LC 274 - Women and Minorities in Eastern German Culture
(CHC, G) -
May Term 2003 Monday - Friday 9-12 Buck 2
Prof. Sonja Fritzsche
309/556-3290 or sfritzsc@iwu.edu
Office:
Buck 23
Office Hours: M 1-3, T 1-4 and by appt.
The course questions the notion of East Germany as homogenous and reveals conflict and contradiction in this dynamic society since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It focuses on the struggle of women and minorities: Jews, Sorbs and Vietnamese guest workers to come to terms with the exclusion of their voices in a communist nation designed and led by the Socialist Unity Party (SED) in 1949. During the course, students will first explore early contributions to the conflicts between German nationalism, German socialism, and perceptions of the feminine. The course will then assess the historical and cultural conditions of creating the New Socialist Personality, the SED's ideal "superperson" of its communist future, and integration of women and minorities into this utopian identity. It will explore issues of legal vs. social equality and different interpretations of feminism under socialism and after 1989 in the new German states. Minority issues will emphasize notions of Germanness and "the Other," a coming to terms with the Holocaust (Vergangenheitsbewältigung), and representations of non-resident ethnicity in East German culture. There will be a comparative focus on the Turkish community in a united Germany.
Course counts towards the Major or Minor in International Studies - Concentration Russian and Eastern European Studies and also counts towards the Minor in Women's Studies.
Required Reading
LC 274 Course Reader
Selected articles on e-reserve
Films as listed on the
syllabus
Participation/Preparation
I expect each of you to attend class and complete all of the assigned homework, discussion or reading by the date due. Class attendance includes active participation in which you demonstrate your continual, effective preparation for class discussion. Effective preparation includes completing the reading assignments in a timely manner, taking notes while you read to refer to in-class and posing well-considered questions for discussion each class period. Bring the reading materials to class!!! Active participation means your demonstration of critical thought about the reading at hand. Volunteer your ideas. If you are wondering something, it is likely that at least two other people are wondering the same thing. Failure to meet these requirements will lower your grade.
Fostering an Exciting and Cooperative Learning Environment
I also expect you to respect the unique background, skills, strengths and weaknesses of each student in the class and help to create a respectful atmosphere where all students feel comfortable contributing to and sharing with the group. Do not hesitate to question the ideas presented and discussed in the course, but do so in a manner respectful of all members of the course. If you feel that you have effectively contributed to the class that day, make sure that you encourage others to participate as well. Respect for diversity is important in creating a successful classroom.
Presentations
In the course you will complete one individual presentation and one partner presentation: 1) on one of the readings/films assigned for class and 2) on one of the films designated for presentation. Further information on these two presentations will be provided on the presentation hand-outs.
Class presentations either done on your own or in a group should demonstrate that you have an in-depth understanding of the material at hand. You have sifted through the various arguments in the articles or subject to pull out what you think are the author's/subjects main theses, points or events. You can effectively explain these points to your colleagues so that they clearly understand your presentation of the material. The presentation should not just be a summary, but more your analysis of the subject at hand. Do you agree with the author/director? Why? How might you say it differently? What do you like about what the author has to say? Why? In addition, you should draw some comparison points with other things that we have read or covered to put some perspective on the article or subject that you are presenting. This demonstrates your thinking beyond the article or subject itself and your ability to tie it into the greater context of the course.
Written Work
You are expected to do two kinds of writing in this course. One will consist of five 2-page response papers to the assigned readings. The second is a take-home exam. Papers are to follow the MLA or Chicago documentation style. Be sure to adequately cite all sources, in order to avoid any question of possible plagiarism. Overcitation is better than undercitation, if there is doubt. Ask me, at the library, at the writing center for help with citation, if you are unsure as to the proper form. Papers must be written in a 12-point standard font with 1" margins and page numbers. Please try to print on both sides of the paper to save resources.
Response papers: You may choose what you will write these 5 response papers on. These should be written to get you thinking in-depth about what you are reading and related issues. You should demonstrate a critical analysis and not a summary of the article you have selected. Response papers take the form of mini-essays, so you should include citations and any other sources you might refer to. Your grade will depend on the quality of your arguments and examples.
Take home exam:
More information on the length and nature of the take home exam will be provided on a hand-out on Monday, May 12. You will have one week to complete the exam, which is due on May 19th. This exam covers the material in the first half of the course.
Final Exam:
Due to the intensive nature of the May term a final research paper is not viable. Therefore, there will be a final exam that covers the major theoretical concepts in the course as well as the articles and films that we discuss. The majority of the exam will be in essay format.
