Social Writing, Socialist Writing, So-called Writing? American Literature 1860-1910

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Di, 12:00 - 14:00, U5/02.18

Inhalt:

The period in American history that began with the minority election of Abraham Lincoln and ended shortly before the First World War was a time defined by contrasts: glorification of the past and celebration of progress; ruthless individualism and growing social consciousness; liberation from literary conventions and longing for acceptance by the literary establishment.

This class will focus on the portrayal and critical evaluation of social circumstances in the US in literary texts of the time. Students will learn about the American socialist movement, as well as the struggle to implement community-oriented values in a society that, although it believes "that all men are created equal," puts a lot of emphasis on personal freedom and everyone’s right to his/her distinct pursuit of happiness.

We will consult a variety of texts, ranging from novels, shorts stories and poems to pamphlets and party programs.

ATTENTION: This is a READING class! Participants must be able to read and review quite a lot of material between the weekly sessions. The class is also designed to assist you with the reading list of the American Studies Section and aims to contribute to your understanding of key narratives of North American literature. Most of the material will be provided via the Virtual Campus ahead of each session. Students are, however, required to purchase some texts (see list below) before the beginning of the semester – either in print or as e-book. Make sure that you order your copy of the books well in advance!

It is important for participants to do the assignments, attend class regularly, and actively contribute to class discussions. You are welcome to bring in materials from outside of class (newspaper articles, handouts etc.) and you can also plan class room activities e.g. mock debates. Your input is welcome!

Empfohlene Literatur:

Books to purchase by each participant:

• Rebecca Harding Davis, Life in the Iron Mills (1861) - preferably the Feminist Press edition
• Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890) - preferably the Norton Critical Edition
• L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) - preferably the Reclam Fremdsprachentexte edition
• Upton Sinclair, The Jungle (1906) - preferably the The Bedford Series in History and Culture edition

All other texts we will discuss in class will be made available as PDF.

V Jewish-American Literature and Culture

Dozent/in:

Pascal Fischer

Termine:

Di, 12:00 - 14:00, MG1/02.06

Inhalt:

This lecture surveys the literature and culture of the Jewish community in America from colonial times to the present. After critically examining the terms Jewish, Jewish literature and Jewish culture, the lecture provides a historical overview of the major phases of Jewish immigration to America. We will then study landmarks of Jewish-American literature in their respective cultural contexts. A particular focus will be on novels and short stories that deal with characteristic Jewish experiences of the last 120 years. Whether they concentrate on the problems of adapting to new physical, social and cultural surroundings in the wake of immigration, lament the disintegration of familial and religious securities, or reflect upon the horrors of persecution and annihilation, most of these works negotiate the meaning of Jewish identity in modern times. Further social and cultural issues addressed in the lecture include the branches of Judaism in America, Jewish politics and organizations, music and arts, the media and popular culture, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and Israel.