Media Session “The American West”

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Mi, 20:00 - 22:30, U5/00.24
First Session: May 04, 2022

Inhalt:

The Media Session is designed as an extension of those classes of the American Studies Section that work with movies. However, we encourage all students to attend the movie sessions, because we show American classics as well as classics inspired by America.

This semester’s media session is dedicated to movies that classify as "Western". We will introduce the audience to cinematic classics - and some newcomers - about the American Old West, and learn about the evolution of this popular but also contested genre.

Please send an email to the instructors for the exact schedule!

The Roots of English

Dozent/in:

Gabriele Knappe

Termine:

Di, 14:15 - 15:45, U5/01.22
Einzeltermin am 26.4.2022, 14:15 - 15:45, U5/02.22
Einzeltermin am 19.7.2022, 14:15 - 15:45, MG1/02.05

Inhalt:

Description:
Why is English like that? Why is knight spelled with a kn and a gh? Why does English have so many synonyms, like start, begin, commence or clever, intelligent, astute and bright? How come that we hardly have any, in fact only eight, inflectional endings in English today? And how are German and English related, as they obviously are --- just compare, for instance, goose and Gans, house and Haus, knight and Knecht, light and Licht?
This lecture addresses all these questions, and more. Students will be given an overview of the development of the English language from its earliest attestations in the late 7th century (Old English) until today in the context of the textual transmission and sociohistorical changes. Selected passages from different periods will be introduced. Special areas of interest are the development of the vocabulary, sounds and spelling, morphology and syntax.
This lecture is particularly designed for students of BA "Anglistik/Amerikanistik", Aufbaumodul (2 ECTS). Students from other BA programmes can earn 2 or 4 ECTS points for their Studium Generale (pass/fail), and visiting students can earn 2 or 4 ungraded (pass/fail ) or graded ECTS points. Everybody else who is interested is of course welcome, too, and may attend the lecture as a guest without ECTS points.
Note that students of Lehramt Gymnasium and of B.A. Medieval Studies in their Basismodul must attend the Uebung "Englische Sprachgeschichte", not this lecture.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Suggestions for background reading:

Norbert Schmitt and Richard Marsden. 2006. Why Is English like That? Historical Answers to Hard ELT Questions. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press.
Albert C. Baugh & Thomas Cable. 2013. A History of the English Language. Sixth ed. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Introduction to English Linguistics

Dozent/in:

Manfred Krug

Termine:

Di, 12:15 - 14:00, MG1/00.04

Inhalt:

This course is designed to introduce beginning students to the central terms and topics in current (English) linguistics. While the focus will be on present-day English, many modern irregularities (such as the differences between spelling and pronunciation or irregular verbs) can be explained in historical terms. We will therefore occasionally digress into the history of the English language in order to better understand the present. Topics to be dealt with include phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and sociolinguistics. One class will also be devoted to the major contrasts between English and German. In order to equip students with the basic analytical skills that are essential for future linguists and teachers alike, part of the course especially the accompanying tutorials and workshops will be practical in nature. We will therefore analyse authentic modern English texts from a linguistic point of view.

Shakespeare Reading Group

Dozent/in:

Kerstin-Anja Münderlein

Termine:

Do, 18:00 - 19:30, U2/00.26

Inhalt:

William Shakespeare's works are well known, or should be well known, to all students of English literature. However, when reading Shakespeare some people struggle to fully appreciate his language or his brilliantly designed characters.
This course aims at all of those students who would like to enjoy Shakespeare's works together with other students. Thus, we will not only read two pieces by Shakespeare per semester, we will also provide a platform for discussion or even stage a few scenes to further our understanding of what is going on (corona providing). If you want to join us, you need not have any previous knowledge, only bring a copy of the play and sign up via e-mail to the lecturer to get access to Teams.
For more information on the Shakespeare Reading Group, please also see here: https://www.uni-bamberg.de/englit/extracurriculare-aktivitaeten/shakespeare-reading-group/

Empfohlene Literatur:

William Shakespeare. The Winter's Tale. (first play to be read)
William Shakespeare. Henry VI, part II. (second play to be read)

The American West:ern: Exploring the Myth, the Place, the Genre

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Mo, 12:00 - 14:00, SP17/00.13

Inhalt:

In this class, we will explore the ongoing fascination with the American Old West – in the US and abroad. Based on a wide range of source material, we will critically discuss cultural narratives such as the western frontier, manifest destiny, westward expansion, and American exceptionalism – as well as their corresponding counter-narratives.

To gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of cultural production and its socio-political, as well as artistic implications, we will work with literary text and, of course, Western movies, but also paintings, photography, music, episodes from TV series, and even life-style expressions such as architecture, fashion, and food. We will explore how all of those cultural expressions shaped and still shape our image of the American West and – by extension – our image of the United States of America.

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 aspects of North American literature and culture. Most of the material will be provided via the Virtual Campus ahead of each session. Students are, however, required to purchase three novels (print or e-book) and finish reading the first one before the beginning of the semester (see below)!

Empfohlene Literatur:

Required Reading:

• Owen Wister, The Virginian (1902) – read before the first session!
• Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie (1935)
• Rikke Villadsen, Cowboy (2020, graphic novel)

Make sure to order all of the books (print or e-book) well before the start of class, as some texts might take some time to be delivered!

In connection to this class, this term’s weekly media session will show classic examples of and modern takes on the Western movie. The Media Session takes place Wednesdays, 8-10 p.m. (sharp), in lecture hall U5/00.24. Attendance is optional, but highly recommended.

V Early Modern Poetry

Dozent/in:

Pascal Fischer

Termine:

Di, 16:00 - 17:30, U5/01.22

Inhalt:

This lecture course traces the development of English poetry from the early sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Introducing the most important poets, periods, literary schools and movements, it also tries to challenge established systems of periodization and categorization. Close readings of individual poems will provide students with tools for their own interpretations.

Introduction to English and American Literary Studies (A)

Dozent/in:

Susan Brähler

Termine:

Mo, 14:15 - 15:45, U5/00.24
Einzeltermin am 22.7.2022, 14:00 - 18:00, U5/00.24
Einzeltermin am 29.7.2022, 16:00 - 18:00, U5/00.24
Einzeltermin am 11.10.2022, 10:00 - 12:00, U9/01.11
ab 2.5.2022

Inhalt:

This course provides a concise introduction to major themes and methods in the study of English and American Literature. We will discuss key features of the main literary genres poetry, prose fiction and drama, explore selected approaches in literary theory and criticism as a basis for analyzing and interpreting literary texts, and survey the main periods and developments of predominantly English literary history.

Please note that all Introductions to English and American Literary Studies prepare students for the analysis and interpretation of both English and American literature. The only difference is that the Introductions taught by members of the English Literature section use literary examples from a primarily British context, and those taught by members of the American Studies section use primarily American examples. Choosing one or the other Introduction does not mean that you specialize in English or American literature, and you don t have to take your later courses in the same area.

The following applies only to students whose Basismodul Literaturwissenschaft contains both the Introduction to Literary Studies and a lecture:
The final written exam of this Introduction to Literary Studies is also the module exam for the Basismodul Literaturwissenschaft. The exam will contain questions about both the content of the Introduction and the lecture (free choice: English or American Literature lecture). Students, therefore, are advised to take the introductory class either after attending the lecture OR in the same semester.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Meyer, Michael. English and American Literatures. Tübingen: Francke, 2011. (4th edition!)

Introduction to English and American Literary Studies (Course B)

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Do, 16:00 - 18:00, MG1/00.04
Einzeltermin am 30.6.2022, 16:00 - 17:30, U5/01.18
Einzeltermin am 4.8.2022, 16:00 - 18:00, MG1/00.04
The session on June 30 will take place in another room or online!

Inhalt:

This course provides a concise introduction to major themes and methods in the study of English and American literature with a focus on American literature.

We will discuss key features of the main literary genres poetry, prose fiction, and drama, explore selected approaches in literary theory and criticism as a basis for analyzing and interpreting literary texts, and survey the main periods and developments of American literary history. The focus, however, will be on the discussion of textual examples from these various vantage points. The goal of this course is to enable you to articulate up-to-date readings of texts from different genres, in their cultural contexts, informed by key theories and analytical methods.

