V "ZeitRäume II, Überblicksvorlesung: Goldene Zeitalter und Zukunftsvisionen" [ÜV ZeitRäume II]

Dozent/in:

Dina De Rentiis

Termine:

Mi
Mi, 8:15 - 9:45, U5/01.22
Achtung Raumänderung: Ab 02.11.2016 findet die LV in U5/01.22 statt!!!

Inhalt:

Die Vorlesungen "ZeitRäume" richten sich vor allem an Studierende der Romanischen Philologien und vermitteln kultur- und literaturgeschichtliches Überblickswissen.

Schlagwörter:

Achtung:; Am 25.01.2017 fällt die LV aus

Golden Door: Italian Perspectives on the USA and Vice Versa (Ü Literary Studies)

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Fr, 14:00 - 16:00, U5/02.18

Inhalt:

The United States are often described as a nation of immigrants, the 'golden door' to the West, a land in which people from all over the world have sought – and apparently found – new homes and new lives. However, the myth of the Promised Land and the cultural narrative of the American Dream are as much exclusive as they are inclusive, thus encouraging new beginnings and personal aspirations, but also breaking individuals and their hopes and dreams.

In the first part of the semester, the course centers on American ideals and realities as seen from an Italian immigrant perspective. We will be looking at how Italian immigrants and their descendants participated and still participate in the creation of core American values and narratives, and influenced debates about inclusion of newcomers into the Promised Land.

In the second half of the class we will then take a look at the influence of Italy on the writing of past and present US-American writers, such as Emerson, Tennessee Williams and Elizabeth Spencer. Italy seems to have had and still plays a special role in American Literature, where especially Rome is everything at once: ancient playground, great peak of the grand tour, self-imposed exile, and unsettling mirror of existentialist anxieties.

This course has two key goals, which are related to "history from below" and the "development of a myth". First, this course seeks to help students interrogate their own notions of American history, literature and culture. Immigrants are neither the helpless victims, nor are they agents of pure individualism. To help students understand the many layers of the stories of migration, and how they are entwined with one aspect of American history in particular, shall be one objective of this class. The second goal is to show the gradual emancipation of popular narratives and how the ideas of the Promised Land and the American Dream become ideal or real against a particular ethnic background: Italian immigrants and their descendants in the US.

To understand the American fascination with Italy, we will do a lot of reading, speaking, thinking and possibly even traveling. Our main reading material will consist of several novels, which are listed below. Students are encouraged to start reading the novels before the semester! More material will then be provided via the VC during the semester.

Required reading October - December 2016:

• Pietro di Donato, Christ in Concrete (1939)
• Mario Puzo, The Fortunate Pilgrim (1965) OR Stuart Cooper's movie "Mama Lucia" (1988, available in the "Semesterapparat"!)
• Helen Barolino, Umbertina (1979)

Required reading January - February 2017:

• Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms (1929)
• Tennessee Williams, The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone (1950)

This class will include a field trip to Rome (Italy), which will take place in the end of February or the beginning of March. Participants will receive generous funding from the American Studies Section and will be expected to contribute to the field trip with a presentation on site.

Key Texts in Literary Studies

Dozent/in:

Theresa Roth

Termine:

Einzeltermin am 14.12.2016, Einzeltermin am 11.1.2017, Einzeltermin am 18.1.2017, Einzeltermin am 25.1.2017, Einzeltermin am 8.2.2017, 10:00 - 12:00, U2/01.36

Inhalt:

In this seminar we will study trends and schools in literary theory since the 1950s. Our reading will consist of 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 research interests and input, 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 their 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).

This class is based not only on the reading, but also the in depth analysis of theoretical writing. Therefore, students are expected to prepare diligently for each session by (1) reading the assigned text(s), (2) studying each text s background/context, and (3) establishing some basic understanding of the theory discussed in the respective text before coming to class! Only then will it be possible for us to engage in critical discussion during our sessions. In sum, it is important for participants to do the assigned reading, attend class regularly and contribute to class discussions. Your input is mandatory and will be welcome!

Empfohlene Literatur:

Reading: A course reader will be made available for students of this class once the schedule has been agreed upon.

Golden Door: Italian Perspectives on the USA and Vice Versa (PS Literary Studies)

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Fr, 14:00 - 16:00, U5/02.18

Inhalt:

The United States are often described as a nation of immigrants, the 'golden door' to the West, a land in which people from all over the world have sought – and apparently found – new homes and new lives. However, the myth of the Promised Land and the cultural narrative of the American Dream are as much exclusive as they are inclusive, thus encouraging new beginnings and personal aspirations, but also breaking individuals and their hopes and dreams.

In the first part of the semester, the course centers on American ideals and realities as seen from an Italian immigrant perspective. We will be looking at how Italian immigrants and their descendants participated and still participate in the creation of core American values and narratives, and influenced debates about inclusion of newcomers into the Promised Land.

In the second half of the class we will then take a look at the influence of Italy on the writing of past and present US-American writers, such as Emerson, Tennessee Williams and Elizabeth Spencer. Italy seems to have had and still plays a special role in American Literature, where especially Rome is everything at once: ancient playground, great peak of the grand tour, self-imposed exile, and unsettling mirror of existentialist anxieties.

This course has two key goals, which are related to "history from below" and the "development of a myth". First, this course seeks to help students interrogate their own notions of American history, literature and culture. Immigrants are neither the helpless victims, nor are they agents of pure individualism. To help students understand the many layers of the stories of migration, and how they are entwined with one aspect of American history in particular, shall be one objective of this class. The second goal is to show the gradual emancipation of popular narratives and how the ideas of the Promised Land and the American Dream become ideal or real against a particular ethnic background: Italian immigrants and their descendants in the US.

To understand the American fascination with Italy, we will do a lot of reading, speaking, thinking and possibly even traveling. Our main reading material will consist of several novels, which are listed below. Students are encouraged to start reading the novels before the semester! More material will then be provided via the VC during the semester.

Required reading October - December 2016:

• Pietro di Donato, Christ in Concrete (1939)
• Mario Puzo, The Fortunate Pilgrim (1965) OR Stuart Cooper's movie "Mama Lucia" (1988, available in the "Semesterapparat"!)
• Helen Barolino, Umbertina (1979)

Required reading January - February 2017:

• Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms (1929)
• Tennessee Williams, The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone (1950)

This class will include a field trip to Rome (Italy), which will take place in the end of February or the beginning of March. Participants will receive generous funding from the American Studies Section and will be expected to contribute to the field trip with a presentation on site.