.10.2018
Einführungsveranstaltung für Bachelor/alle Lehrämter/Bachelor-BWL-WiPäd, Berufl. Bildung/Sozialpädagogik: Raum MG1/00.04, 12-13 Uhr

Mittwoch, 10.10.2018
Einführungstutorium für Bachelor-HF/NF: Raum U5/01.17, 18-20 Uhr

Donnerstag, 11.10.2018
Einführungstutorium für LA Gymnasium: Raum U5/00.24, 12-14 Uhr
Einführungstutorium für alle Lehrämter (außer Gymnasium), Berufl. Bildung/Sozialpädagogik: Raum U5/01.22, 12-14 Uhr
Einführungstutorium für Bachelor-HF/NF: Raum U5/01.17, 14-16 Uhr

Bibliotheksführung für Master: 9.45-11.00 Uhr (Treffpunkt vor der Teilbibliothek 4)

Freitag, 12.10.2018
Einführungsveranstaltungen für Masterstudiengänge
Begrüßung: Raum U7/01.05, 9.00-9.45 Uhr
Facheinführung: Raum U9/01.11, 10.00-11.15 Uhr
Einführung in UnivIS, FlexNow, Virtuellen Campus und Onlinedienste: Raum U7/01.05, 13.00-15.00 Uhr

Forschungsseminar und Betreuungsübung Englische Literaturwissenschaft (Houswitschka)

Dozent/in:

Christoph Houswitschka

Angaben:

Übung, 2 SWS, ECTS: 2

Termine:

Di, 18:00 - 20:00, U9/02.01

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:
BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik (nur HF mit BA-Arbeit): Vertiefungsmodul Literaturwissenschaft: Betreuungsübung (2 ECTS)

BA Medieval Studies: Intensivierungsmodul Anglistik/Amerikanistik (2 ECTS), wenn die BA-Arbeit in Literaturwissenschaft geschrieben wird

MA Anglistik/Amerikanistik: Forschungsmodul (5 ECTS), wenn die MA-Arbeit in Literaturwissenschaft geschrieben wird

MA Medieval Studies: Intensivierungsmodul Anglistik/Amerikanistik (2 ECTS), wenn die MA-Arbeit in Literaturwissenschaft geschrieben wird

alle alten Studiengänge: Übung Literaturwissenschaft (begleitend zur Magister- oder Zulassungsarbeit)

2. (De)Registration:
in FlexNow!: 01.10.2018 (10:00) - 10.01.2019(23:59)

Inhalt:

This course is addressed to students who are preparing or working on a final thesis in English Literature, be it "Zulassungsarbeit", "BA-Arbeit" or Master's thesis. It is supposed to offer continuous support to students while preparing or writing their theses. The course consists of individual sessions for which you must register with Professor Houswitschka via e-mail. The individual sessions consist of one-to-one tutorials in which you can discuss the argument, the progress and possible problems of your thesis with your supervisor. For students in the BA, MA and new teacher training programmes, who write their thesis in literary studies, this course provides the "Betreuungsübung". Depending on the native tongue of the participants, the course will be given in English or German.

History of the English Novel II

Dozent/in:

Christoph Houswitschka

Angaben:

Vorlesung, 2 SWS, ECTS: 4, Studium Generale, Erweiterungsbereich

Termine:

Di, 16:00 - 18:00, U5/01.22

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:
all modules including an obligatory/optional lecture (2 or 4 ECTS) in literary and cultural studies in
Lehramt GS/HS/MS/RS/GY

BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik incl. Studium Generale

MA English and American Studies

MA Berufliche Bildung

Erweiterungsbereich English and American Studies

2. (De)Registration:
in FlexNow! (except for guest auditors): 01.10.2018 (10:00) until 10.01.2019(10:00)
guest auditors: please contact lecturer

Inhalt:

This lecture belongs to a series of genre surveys which cover English literature from the Middle Ages to the present.

Key Texts in Literary Theory

Dozentinnen/Dozenten:

Christoph Houswitschka, Chiara Manghi

Angaben:

Übung, 1 SWS, ECTS: 1, Studium Generale

Termine:

jede 2. Woche Mi, 20:00 - 22:00, U9/01.11

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:

• BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik (ab Studienbeginn zum WS 14/15): Ergänzungsmodul Methoden und Theorien der Englischen und Amerikanischen Literaturwissenschaft (alle Haupt- und Nebenfächer) (1 ECTS)

• BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik (ab Studienbeginn zum SoSe 2009): Ergänzungsmodul Methoden und Theorien (1 ECTS, ab Studienbeginn zum SoSe 2012 unbenotet)

• alle alten Studiengänge: Übung (1 ECTS)

2. (De)Registration:

in FlexNow! (except for guest auditors): 01.10.2018 (10:00) - 10.01.2019(23:59)

guest auditors: please contact lecturer

Inhalt:

In this seminar we will study trends and schools in literary theory since the 1950s. We may discuss key texts by thinkers identified with formalism and structuralism, deconstruction and poststructuralism, gender studies and queer theory, psychoanalytical criticism, (Neo)Marxism and Cultural Materialism, New Historicism, postcolonial criticism and reader-response theory.
Depending on the participants personal interests, we may also consider more recent approaches like ecocriticism and possible-worlds theory or less "canonized" theories (e.g. systems theory).

The course is intended to assist students in both finding own approaches towards primary texts and in identifying mind-sets and methods applied in the secondary sources they read in their other seminars: "What theory demonstrates [...] is that there is no position free of theory, not even the one called common sense" (V. B. Leitch).

