Spring 2003 Course Guide

Advising
Programs in German
Language Courses
Business German
Literature and Culture
Courses Taught in English
Graduate Seminars
CGS Courses
Yiddish Courses
Dutch Courses
Swedish Courses

Advising

Catriona MacLeod, Undergraduate Chair 898-7334
746 Williams Hall
cmacleod@sas.upenn.edu

Simon Richter, Chair 898-7332
743 Williams Hall
srichter@sas.upenn.edu

Kathryn Hellerstein, Yiddish 898-7103 (on leave, Spring 2003)
748 Williams Hall
khellers@mail.sas.upenn.edu

Kim-Eric Williams, Swedish 898-7107
740 Williams Hall
wkimeric@sas.upenn.edu

Robert Naborn, Dutch 898-7331
750 Williams Hall
naborn@sas.upenn.edu

Visit our homepage for undergraduate program information, course descriptions, syllabi, events, and extra-curricular activities: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/german

German Programs

Major in German: Choose from a wide variety of courses in language, applied language, culture, literature, and history. You can be confident that you will leave our program fluent in the language and at ease in the cultures and traditions of the German speaking countries
Major in German Studies: This versatile program offers you fluency in the language, culture, and literature, in addition to enabling you to select five courses related to your German interests in other School of Arts and Science departments. An efficient way to double major and to prepare for graduate school or an international career.
Double Major in German and Your Major of Choice: You are already in the Wharton School, International Relations, Computer Science, History, or Political Science. If you want to make yourself really competitive, then consider adding German as a double major. This could be just the edge you need.
Minor in German: You have satisfied your language requirement, but elect to keep up your German with some advanced language courses. To obtain a minor only requires 6 credits beyond GRMN 104 and most of your courses satisfy other college requirements.
Certificate in German Language Study: Students can receive a Certificate by completing 3 courses taught in German in addition to passing proficiency. Students must receive a minimum of a B+ average in the three courses, and may not take the courses on a pass/fail basis.
Most of these options can readily be combined with Penn’s study abroad programs in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. Do not forget these programs afford you Penn credit for the courses that you take. You will satisfy courses in your major, double major or minor as you become more fluent in the Germanic language via total immersion in two of Europe’s most exciting cities.

Language Courses

GRMN 101 Elementary German I. Introduction to the basic elements of spoken and written German, with a particular emphasis placed on the acquisition of communication skills. Readings and discussion focus on cultural differences.

002	MTWRF	12-1	Staff


GRMN 102 Elementary German II. A continuation of GRMN 101. The student’s expression and comprehension are enhanced through the study of literature and social themes.
001	MTWRF	11-12	Staff
002	MTWRF	12-1	Staff
003	MTWRF	1-2	Staff
GRMN 103 Intermediate German I. Modern German texts of moderate difficulty, an integrated grammar view, targeted study of vocabulary, and wide-ranging activities and projects to advance the student’s command of the language with regard to reading, writing, and speaking skills.
001	MTRF	11-12	Staff
002	MTRF	12-1	Staff
GRMN 104 Intermediate German II. Literary and non-literary texts of moderate difficulty. Continued practice in active communication. This course is designed to further develop and refine integrative skills of reading, writing, and speaking in German, as well as to prepare students for the Proficiency Examination in German and for advanced-level German courses.
001	MTRF	11-12	Staff
002	MTRF	12-1	Staff
003	MTRF	1-2	Staff
GRMN 107 Accelerated Intermediate Germanb. An intensive two credit course in which two semesters of elementary German are completed in one.
001	MWF 10-11 TR 10:30-12		Moser
GRMN 180 German in Residence. This is a 1/2 credit course for students living in the Modern Language House.
301 TBA				Schnader
GRMN 215 Conversation and Composition. Prereq. 104 or equiv. Emphasizes conversational and writing skills in German. Contemporary topics of interest will be selected for discussions, debates, presentations, and role-playing situations. WWW exercises. Active role in critiquing one another's writing exercises.
001	MWF	12-1	Lutz

