GERMAN 120 A: Introduction to German Studies: A Multicultural Approach

Autumn 2025
Meeting:
TTh 1:00pm - 2:20pm / SIG 134
SLN:
16103
Section Type:
Lecture
Instructor:
CAMPUS TOUR: A MULTICULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN STUDIES
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

German 120 - Fall 2025

Introduction to German Studies: A Multi-Cultural Approach

Neo Rauch: Fundgrube, 2011

  Neo Rauch Fundgrube, 2011

Tuesday / Thursday 1:00 – 2:20pm

Modern research universities like the University of Washington are a 19th-century German invention. We think of the university’s divisions into areas of knowledge (natural sciences, social sciences, humanities) and departments (e.g., physics, psychology, history) as naturally reflecting the world, but in fact these categories artificially shape and determine what counts as knowledge in the first place. In this course we will explore the ways that German thinkers have worked alternately to construct the fields of academic knowledge, to promote cross-fertilization among those fields, and to challenge disciplinary boundaries. The course provides both an introduction to the modern university and an exploration of the relationship between knowledge and power.

Catalog Description:
Introduction to cultural, social, and intellectual developments in German-speaking lands and their wider influence in the world. Emphasizes transnational dialogues with underrepresented groups that critique the unequal power relations underpinning traditional concepts of culture and systems of knowledge.
GE Requirements Met:
Diversity (DIV)
Social Sciences (SSc)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
May 9, 2025 - 8:56 pm