| Unit name | Visibility Matters: Identity, Diversity, and Power in the Cultural Marketplace |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GERM30081 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Schofield |
| 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?
What do the latest developments in contemporary German-language literature and publishing tell us about what it means to be German and Austrian today? Which voices are granted access to the cultural marketplace, and which are excluded? How does contemporary literature shape current debates on race, gender and sexuality, and the relationship of language to identity?
Addressing these questions, this unit explores core structures of German-language publishing – literary prizes; bestsellers; and multilingualism and translation – alongside relevant literary works. We will assess how these structures determine (for better and for worse) ideas about what German-language literature “should” be, who is “allowed” to write it, and what themes it is “permitted” to address. Interrogating the traditional categories that have been used to determine the parameters of German-language literature, you will analyse a range of contemporary texts (short stories, novels, graphic novels, essays), and work collaboratively on a project relating to the publishing industry.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit engages with contemporary debates on identity and culture: how these intersect, are institutionalised, and are translated. It is likely that you encountered some of these debates during your Year Abroad, and the unit also builds on your studies throughout your degree of how culture constructs images of Germany and Austria domestically and transnationally. As a final year unit, it deepens your intercultural understanding by exploring the contemporary diversity of German-language literature and working with cutting-edge research. You will cultivate independent research skills in an essay, and collaborate with each other, applying your knowledge to a simulated real-word task.
An overview of content
On this unit, we will map features and gatekeepers of publishing culture, and assess how these shape inclusion and exclusion. From this foundation we will analyse literary works through the lens of: (i) literary prizes, and their role in providing a public stage for diverse literary representation; (ii) translation and multilingualism as powerful means with which literature can address concepts of visibility, voice, and belonging; and (iii) examples of when the bestseller has become a flashpoint for national and transnational debates on questions of race, gender, and sexuality.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The debates considered on this unit are of wide relevance beyond Germany and Austria. By the end of the unit, you will understand how contemporary literature comes to market; how this shapes discourses of inclusion and exclusion; and the impact of this on the construction of identity – transferable concepts that will enable you to engage critically with related debates in academic and non-academic contexts. You will be able to showcase your independent research orally and in writing, and also through collaborative projects, enhancing your team-working skills, and your ability to demonstrate the relevance of your studies in professional contexts.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Explain key structures of German-language publishing and its impact on contemporary literature;
2. Appraise the contribution of literature to debates on diversity, inclusion, and identity;
3. Analyse and evaluate primary and secondary sources, and cultural and critical theories;
4. Collaborate to apply your knowledge in simulated skills-based exercises;
5. Formulate independent arguments orally and in writing at a high level of sophistication.
This is a dynamic and constantly evolving topic, with new perspectives and approaches rapidly shaping contemporary German-language culture. You will be able to pursue and integrate your own lines of intellectual enquiry into the unit, alongside your study of the set readings and topics. To support this, the seminars will provide you with a firm theoretical grounding in the subject, as well as explorations of paradigmatic case studies modelling different approaches and aspects. The unit will be taught through seminars consisting of a combination of short, informal lectures, small group and plenary discussions of set texts, and online research activities (e.g. responding to prompts on a padlet about a literary prize, or a publisher’s manifesto). In the second half of the unit in particular, we will also dedicate time to developing your collaborative group projects, for which you will be offered feedback on a 250-word plan of your project (one plan per project group). You will also have opportunities to lead discussions, in which you can explore your own research questions in preparation for the written assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
1 x collaborative project of 15 minutes (30%). [ILOs 1, 2, 4 and 5]
1 x 3,000-word essay (70%). [ILOs 1, 2, 3 and 5]
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. GERM30081).
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.