Please note that all Introductions to English and American Literary Studies prepare students for the analysis and interpretation of both English and American literature. The only difference is that the Introduction taught by members of the English Literature section uses literary examples from a primarily British context, and the one taught by members of the American Studies section uses primarily American examples. Choosing one or the other Introduction does not mean that you "specialize" in English or American literature, and you don't have to take your later courses in the same area.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Required Reading:

Michael Meyer. English and American Literature. 4th ed. UTB Basic. Tübingen: Francke, 2010. (or a newer edition; Ebook welcome!)

All other readings will be provided via the VC!

New Woman, New Earth : Ecofeminism and Natureculture in Contemporary American Literature

Dozent/in:

Yildiz Asar

Termine:

Di, 16:00 - 18:00, U5/00.24
Einzeltermin am 24.6.2022, 12:00 - 14:00, U5/01.22

Inhalt:

Since the early 1970s, ecofeminists have argued that the environment is a feminist issue, for they could trace important connections between the domination of women [or of any other oppressed group] and the domination of nature (Warren 1993). Accordingly, in Greta Gaard s words, ecofeminism s key argument is that the ideology which authorizes oppressions such as those based on race, class, gender, sexuality, physical abilities, and species is the same ideology which sanctions the oppression of nature (Gaard 1993). In this way, ecofeminism then calls for an end to all oppressions, for no attempt to liberate women and other minorities can succeed without an equal attempt to liberate nature (Gaard).

Ecofeminism, as a diverse and multi-directional movement, assumes that traditional categories such as nature, women, animals, and humans as well as dualistic dichotomies such as reason/emotion, mind/body, culture/nature, human/nature, human/animal, man/woman are all socially constructed. To expose and dismantle these hierarchical dichotomies, ecofeminism locates a need to theorize [the natural and the cultural] together, and analyze their complex relationships in terms of their indivisibility and thus their mutual effect on one another (Iovino and Oppermann 2012). Donna Haraway s concept of natureculture for instance, is one such theoretical attempt to encapsulate the complex entanglements of all seemingly separate patriarchal-hierarchical binaries as well as discursive practices and material phenomena.

In this course, we will first inspect the theoretical origins, frameworks, and directions of ecofeminism in the US and beyond through our readings and analyses of some of the most important theoretical works by ecofeminist scholars. Later, we will move on to how such ecofeminist re-conceptualizations of the environment, gender, species, justice, body, material & discourse, nature & culture, are dealt with in the literary works of contemporary American feminist writers. In our literary readings and analyses throughout the semester, we will thus engage with critical and non-binary perspectives when thinking about the social and environmental issues of our age, through an ecofeminist lens which acknowledges connections between the isms of domination and environmental destruction.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Primary Readings:

• Margaret Atwood, Surfacing (1972)
• Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed (1974)
• Ntozake Shange, Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo (1982)
• Linda Hogan, Solar Storms (1994)

Please acquire and start reading these texts BEFORE the beginning of our class!
Further Readings will be made available via the VC.

Toni Morrison

Dozent/in:

Christine Gerhardt

Termine:

Mo, 18:00 - 21:00, U5/00.24
bi-weekly: April 25, May 09, May 16, May 30, June 13, June 27, July 11 + Guest Lecture (date tba)

Inhalt:

As one of the most significant American authors of the twentieth century, Pulitzer- and Nobel-Prize laureate Toni Morrison was both a supreme stylist and a storyteller deeply committed to African American cultures past and present. In her eleven novels, she developed a new literary idiom that enables multifaceted insights into some of the most conflicted chapters of American history, the vagaries of interpersonal relationships, and the powers of a transgressive imagination.

In this course, we will read four of Morrison’s novels to explore their main thematic and artistic concerns, including the legacies of slavery; the links between individual, family, and community, desire and violence, economy and ecology; and the relationship between literature and memory, aesthetics and politics. We will also discuss some of Morrison’s literary and cultural criticism, especially Playing in the Dark (1992) and “Mourning for Whiteness” (2016), flanked by several interviews.

