| Unit name | Inventing Austria |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GERM20051 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Havinga |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of German |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
In this unit we will explore the complex and often controversial emergence of Austrian identities.
In the early 21st century, Austria has a distinct identity, yet the modern state was established as recently as 1918, and originally dismissed as ‘the leftovers’ after the collapse of empires and the radical reshaping of Europe’s borders. Most Austrians themselves would initially have preferred German or Swiss identities. A clearer sense of what it meant to be Austrian only emerged after the turbulent interwar period and the experience of Anschluss with Germany.
We will take a multidisciplinary approach to the contested development of Austrian identities since 1918, using historical tools, discussing examples from literature and film, and exploring the contribution of Austria’s distinct linguistic landscape to identity formation. We will particularly concentrate on the interplay between history, culture and language.
The principal aims of the unit are to:
The unit will be jointly taught, typically by three members of the German Department staff. The texts and themes studied will vary from year to year and will take account also of both staff and student interests.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of the principal characteristics of Austria’s national identity and its historical underpinnings;
2. analyse a variety of text types and evaluate the connections between them;
3. explain complex conclusions in ways that are accessible to a non-specialist audience;
4. select and evaluate an individual research topic;
5. develop effective skills of collaboration when working on a group project.
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous sessions and asynchronous activities, including seminars, lectures, and collaborative as well as self-directed learning opportunities supported by tutor consultation.
1 x 1500-word individual brief as part of the editorial planning for the podcast (50%). Testing ILOs 1-4.
1 x 20-minute group podcast (50%). Testing ILOs 1, 2, 3, and 5.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. GERM20051).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
