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2022/23 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

GERM3240 Cultures of protest and resistance: challenging state and society in German-speaking cultures

20 creditsClass Size: 18

Module manager: Ingrid Sharp
Email: i.e.sharp@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2022/23

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of GERM2010/2011 or equivalent level of German language (CEFR B2).

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module looks at the history of protest, activism and resistance in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and their cultural representation. It explores key movements and campaigns in opposition to the state or social norms. These may include resistance to war, colonial control or state regimes, women’s rights activism, queer activism, environmental activism, student activism as well as generational and racial challenges, system overthrow or revolution, challenges to capitalism, conservative challenges to liberalism.

Objectives

This module aims to:
- explore in depth one or more marginal aspects of the cultures of the German-speaking lands, usually including Germany, Austria and/or Switzerland, and examine the way in which it has contributed to identity and discourse.
- critically examine ‘dominant’ or ‘canonical’ aspects of German culture, and explore the ways in which these have been critiqued from below or from the margins
- engage with theoretical explorations of cultural, national and identity formation.
- explore a wide range of cultural production that may include literature, film, television, music, visual culture, digital media and theatre.

Learning outcomes
On completing this module students should be able to:
1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the ways in which dominant cultures have been subject to challenge
2. offer critical evaluations of strategies employed by activists and of the cultural representation of their campaigns
3. critically evaluate scholarly and other literature on one or more instances of protest and resistance
4. consider how academic research can be communicated effectively to non-specialist audiences
5. plan an effective seminar on an agreed topic for delivery to peers and reflect critically and constructively on the effectiveness of the student-led seminars

Skills outcomes
- ability to analyse a variety of primary material in German
- awareness of the role protest and resistance plays in shaping German cultures and identities
- ability to make appropriate choices of seminar questions and materials

Syllabus

The module will explore the cultures of protest and resistance that have played an important role in shaping modern Germany. Students will be introduced to the broader topic through a number of tutor-led case studies in Semester 1 and will be expected to choose an area of interest for student-led seminars in Semester 2. They will also be expected to research an area of interest for an individual output chosen from a range of options and submitted in Semester 1.
Cultures of protest and resistance are understood as ways of expressing dissent against dominant cultural narratives which may be expressed in a number of different ways.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	20	1.50	30.00
Private study hours			170.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students will be expected to prepare for weekly seminars by doing the required reading and engaging with any preparatory tasks such as worksheets in good time for each class.

Students will be expected to work in pairs and small groups, to engage pro-actively with the topics and research their own in preparation for the public-facing output and the student-led seminars in semester 2.

They will be expected to agree an appropriate lesson plan with reading materials and seminar questions and a justification of their choices with the seminar tutor by week 2 of semester 2 in advance of their allocated seminar date.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Semester 1: feedback on literature review and reading list for the engagement project. This should include at least one of the following types of material: campaign literature and online support for the campaign; cultural representation; academic response (scholarly literature); cultural response (e.g. media discussion including social media).
Semester 2: feedback on draft seminar plan, reading and seminar questions in group meetings with the module tutor, peer and tutor feedback on the student-led seminar.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Group Project	Student-led seminar discussion plus reflective report	50.00
Project	Engagement project plus academic rationale	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2022 15:24:44

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