Recent News
Thanks to the Simpson Center for the Humanities, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Los Angeles Review of Books workshop this summer. This experience offered more than just a deep dive into the world of publishing—it was a chance to refine skills that I will carry forward in my academic and professional journey.
Anna Malin Gerke
A key element of this growth was the opportunity to collaborate with professionals across various… Read more
Multiple ‘generations’ of UW German scholars were represented at the Atkins Goethe Conference in San Antonio, Texas in November. Both the current and incoming presidents of the Goethe Society of North America received their PhDs from the University of Washington. It was hosted by Trinity University, home of Prof. Heather Sullivan (UW Phd, 1995), the current president of the GSNA. The conference is held every three years, and in 2027 it… Read more
As you think about winter quarter 2025 course registration, check out these fun English language courses in German Studies. They are open to all students, have no prerequisites, and fulfill Areas of Knowledge requirements as noted.
1) Origins of the Germanic languages*
Delve into the rich linguistic history of English, German, and their Germanic relatives by examining ancient languages such as… Read more
This summer, Arpit Samuel, a graduate student in our Department of German Studies, was among the select few to attend the prestigious Summer Academy at the Goethe-Institut in Dresden. Selected as one of only 22 participants United States of America, Arpit immersed himself in an intense 12-day program that enriched his understanding of teaching German as a foreign language.
Arpit shared enthusiastically about the program, "It was an incredible opportunity to dive deep into innovative… Read more
Hi everyone! My name is Melissa, and I’m excited to be part of the University of Washington’s German department this year. I’m originally from Germany, where I completed my Master’s in Educational Science, French Literature, and Linguistics. I previously worked as a teaching assistant in Reims, France, a beautiful city located in the Champagne region. Now, thanks to the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) program, I have the opportunity to teach German 101 at UW. It’s been an incredible… Read more
Last year’s edition of Adventures in Research featured the three special volumes of leading journals in German studies guest edited by UW faculty. This time, we invite you to check out the exciting articles published by our faculty in 2023-4 beyond those volumes. They make important discoveries in studies of Early Modern Yiddish, Enlightenment Aesthetics, Environmental Humanities, and Twenty… Read more
Academic jobs in the Humanities in general, and in German Studies in particular, are not easy to find these days. We're immensely proud that all four of our graduating PhDs received offers from excellent colleges and universities across the country this year! We asked how they were doing in their new digs; you can read their replies below.
Aaron Carpenter: Allegheny College
Matthew Childs: Wake Forest University
Jeff Jarzomb: University of Nebraska
Detlev Weber: University of Kansas… Read more
A tropical storm bore down, and water flowed thick and fast in the streets. But inside the conference hotel, the mood was apollonian, speech was level and thoughtful, and the activity was, well, German Studies: the writing, reading, speaking, and learning about the arts, cultures, and histories of German-speaking peoples. It was, that is to say, the German Studies Association’s 48th Annual Conference, held September 26-29 in Atlanta, Georgia. And while Denny Hall lay some 2,600 miles to the… Read more
Summer in Berlin 2024 was an extra special experience, thanks to the generous donation by Rosalie Russell and Judith Alexander. This support allowed us to delve even deeper into one of our students’ favorite topics: pre-war Berlin and the Weimar era. Not only did we make our planned visit to the Neue Nationalgalerie to look at paintings by Expressionist and Dada artists, we were also able to attend a performance of Heinrich Mann’s Der Untertan at the Gorki Theater. This play’s… Read more