Empfohlene Literatur:

A course reader will be made available for download at our VC group once the schedule has been agreed upon.

Put the kettle on! Tea and other hot drinks in British culture and literature from the seventeenth century to the present.

Dozent/in:

Christoph Heyl

Angaben:

Hauptseminar, ECTS: 8

Termine:

Blockveranstaltung 16.11.2018-18.11.2018 Mo-Fr, Sa, So
This course is offered outside of the university at Königsberg

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:
MA English and American Studies:
Master Module English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Master Module British and American Culture: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Profile Module English and American Literature I-VI: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Profile Module British and American Culture I-VI: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Consolidation Module English and American Literature I-IV: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Consolidation Module British and American Culture I-IV: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)

Erweiterungsbereich English and American Studies:
Master Module or Profile Module I or III English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Master Module or Profile Module I or III British and American Culture: Seminar (8 ECTS)

2. (De)Registration: to sign up for this class, please approach Igor Baldoino or Kerstin-Anja Münderlein at the department. Please note that this class can only be taken by Master students and that it will be held outside of the university at Königsberg. To sign up for credits, please use FlexNow! during the credit registration time (you will be informed about this in Königsberg)

Inhalt:

Well into the mid-seventeenth century, everybody in England – men, women and children – drank beer. Beer was the standard drink because drinking water was not particularly safe, especially in cities. The transition from beer to hot drinks such as coffee, chocolate and, above all, tea in the British Isles is a remarkable phenomenon. We shall trace this development from its beginnings in the seventeenth century.
The rise of hot drinks was intimately connected with global trade, colonialism, slavery (no hot drinks without sugar, no sugar without slaves) and the opium trade (Chinese tea was exchanged for opium produced in British India). There is an interesting and important connection between coffee and journalism and the development of the public sphere as the earliest newspapers were both written and read in London´s coffee houses. In the eighteenth century, the tea table became a site of middle-class domestic sociability. Hot chocolate was popular as a hangover cure or an aphrodisiac. The etiquette of preparing and taking various drinks was intimately tied to evolving gender roles as well as notions of national identity. Bovril, a beef-based hot drink, was and still is associated with Britishness and muscular masculinity. Horlicks, a malted milk drink, was marketed as a wonder cure for “night starvation”, a medical condition invented for advertising purposes.
We will study a selection of sources (including texts, images and music) related to the cultural and literary history of hot drinks. There will be tasting sessions, i.e. we will prepare and drink some of the hot drinks under discussion.

The Novel of Sense(s): Reason, Sentiment, and Subjectivity

Dozent/in:

Christoph Houswitschka

Angaben:

Hauptseminar, 2 SWS, ECTS: 8, Erweiterungsbereich

Termine:

Do, 16:00 - 18:00, MG2/01.02

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

1. Module Allocation:
BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik:
Vertiefungsmodul Literaturwissenschaft: Seminar (8 ECTS)

BA Anglistik/Amerikanistik (bis einschließl. Studienbeginn zum WS 2008/09):
freie Erweiterung: Seminar 6 ECTS

LA GY:
Vertiefungsmodul Literaturwissenschaft: Seminar (8 ECTS)

MA English and American Studies:
Master Module English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)
Profile Module English and American Literature I-VI: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)
Consolidation Module English and American Literature I-IV: Seminar (8, 6, 5 or 4 ECTS)

Erweiterungsbereich English and American Studies:
Master Module or Profile Module I or III English and American Literature: Seminar (8 ECTS)

Erasmus and other visiting students:
Seminar (6 or 8 ECTS)

2. (De)Registration:
in FlexNow! (except for guest auditors): 01.10.2018 (10:00) - 10.01.2019(23:59)
guest auditors: please contact lecturer

Inhalt:

In the eighteenth century, the difference between external and internal senses was not regarded to be easily defined. While Shaftesbury continued to see an analogy between the perceptions of external beauty and moral sense, Hutchinson rather argued that internal senses receive pleasure from complex ideas, the external senses from simple ones, both senses being informed by what Locke calls ideas. Later in the century, Kames explains that senses, “whether external or internal, are all of them powers or faculties of mind.” Tasting, touching, and smelling are merely corporeal; only in the mind they acquire a more refined and spiritual quality informed by reason and sentiment. Therefore, “everything clever and agreeable is comprehended in that word . . . a sentimental man . . . a sentimental party . . . a sentimental walk” as Lady Bradshaugh concludes (1749, quoted from Williams). In the later eighteenth century, the association with sensibility, in the sense of “a conscious openness to feelings, and also a conscious consumption of feelings,” causes a continual degeneration of sentiment, eventually meaning uncontrolled feelings.

The subjectivity of perception introduces new aspects of ideas shaped by external and internal senses, reception as discussed by Burke and the participation of the individual developing taste and moral sense on the basis of reason and sentiment. The novel of sense(s) examines these processes of the mind that guide people or mislead them to act inappropriately (Austen). Sentimental journeys could expose the traveler to unexpected perceptions (Sterne) and reading could transform the perception of the ordinary world into a parody (Austen). Other writers provoked their readers into abandoning the complex pleasures of the mind when confronted with the pain caused by simple, but extreme external senses. Smollett could evoke smells, touches, sounds and visual images that terrified and hurt readers. In his novels, physiological and medical concepts of the senses seem to prevail rather than philosophical ones.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Jane Austen. Sense and Sensibility.
Henry Mackenzie. The Man of Feeling.