Plagiarism Policy
Be aware that your work for this course should conform to University policies concerning scholastic honesty. Scholastic dishonesty will result in an "F" for the assignment and/or an "F" for the course. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing (misrepresenting as one's own anything done by another), submitting the same or substantially similar papers (or creative work) for more than one course without prior consent of all instructors concerned, sabotaging another's work, and unauthorized collaboration (such as substantial rewriting of an essay by another) on assignments or exam.
Grades
Participation/Preparation 20%
Response papers 20%
Presentations 20%
- Partner Film Presentation (10%)
- Individual Presentation (10%)
Take-home
exam 20%
Final exam 20%
A= 93-100 A 90-92 A- Superior: well beyond criteria of acceptability regarding subject mastery, competence, and analysis.
B= 87-89 B+ 83-86 B 80-82 B- Good work, exceeds criteria of acceptability, regarding subject mastery, competence, and analysis.
C= 77-79 C+ 73-76 C 70-72 C- Acceptable, but not distinguished in quality.
D= 67-69 D+ 63-66 D 60-62 D- Marginal quality; does not clearly meet the acceptablecriteria regarding subject mastery, competence or analysis.
F= 59 and below F Failure. Clearly does not meet criteria regarding subjectmastery, competence, or analysis.
Students with Disabilities
All students both able-bodied and disabled are welcome in this course. If you have a disability that is recognized by the Illinois Wesleyan University Office of Disability Services, please feel free to contact me with their letter of introduction as early as possible. We can then agree on reasonable accommodations in accordance with those requirements outlined with your advisor and Disability Services to enable your success in this course.
A final note
If you do not understand something related to the course content, purpose or organization, now or anytime during the semester, PLEASE ASK! It is far better to clarify a point beforehand. I am here as a resource - if you have problems with any aspect of the course, please come to my office hour or talk to me after class. You can also get help from the tutors in the writing center. See the schedule.
Reserve Materials
Ames Library -
After the Wall Ed. Patricia Smith 1999 DD 289.5 .A38
DEFA : East German cinema, 1946-1992 / edited by Seán Allan and John Sandford. PN1999.D4 D34 1999
Fringe Voices. Anne Marie Stokes and Antje Harnisch PT 1109. M55 F75 1998
Handbook of Soviet and East European Films and Filmmakers Ed. Thomas Slater PN 1993.5 .R9 H 28 1992
Speaking out. Jewish Voices from United Germany Ed. Susan Stern on order
Turkish Culture in German Society Today Ed. Eva Kolinsky and David Horrocks. DD78. T87 1996
Women after Communism Helen Frink. HQ 1630.5 F 764 2001
People Versus States. Ted Gurr. D 860. G872 2000
Film:
Rosa Luxemburg Dir. Margarethe von Trotta (FRG, 1985) VID. PN1997 .R67 1994
Deutschland Bleiche Mutter/ Germany Pale Mother Dir. Helma Sanders — (West Germany,1980) VID. PN1997.A23 G47
Apachen Dir. Gottfried Kollditz (DEFA, 1973) VID. PN1995.9.W4 A633 2000
The Oppermanns Dir. Signey Lumet (FRG, 1986) VID. PN1992.77 .G483 1986
Films for Group Presentations to be presented in the order listed:
Frauen Schicksale/ The Destinies of Women Dir. Slatan Dudow (DEFA, 1952) VID. PN1995.9.F67 D478 2000
Der schweigende Stern/ First Spaceship on Venus Dir. Kurt Maetzig (DEFA, 1959/60) VID PN 1995.9.S26 F57 1998
Eine Berliner Romanze/ Berlin Romance Dir. Gerhard Klein (DEFA, 1956) VID. PN1997 .B47556 2000
Der Dritte/ Her Third Dir. Eberhard Panitz (DEFA, 1972) VID. PN1997 .D75 1998 German only/ no subtitles
Die Legende von Paul and Paula Dir Heiner Carow (DEFA, 1972) VID. PN1995.9.F67 L434 1999
Solo Sunny Dir. Konrad Wolf (DEFA, 1980) VID. PN1997 .S65 1997
Winter Adé/ Goodbye Winter Dir. Helke Misselwitz (DEFA, 1983) VID. HQ1630.5 .M57 1988
Mein zweites Leben/My Second Life - Dir. Simone Shoemaker (documentary, 199?) In English with German Interviews
Marx und Coca Cola (1995?)