Winter Term 2018/2019

Prof. Dr. Ghosh-Schellhorn

Mi 14-16 c.t., Geb. B3 1, Hörsaal 1

VL: "Foundations of Cultural Studies"                           

What is meant by "culture", and why do we need to study it? At the simplest level culture encompasses the how of life lived in a society, i.e. our common pool of language use, food customs, fashion trends, architectural styles, forms of entertainment, but also of social taboos and norms, regardless of whether these are explicitly expressed or implicitly understood. If "culture" is, in this sense, a way/s of 'worldmaking', is it not also much more than that?  We can ask: Who makes these norms for us, or have they arisen from our own collective behaviour? To what extent are we agents who actively make our own 'worlds'; to what extent are we consumers of what social and cultural institutions, the media, and advertising agencies would have us believe is what the majority of us currently think/should be thinking? Cultural Studies have set themselves the agenda of trying to explain, as best as possible, why it is that we 'perform' culture in the ways that we do in the societies we inhabit.

Course material will be placed in the Semesterapparat (IB) or, if otherwise difficult to locate, will be made available online.

Participation
All lecture series material to be read in preparation for each session as scheduled; regular participation in the full lecture series; end of term written test.
Please check the TAS website under "Your Studies" for guidelines, especially on note-taking during a lecture series.

Mi. 16-18 c. t., Geb. C5 3, R.1.20

HS: 'Real Life' Under the Lens: Indian Film Classics

When is a film text, especially one that forms part of popular rather than art house culture, granted the status of a 'classic'? Is it merely a matter of time, or is there more to it? What are the factors that play a role in this process?

We will be looking closely at 5 of the most enduringly popular films made in India in attempting to answer these and related questions. 

Film Texts:

Shree 420 (Raj Kapoor 1955)

Mother India (Mehboob Khan 1957)

Amar Prem (Shakti Samanta 1972)

Amar Akbar Anthony (Manmohan Desai 1977)

Peepli Live (Anusha Rizvi 2010)

Participation
Regular attendance and active participation in all sessions; thorough acquaintance with all the films listed above; individual research on a relevant topic of your choice for short oral presentations, followed by a term paper on a larger research topic. Please check the TAS website under "Your Studies" for further details about the modalities for oral presentations and essay writing.

Do. 14-16 c. t., Geb. C5 3, R. 1.20

VL: Transcultural Centres and Peripheries: India and its DiasporaS

Transcultural India provides us with a prime example of both a "centre" as well as a "periphery". From the British perspective, India (and the other colonies) were regarded as forming the "periphery" to the British "centre". Yet, partly due to the British policy of recruiting indentured labourers from India to send to those parts of the Empire that were facing a labour shortage following the Abolition of Slavery, as well as to the voluntary migration of skilled Indians to the West following Independence, India also functions as a "centre" for the Indians living in these 2 distinct types of diasporaS.

In further exploring this phenomenon we will be reading selected texts written by Indians located 'at home' or 'abroad' to see how the tension between 'here' and 'there' is played out in these literary texts. 

Difficult to obtain texts will be made available to registered participants.

Participation
All material for this lecture should be read in preparation for each session as scheduled; regular participation in the full lecture series; end of term written test (pass/fail).
Please check the TAS website under "Your Studies" for guidelines, especially on note-taking during a lecture series.

Do. 16-18:30 s. t.,Geb. C5 3, R. 1.20

Kolloquium

All TAS students in the semi-final and/or final stages of their studies in our Department are encouraged to attend.

Students intending to take any part of their final oral examinations in TAS are strongly advised to participate in this colloquium a semester prior to the final run through. Students either starting out or meanwhile writing a thesis are also expected to attend these sessions.

The colloquium will help TAS students develop their study skills while providing on-going guidance during preparation for an exam or of a thesis.

All TAS students in the semi-final and/or final stages of their studies in our Department are encouraged to attend.

Students intending to take any part of their final oral examinations in TAS are strongly advised to participate in this colloquium a semester prior to the final run through. Students either starting out or meanwhile writing a thesis are also expected to attend these sessions.

The colloquium will help TAS students develop their study skills while providing on-going guidance during preparation for an exam or of a thesis.

Tina Helbig, M.A.

Fr. 10-12 c. t.,Geb. C5 3, R. U10

PS: Australia: Colonial Encounters in Novels and Films

In this seminar, we will examine colonial and post-colonial encounters between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. By analysing life writing, novels and films, we will trace the relationship between Aboriginal Peoples and European settlers from the early days of colonization up to contemporary efforts of reconciliation. We will discuss topics such as racism, cultural oppression, identity struggles and stolen generations.

Texts and Film Texts

Baz Luhrmann (dir.), Australia.

Phillip Noyce (dir.), Rabbit-Proof Fence.

Sally Morgan, My Place (Virago).

Kate Grenville, The Secret River (Canongate Books).

Participation

Regular attendance and active participation in all sessions; thorough acquaintance with all the films and books listed above. Individual research on a relevant topic of your choice for a short oral presentation; end of term test or term paper according to your module requirements. Please check the TAS website under "Your Studies" for further details about the modalities for oral presentations and essay writing.