Business German

GRMN 220	Business German: A Micro Perspective. This course is designed to enhance your speaking, reading and writing skills, in addition to helping you build a strong foundation in business vocabulary. Course objectives include acquiring skills in cross cultural communication, teamwork, business management, and creating a business plan. German grammar will be covered on a need be basis. This course will prepare you to perform and contribute while in a German-speaking business environment. Pending: Distribution I: Society, FLAC
001	MWF 1-2	J. Kurland
GRMN 222	Zertifikat Deutsch fur den Beruf. This course prepares students for the "Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf" (ZDfB) exam. Upon passing this exam, the student will receive an internationally recognized proficiency certificate administered by the Goethe Institute. Students will be able to function confidently in a business German speaking environment and enhance their chances for employment. FLAC
001	MW 3-4:30	J. Kurland
GRMN 227	German for Daily Situations in the Professions. This course is designed to facilitate the acquisition of an extensive business vocabulary together with the communicative skills needed to function daily in a professional setting. Emphasis is placed on the development of oral proficiency. A series of topics depicting a variety of situations in and around the workplace provide the basis for an emphasis on practical applications. Beyond helping students build a vocabulary useful in the professional world, this course also seeks to reveal differences between Germans and Americans. Such factual and cultural knowledge should prove most beneficial to anyone contemplating an internship or work in Germany.
680	R 4:30-6:45	F. Brevart

Literature and Culture

(Literature and Culture courses are taught in German)

GRMN 216	Introduction to Literature. Develops students' basic skills of literary interpretation. Exposure to various reading techniques (e.g. close reading, reading for plot, etc.) and to literary terminology and its application. Readings will include selections from prose, drama and lyric poetry. General Req. III: Arts & Letters
001	MWF 10-11	C. Frei
GRMN 354	Sex, Spies & Videotape. In this course we will survey political scandals in Germany from 1945 to the present. The German past, the division of Germany, and the unification are reflected in these political affairs. The seminar will survey the actors of political scandals: politicians, journalists, the media. Political Scandals are an excellent means for understanding and comparing political cultures. For example, who cares in the US whether a politician dyes his hair? On the other hand, Monica Lewinsky would not have caused a scandal France and Germany (and other European countries). In some countries, Enron would have cost the career of politicians. Thus political scandals tell us a lot about norms and norm violation. Not everything can be scandalized everywhere. It depends on the ever changing political culture to see what goes - and what doesn't. Pending: Distribution I, Society
001	TR 3-4:30	S. Roth
GRMN 380	Heimat . The concept of Heimat (homeland, home, roots) has been a focal point of German culture for at least the past two hundred years; but it has no precise translation into English. Heimat is deeply connected with German notions of modernity, nature, community, and gender; but the question of where one belongs has also been associated with escapism, exclusion and marginality. Beginning with a reading of Freud's essay "Das Unheimliche," we will explore literary representations of Heimat (including works by authors such as Eichendorff, Storm, Stifter, Raabe and Sebald); nineteenth-century paintings by artists such as Leibl; and Edgar Reitz's epic film Heimat (1984).
001	TR 10:30-12	C. MacLeod

Courses Taught in English

DTCH 230	Sociolinguistic History of Convergence and Divergence in Dutch. In this course a sociolinguistic history of Dutch from its earliest stages until today is presented. The development of the Dutch language is sketched in the light of the historical and social development of the Low Countries and the contact of Dutch with other languages. The main theme of the course are the patterns of convergence and divergence between Dutch spoken in Flanders and in the Netherlands. All readings and lectures in English.
001	TR 1:30-3	van de Velde
GRMN 246	Heroes Minstrels Knights. In this course we will read medieval works of international literary importance, such as the Arthurian novels of Hartman von Aue Erec and Iwein, the German Song of the Nibelungs and the Old French Song of Roland as examples of heroic literature, and the tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde by Gottfried von Strasburg. We will also read two Spielmannsepen which have as their central theme the international motif of the bridal quest, namely Sankt Oswald and König Rother, and compare these works with the Nibelungenlied and Tristan, which themselves also involve the bridal quest as one of their principal structural elements. There is, however, a major and critical distinction between the traditional happy ending of the bridal quest epics and that of The Nibelungs and of Tristan and Isolde, for those two German works culminate in the total destruction and disintegration of entire peoples and values, or with the utter misery of the ideal couple. With our readings of the love poems of the French Troubadours and those of their German counterparts, the Minnesänger, our final genre of medieval literature, we will not only discuss the ubiquitous and timeless love theme in all its variations, but also the socio-political implications of such poetry. All readings and lectures in English.
001	TR 10:30-12	Brevart
GRMN 255	Mann Hesse Kafka. Based on considerations of the cultural tradition and the intellectual currents of the twentieth century, the course presents a survey of the achievements of Mann, Hesse, and Kafka. The extensive study of representative works focus on the problems of the artist in the modern age. General Req. III: Arts & Letters All readings and lectures in English.
001	TR 12-1:30	F. Trommler
GRMN 256	The Devil's Pact in Literature, Music and Film. For centuries the pact with the devil has signified humankind's desire to surpass the limits of human knowledge and power. From the reformation chapbook to the rock lyrics of Randy Newman's Faust, from Marlowe and Goethe to key Hollywood films, the legend of the devil's pact continues to be useful for exploring our fascination with forbidden powers. General Req. III: Arts & Letters. All readings and lectures in English.
401 Lec	MW 12-1	S. Richter
402 Rec	F 12-1	Staff
403 Rec	F 12-1	Staff
404 Rec	F 12-1	Staff
405 Rec	F 1-2	Staff
406 Rec	F 11-12	Staff
407 Rec	F 11-12	Staff

