Brandeis University
Department of German, Russian and Asian
Languages and Literatures
Course Syllabus[August 21, 2015]
I. Course Information
Course Name: Meisterwerke deutscher Kurzprosa
Course Number: GER 109b
Course Start & End Dates: Aug. 27 – Dec. 9, 2015
Class Meeting Days and Times: Mo / Wed / Thur, 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm
Instructor’s Name and Contact Information
Kathrin Seidl, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of German,
Director of the German Language Program
(781) 736-3299
Office Hours: Mo / Wed, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Thur, 9:00 am – 10:00 am in Shiffman 210
Document Overview
This syllabus contains all relevant information about the course: its objectives and outcomes, readings, assignment descriptions, and due dates. Consider this your roadmap for the course. Please read through the syllabus carefully and feel free to share any questions that you may have. Please print a copy of this syllabus for reference.
Course Description
Tailored to suit the needs of advanced intermediate students, this course explores in detail several short prose pieces by contemporary writers Claudia Rusch, Benjamin Lebert, Patrick Suuskind, andWladimir Kaminer. It focuses on some of the most influential and thought-provoking texts of the last few decades, thereby calling attention to decisive social and political developments and historical events. Studying these texts, students will appreciate their aesthetic and literary value, but also discover their philosophical dimension and engage with existential questions, the human psyche, the challenges of adolescence as reflected in the eyes of a successful teenage writer, the experience of growing up under dictatorship in East Germany, and living in today’s multi-ethnic German society from the perspective of Turkish immigrants.
Relevant Programs:German Studies [hum]
The course will be conducted in German and all written work will be submitted in German.
Work & Time Expectations
Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class.
Materials of Instruction
Required Texts(available in the Brandeis University Bookstore)
- Claudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend, Fischer – ISBN 978-3-596-159866-4
- Benjamin Lebert, Crazy, Fischer – ISBN 978-3-442-54159-X
- Patrick Süskind, Das Parfum, Goldmann – ISBN 978-3-257-22800-7
- Excerpts of Wladimir Kaminer, Russendisko, Goldmann – 978-3-442-54175-1 will be provided as PDF posted on LATTE
Film(available via LATTE)
- Das Parfum, directed by TomTyker (2006; 147 minutes)
Course Content
- The LATTE course site contains the course syllabus, assignments, and links/resources to course-related resources and sites.
Overall Course Objectives
The course is intended:
oTo provide students with an understanding of most contemporary masterpieces of German (short) prose
oTo impart knowledge about literary and genre history, and about crucial cultural, social and political currents and events as reflected in literary works of the time
oTo promote ethical reasoning and action through the engagement with arguments about society and culture
oTo lead students to information literacy: Critical inquiry, analysis, formulating responses
oTo lay a foundation for lifelong learning and to hone corresponding skills
Overall Course Outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
oSuccessfully employ various strategies for advanced written and oral communication in a foreign language (German)
oSummarize arguments and share critical reflections on literary works
oInterpret, analyze, and evaluate evidence, construct arguments
oCritically engage with text and extract relevant information to construct persuasive arguments
oParticipate in discussions in a substantive manner & to develop a sense of an academic discussion culture
Course Grading Criteria
Percent / Component15% / Attendance
40% / Oral Participation – Contributions to discussions – Preparedness (e.g., vocabulary, readings etc.) – Two 5 minute in-class oral commentaries – Postings at our Thoughts & Question website (always by 8pm the evening before our class meeting)
45% / Three Essays (content and ideas, structure and persuasive argumentation, grammatical correctness and appropriate vocabulary)
II. Weekly Information
Note:
Assignments will be given in class and also be posted on LATTE. Please pay close attention. We will be using a website for sharing Thoughts & Questions. Students’ activity on this website is part of the graded performance. URL will be posted on LATTE.
Semesterplan
Donnerstag, den 27.AugustEinführung; Scheduling of oral commentaries*
* Each student will present twice during the course oft he semester a 5 minute commentary relevant tot he reading oft he week / specific class period. No handouts or PowerPoints required, however, adequate chice of vocabulary and insightful, critical engagement with the material is expected. It will be of great importance for productive & thought provoking commentaries to (1) choose language according to the proficiency level oft he class (i.e. your class mates will be able to follow you with ease!) & to stay within the time limit.
Montag, den 31.AugustClaudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend,
Mittwoch, den 3.SeptemberSeiten 9 – 39*
Donnerstag, den 4. September
* Have the pages stated here already read prior to the first classmeeting oft he respective week.
Montag, den 7. SeptemberLabor Day
Mittwoch, den 9. SeptemberClaudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend,
Donnerstag, den 10.SeptemberSeiten 40 – 67
[Do = Brandeis Montag]
Montag, den 14. SeptemberROSH HASHANAHJewish New Year
Mittwoch, den 16. SeptemberClaudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend,
Donnerstag, den 17. SeptemberSeiten 68 – 96
Montag, den 21. SeptemberClaudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend, Seiten 97 – 117
Mittwoch, den 23.SeptemberYom Kippur
Donnerstag, den 24.September
Montag, den 28.SeptemberSukkot
Mittwoch, den 30. SeptemberClaudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend,
Donnerstag, den 1.OktoberSeiten 118 - 157
Montag, den 5.Oktober Shmini Atzeret
Mittwoch, den 7.Oktober
Donnerstag, den 8. OktoberAufsatz 1 zu Claudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend
Montag, den 12.OktoberBenjamin Lebert, Crazy, Seiten 9 – 54
Mittwoch, den 14.Oktober
Donnerstag, den 15. Oktober
Montag, den 19.OktoberBenjamin Lebert, Crazy, Seiten 55–106
Mittwoch, den 21. Oktober
Donnerstag, den 22. Oktober
Montag, den 26. OktoberBenjamin Lebert, Crazy, Seiten 107 – 144
Mittwoch, den 28.Oktober
Donnerstag, den 29.Oktober
Don’tforgettopre-registerforGermanin Spring.
