German Studies 221DE - German Culture and Histories: 'Decolonial Approaches to German Culture'

This course revisits German cultural production (textual and visual representation) through the lens of decolonial practices. We explore how modes of power, transnational exchange, cultural upheaval, and constructions of identity from the mid-18th century to the present are represented in German-speaking realms, both real and imaginary. What role does colonialism play in shaping early and present-day German national identities? How do particular historical movements, events, and narratives create multifaceted constructions of race, gender, and ethnicities? We will address these questions and others through case studies of pivotal moments in German history.