Graduate Seminars

GRMN 517	Technology and Language Teaching. This course focuses on the evaluation, design, and development of multimedia in foreign language teaching and seeks to spotlight intersections of pedagogy and technology. Emphases are on the evaluation and production of effective multimedia-based materials and the pedagogical concerns raised by their implementation.
401	T 9-10:30, R 4-5:30		C. Frei/K. McMahon
GRMN 530	History of the German Language. A historical survey of the German language, including lectures on the Indo-European and Germanic background, the development of German as a literary language, and the relationship of German and English.
301	W 2-4		L. Lloyd
GRMN 532	German Literature 18th Century to Present. A continuation of GRMN 531, this course examines literary developments from the Enlightenment to the present.
301	MWF 10-11	H. Daemmrich
GRMN 533	Literary Theory & German Studies. This course introduces students to the history of literary theory, concepts and issues of literary interpretation and German cultural studies, and the main trends in the discipline. Theoretical positions considered may include: Frankfurt School, psychoanalysis, hermeneutics, deconstruction, feminism, discourse analysis, semiotics, cultural studies, gender studies, and post-colonial theory.
301	M 2-4		S. Richter
GRMN 635	Goethe's Wilhelm Meister. Goethe's Wilhelm Meister project spanned several decades and three novels. This seminar will analyze Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (1795), the foundational work in the development of the German Bildungsroman, and Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre (1829), an anomalous and eccentric narrative that stretches the boundaries of the novel genre. We will also consider recent critical approaches to the novels, and will discuss in particular Foucauldian and psychoanalytic readings that deal with Bildung as a discourse of desire, formation, and discipline.
301	R 2-4		C. MacLeod
GRMN 642	Drama of the 20th Century. Based on a discussion of the relationship of drama (text) and theater (performance), the course examines the development of realistic and antirealistic currents in modern German drama. From Wedekind and Expressionism to Piscator's political theater, Brecht's epic theater and beyond (Horvath, Fleisser, Frisch, Duerrenmatt, Handke).
301	T 2-4		F. Trommler
GRMN 690	Theory & Literary History: Giving the Gift. The aim of this graduate seminar will be to investigate a number of philosophical and literary texts focusing around the notion of the gift. Our point of departure will be the concept gift seen in its anthropological sense as a binding reciprocal practice underpinning all sociability (Mauss) but also as a dangerous limit to be transgressed (Freud, Melanie Klein, Bataille). Beyond the potlatch, does the problematic of the gift open onto that of sacrifice as emblematized by Abraham (Kierkegaard) or can it allow us to sketch a principle of generosity (Descartes)? In the post-Heideggerian tradition that takes its bearings from the availability of a world that is somehow given (Es gibt Sein) , contemporary meditation of the conditions of possibility of giving (Marion) leads us to qualify the thesis that a gift is impossible as such (Derrida) or only leads to spurious economies (Baudelaire). If time is both the dimension of my future death and an excess of unforeseen data , art and literature can emerge as practices that exceed most economies (Duchamp). The main theoretical texts we will read are Marcel Mauss's The Gift , The Georges Bataille Reader, Derrida's Given Time: Counterfeit Money, Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, Jean-Luc Marion Being Given: Toward a phenomenology of givenness, Freud's Dora, Lewis Hyde's The Gift. Literary texts will include poems by Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Rilke and Ezra Pound, novels by Georges Bataille (My Mother) , two plays: Molière's The Miser, Joyce's Exiles, Vladimir Nabokov's The Gift, H.D.'s The Gift, Georges Bataille's My Mother, plus a visit to the PMA to see Duchamp's Etant Donnés…
401	W 3-6		J. Rabate