Montag, den 2.NovemberBenjamin Lebert, Crazy, Seiten 144 – 175; Last chance to pre-
register for German.
Mittwoch, den 4.November
Donnerstag, den 5.NovemberAufsatz 2 zu Benjamin Lebert, Crazy
Montag, den 9.NovemberFilmwoche: Parfum von Tom Tyker
Watch the film on LATTE prior to Monday’s class meeting
(Joint Sunday Night movie screeing?)
Mittwoch, den 11.November
Donnerstag, den 12.November
Montag, den 16.NovemberPatrick Süskind, Das Parfum, Auszüge / excerpts*
Mittwoch, den 18.November
Donnerstag, den 19. November
* The selection of excerpts will be made in consideration of class interests & academic needs oft he majority of students.
Montag, den 23.NovemberPatrick Süskind, Das Parfum, Auszüge / excerpts*
Mittwoch, den 25. NovemberTHANKSGIVING
Montag, den 30. November Patrick Süskind, Das Parfum, Auszüge / excerpts*
Mittwoch, den 2.Dezember
Donnerstag, den 3.DezemberAufsatz 3 zu Patrick Süskind, Das Parfum
Montag, den 7.DezemberNikolausfest „rehearsal“
Mittwoch, 9.DezemberNikolausfest „rehearsal“ und Abschlussdiskussion
Donnerstag, 10. DezemberNIKOLAUSFEST, noon – 2pm in Mandel Atrium,
attendance & active participation required
III. Course Policies and Procedures
Late Policies
All absences have a negative effect on your own advancement and the class as a whole. The policy governing absences and tardiness will therefore be strictly enforced. You maymiss one class meeting (for which no in-class essay is scheduled!) unexcused and without penalty. All other absences – if not explicitly approved ahead of time by your instructor – will result in a 1.5% deduction from your final grade each. Arriving to class more than 10 minutes late will count as an absence. However, it will still be in your best interest to attend the rest of the class meeting.
Accepted reasons for missing a class meeting include, e.g., the observance of religious holidays or a documented illness.
Work Expectations
Students are responsible to keep up with all readings and assignments. The calendar of assignments is located near the end of this syllabus.
It will also be crucial to students’ success to participate in discussions in a substantive manner. Identifying and studying appropriate vocabulary to discuss different topics is the responsibility of each student and is expected of a “well-prepared” student.
Conversion of Percentages to Letter Grades
100-94 / A / 76-73 / C93-90 / A- / 72-70 / C-
89-87 / B+ / 69-67 / D+
86-83 / B / 66-63 / D
82-80 / B- / 62-60 / D-
79-77 / C+ / 59 or < / F
Feedback
Students will receive written feedback on their essays, and have the opportunity to revise them to improve their grades. A weekly participation grade will further reflect a student’s standing in the course.
Students are encouraged to be proactive: Take full advantage of office hours and other forms of exchange with your instructor. If you are concerned about your performance and/or progress in this course, please contact her and ask for a personal meeting or a response to your particular concern via email. Also: Please peruse the assessment rubric(s) posted on LATTE.
Please see the document “Sample Discussion Rubric” on LATTE. It explains well how different aspects of your participation in discussions and your written work will be assessed.
Calendar of Assignments
Donnerstag, den 8. OktoberAufsatz 1 zu Claudia Rusch, Meine freie deutsche Jugend*
Donnerstag, den 5.NovemberAufsatz 2 zu Benjamin Lebert, Crazy*
Donnerstag, den 3.DezemberAufsatz 3 zu Patrick Süskind, Das Parfum*
* You may bring a list with up to 15 vocabulary entries (German/English) for the in-class essay. Submit your list of vocabulary together with your essay.
IV. University Policies and Standards
Learning Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this course, please contact me immediately.
Academic Honesty and Student Integrity
Academic honesty and student integrity are of fundamental importance at Brandeis University and we want students to understand this clearly at the start of the term. As stated in the Brandeis Rights and Responsibilities handbook, “Every member of the University Community is expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. A student shall not receive credit for work that is not the product of the student’s own effort. A student's name on any written exercise constitutes a statement that the work is the result of the student's own thought and study, stated in the students own words, and produced without the assistance of others, except in quotes, footnotes or references with appropriate acknowledgement of the source." In particular, students must be aware that material (including ideas, phrases, sentences, etc.) taken from the Internet and other sources MUST be appropriately cited if quoted, and footnoted in any written work turned in for this, or any, Brandeis class. Also, students will not be allowed to collaborate on work except by the specific permission of the instructor. Failure to cite resources properly may result in a referral being made to the Office of Student Development and Judicial Education. The outcome of this action may involve academic and disciplinary sanctions, which could include (but are not limited to) such penalties as receiving no credit for the assignment in question, receiving no credit for the related course, or suspension or dismissal from the University.
University Caveat
The above schedule, content, and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.
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