If you are interested in other cultures, you may find some interesting electives offered under the headings German, Italian or Russian. These courses are actually taught in English and do not require you to speak the languages in question – if you do, it will make the courses even more interesting. Please consider any of the following Level 2 or 3 electives:
GERMAN COURSES
- German 2CC3: Germany Through the Ages. Culture and Society (in English): We will look at the historical events, cultural phenomena, and personalities which have shaped German culture and society until World War II. Topics include: Medieval and Romantic Heritage, the Golden Twenties, Nationalism and National Socialism, and the Holocaust.
- German 2FT3: An examination of fairy tales from a variety of cultures and historical periods with particular emphasis on German tradition and the work of the Grimm Brothers. Students will also explore theories of the folktale and their implications for our understanding of other literary genres.
- German 2N03: The Holocaust in Film and Fiction (in English): Focusing on the moral, philosophical and cultural legacy of the Holocaust through the artistic imagination, we will explore the roots of European antisemitism, the Final Solution, politicization, universalization, trivialization, aestheticization, commercialization and Holokitsch.
ITALIAN COURSES
- Italian 3X03: Italy Today through Film (in English): How have recent (after 1945) historical, political and social events shaped Italy today? In this course, we try to gain a better understanding of: Italy as a plural culture (the North/South relationship and regional differences and inequalities), the development of consumption after the economic boom, gender relations and the family, immigration/emigration, the mafia and political corruption.
JAPANESE COURSES
- Japanese 2X03: This course introduces students to Japanese popular culture and the art of Japanese animated film known as Anime. The course will situate Anime in the context of Japanese film and visual art.
KOREAN COURSES
- Korean 2X03: Introduction to Korean popular culture (Hallyu) and its various forms: such as K-Pop music, graphic novels, television dramas, film and webtoons. The course looks at Hallyu and its popularity as a global phenomenon, analyzing its role as well as its social and political context.
RUSSIAN COURSES
- Russian 2G03: Masterpieces of Russian Literature in Film and TV Series (in English): The course is designed both to raise students’ awareness of Russian literature masterpieces by showing them the cinematic and TV adaptations of the great novels. The course will also teach a critical approach to the different interpretations of literary texts and how this affects our perception of Russian literature.
- Russian 2H03: Soviet Propaganda Films and Mass Media (in English): A study of Soviet and post-Soviet propaganda in films, news, posters, TV reels and other mass media. The “fake news” phenomenon is explored through the history of propaganda in Soviet Union and other countries.
