Sex, Gender and Society in Modern Germany
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| MLAC1091 | Modern Languages and Cultures | 1 | 10 | Spring UK |
- Code
- MLAC1091
- School
- Modern Languages and Cultures
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
The module focuses on three core periods in modern German history: the years around the 1848 revolution, the fin-de-siècle, and the Weimar Republic. Drawing on a range of political, theoretical and literary texts and visual material, this module considers the interrelation between social and economic developments, gender roles and notions of masculinity and femininity. The module will furthermore thematise the way in which ideas and images of masculinity and femininity are employed in the representation of political and social institutions and processes.
Target Students
Available for First year students of German. Also available to exchange, subsid, Liberal Arts, and History students. Also available to Year 2 post-beginners' students of German.
Co-requisites
Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 13 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 13 weeks
The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies operates an attendance policy. The details of this policy can be found in the student handbook on Workspace and in module handbooks.
Assessment
- 80% Coursework 1: One 1200-1500 word essay
- 20% Coursework 2: One poster and brief commentary
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
This module aims at developing students' empirical and theoretical understanding of the social construction of gender and the political use of gender discourses. Students will be introduced to central developments in German social history in the 19th and early 20th century from the perspective of gender studies.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding:
- students will develop a critical understanding of aspects of the interrelation of gender history and social history in Germany from the 19th to the early 20th century and will be introduced to some central topics of gender studies (A2, A3).
Intellectual skills:
- students will develop the skill of absorbing and critically evaluating information, assembling evidence and drawing independent conclusions from their work with primary sources (B1, B3, B4)
- will enhance their ability to gather, process and evaluate information from a variety of paper, audio-visual and electronic sources in English and German (B1),
- to reflect critically and judge in the light of evidence and argument (B2),
- to identify and describe questions and problems (B4)
- and to apply techniques and concepts appropriate for the analysis of political and historical materials (B6)
Linguistic skills:
- students will enhance their ability to read German at a high level
Professional, practical and transferable skills:
- students will improve their skills of reading and of interpreting both text and image material and their essay writing skills. They will develop their ability to communicate information, ideas and arguments in English orally and in writing (D1, D2)
- to work independently and in groups (D3, D4)
- whilst assessing their own progress, strengths and weaknesses (D6)
- students will be expected to organise and manage working time, schedule tasks and meet deadlines (D7)
- and to write and think productively under pressure (under examination conditions (D5)
- students will need to use IT effectively both to produce coursework and as an aid to learning (D8).