Empfohlene Literatur:

Required Readings:

• The Bluest Eye (1970)
• Song of Solomon (1977)
• Beloved (1987)
• A Mercy (2008)

Students interested in this seminar are required to have read the first two novels BEFORE the semester start.

Police Brutality in US History and Culture

Dozent/in:

Georgiana Banita

Termine:

Di, 18:00 - 20:00, MG1/00.04
Einzeltermin am 29.7.2022, 10:00 - 12:00, U5/02.17

Inhalt:

Recent cases of police violence against African Americans have drawn attention to structural racial bias in US law enforcement. But police brutality is not new, in fact violence and discriminatory treatment of minorities are inscribed in the DNA of American police forces.

The lecture sheds light on this longer history of maltreatment and gives a voice to its victims: from fugitive slaves, black citizens, and Mexican Americans to undocumented immigrants, striking workers, and anti-war protesters. Landmark moments include the creation of the slave patrols in the South and their seamless evolution into police departments, the Civil Rights Movement, the 1968 Chicago Convention riots, and the beating of Rodney King. Police brutality takes many forms; the focus of this lecture is on manual physical violence, from beatings to the chokehold, although it also reflects on how firearms have escalated the conflict even further.

Each week, an episode of police brutality will be analyzed in its historical context using archival material, and in its cultural impact through the lens of artistic reflections such as visual art by William H. Johnson, literary texts by James Ellroy, Colson Whitehead, James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Ann Petry, and Joyce Carol Oates, and films by Charlie Chaplin, William Friedkin, Ryan Coogler, Ava Du Vernay, and Spike Lee.

The American West:ern: Exploring the Myth, the Place, the Genre

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Mo, 12:00 - 14:00, SP17/00.13

Inhalt:

In this class, we will explore the ongoing fascination with the American Old West – in the US and abroad. Based on a wide range of source material, we will critically discuss cultural narratives such as the western frontier, manifest destiny, westward expansion, and American exceptionalism – as well as their corresponding counter-narratives.

To gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of cultural production and its socio-political, as well as artistic implications, we will work with literary text and, of course, Western movies, but also paintings, photography, music, episodes from TV series, and even life-style expressions such as architecture, fashion, and food. We will explore how all of those cultural expressions shaped and still shape our image of the American West and – by extension – our image of the United States of America.

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 aspects of North American literature and culture. Most of the material will be provided via the Virtual Campus ahead of each session. Students are, however, required to purchase three novels (print or e-book) and finish reading the first one before the beginning of the semester (see below)!

Empfohlene Literatur:

Required Reading:

• Owen Wister, The Virginian (1902) – read before the first session!
• Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie (1935)
• Rikke Villadsen, Cowboy (2020, graphic novel)

Make sure to order all of the books (print or e-book) well before the start of class, as some texts might take some time to be delivered!

In connection to this class, this term’s weekly media session will show classic examples of and modern takes on the Western movie. The Media Session takes place Wednesdays, 8-10 p.m. (sharp), in lecture hall U5/00.24. Attendance is optional, but highly recommended.

Introduction to British and American Cultural Studies (Course 3)

Dozent/in:

Nicole K. Konopka

Termine:

Mi, 16:00 - 18:00, MG1/00.04
Einzeltermin am 12.5.2022, 18:00 - 20:00, MG1/00.04
The class starts at 4 p.m. SHARP!

Inhalt:

This course offers an introduction to key themes and methods in American cultural studies as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry. Thematically, we will explore issues such as religion and immigration, the frontier and regionalism, class and economic success, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, America as nature s nation; conceptually, the focus will be on equality and difference as utopian ideas that have shaped American culture from colonial times to the present.

The course is designed to provide you with basic skills in American cultural studies, with a strong emphasis on reading and discussing various texts in their cultural contexts. Our primary readings will include short stories, poems, and excerpts from novels as well as historical documents, essays, political speeches, photographs, popular songs, and films, while several theoretical essays will provide us with a language for discussing changing concepts of culture.

Empfohlene Literatur:

All readings will be provided via the VC!