| Unit name | Exiles and Migrants in German Literature |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GERM30058 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Davies |
| 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 |
Why is this unit important?
Migration is ever-present in the modern world: whether the history of past migrations, which are the family and community histories of many today, or the crisis situation of contemporary refugees. Today, migration provokes a range of political and moral responses, but first, it demands that we listen: how do migrants talk about migration, and how can we hear their voice? How do exiles give meaning to what seems meaningless? How do they change our ideas about our own identity, if we live relatively settled lives?
Exile is particularly important in Germany’s recent history, where the term ‘Exilliteratur’ has traditionally meant the writing of authors who fled from Nazism. But Germany was a site of population movements before the mid-twentieth century and it has remained so since: a site of emigration and exile, of immigration and asylum. This unit invites you to think, through a German literary lens, about a state of being that defines humanity today.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit lets you deepen knowledge and abilities you have developed in your degree so far: in particular, your ability to read closely, your knowledge of history and literary history, and your understanding of complex, transnational identities. For students of German and of other subjects alike, it thus builds on your experience of a range of disciplines in the humanities. It invites you to continue the practice of seeing the world through others’ eyes. It will train you as a reader of complex language, in German or in translation, as critical analyst of written text, as a speaker and presenter, and as a writer.
Overview of content
In this unit we will study German exile literature from the traditionally canonical period (1933-1945), as well as the writing of exiles from Germany since 1800 and refugees to Germany in recent decades. We will read three to four main works (novels, collections of poems, etc.). As well as discovering the texts and their contexts, we will find that this leads us to fundamental questions about literature and literary authorship. Is there really such a genre as ‘exile literature’, and if so, what defines it? What, if anything, connects physical exile and the idea of the intellectual as a social critic and outsider? To what extent has exile in the present been articulated through models from the past – extending back to antiquity – and how are those models being rewritten today?
How will I be different as a result of this unit?
You will have read a body of texts on a deeply significant human topic. By working in depth to acquire and apply expert knowledge, you will also find that you grow in confidence. You will have found significant tensions in your material, and you will be able to communicate an informed response to them, in speech and in writing. You will have developed your powers of analysis further by responding to feedback on your tentative ideas. You will have been motivated by your sustained interest in literary texts that are new to you and whose content and language is a challenge.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
You will be reading independently in preparation for weekly seminars and as a follow-up from them. Seminars will focus on interactive discussion of the literary texts, in which all should expect to participate; the seminar will usually be introduced by a mini-lecture, ‘live’ or accessed online in advance, or by a student presentation. At the end of the unit, an individual presentation to your tutor and peers will give you a further opportunity to give and receive feedback as you prepare your essay, mirroring the practice of presenting research, before its written publication, at an academic conference. Practising the discussion of the texts week by week is the best way to become actively involved in their analysis, to find questions and ‘pressure points’ in the material, and to try out ideas with confidence, in preparation for composing a written analysis at the unit’s end
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will give two presentations, as an individual or in a small group. Either or both can be on the topic of the essay you will write at the end of the unit. The first presentation will introduce a text, topic or key passage at the start of the weekly class discussion in weeks 3-9. The second presentation will be focused on your essay topic and delivered in week 10 or 11. This will let you develop a topic for investigation as the unit progresses and receive feedback on your ideas before your essay is due.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
You will devise your own topic for the essay, with guidance from the unit tutor.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
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. GERM30058).
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 University 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. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
