“Understanding Foreignness“ (Fremdverstehen)
In Germany esp. Bredella, Christ, Nünning, Sommer.
Academic discipline: xenology
(interdisciplinary and intercultural)
deals with
Ø different manifestations of cultural foreignness and how they are assessed
Ø interaction between “own” and “other”
Ø different forms and functions of stereotypes, prejudices and xenophobia
How can “understanding foreignness” be taught and learned?
Ø through a change of perspective (carried out intuitively and reflected on in the lesson)
Ø through fostering the ability of taking over different perspectives when working with texts
2 levels of understanding foreignness when working with literary texts:
1) level of the characters (= level of depicted understanding of foreignness), esp. in texts that deal with encounters between characters from different cultures
2) level of the teacher and learner (= level of understanding of foreignness as interaction between text and reader)
basic model box 1
aspects of understanding foreignness in/through literary texts:
1) linguistic understanding of a literary text
2) linguistic understanding of a literary text in a foreign language
3) understanding of a foreign culture
4) empathy with / understanding of fictional characters from a foreign culture
Which genres do you consider especially fruitful for understanding foreignness?
aspects to be considered in narrative texts:
Ø level of characters
Ø storyline
Ø literary technique (e.g. point of view, multiple perspectives, unreliable narration)
general aim: real-life understanding of foreigners
Elements that have influence on the teaching-learning situation:
1) teacher and learner influenced by complex and subjective factors
2) subjective factors and assumptions not identical; at most: intersection
3) foreign culture not experienced directly, only textual representation (→ secondary experience)
4) only ficticious world, not to be confused with real-life foreign culture; → necessary: sensitization of learner for historical, generically specific and often varying reference to reality of a literary text; development of the learner’s awareness of “fictionality”
5) literary texts based on already interpreted model of reality (not only a reflection) → approaches that use literary texts primarily as a source of information are problematic
6) tasks necessary to foster understanding of foreignness; variation of traditional forms of text analysis and alternative approaches (e.g. creative or production-oriented tasks)
Which approaches for what aim?
1) traditional forms of text analysis
Ø e.g. characterisation, point of view, plot
Ø useful when sensitising students for link between point of view and subjectivity of perspective (awareness of perspective and fictionality)
2) creative and production-oriented approaches
Ø e.g. filling narrative gaps in the text, giving the inside view of a character, writing the same scene from the perspective of a different character
Ø useful for practising change and take-over of perspective
No incompatibility of “rational text analysis” and “creative approach”! It is not an “either ... or”, but an “as well... as”!
(Example: Hinz, Klaus (2000): “Kognitiv-analytisch und affektiv-kreativ gesteuerte Aktivitäten im fremdsprachlichen Literaturunterricht: Ein Unterrrichtsmodell für das Fach Englisch.“ Praxis 47/3.)
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