Contemporary German Literature
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course is aimed at students of all the CdS of Humanistic Studies and aims to deepen the skills in the field of German literature, in particular the modern and postmodern, in the historical-political context. This course focuses on the representation, in the German language literature of the period of National Socialism, of the Second World War and of the post-war period, taking into consideration some significant works of the last decades.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: Guidance on the history, sources, methods and tools of literary studies and on the analytical practices of textual hermeneutics. Knowledge of various significant authors of the German-speaking literature after 1945 and of their works dealing with the representation of the period of National Socialism and the Second World War. Understanding of the theoretical-methodological and historical-cultural problems inherent in the study of contemporary German literature, with particular attention to the narrative genre. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ability to analyze and interpret the literary text in its historical-cultural context; ability to connect the chosen texts with the literary tradition of the twentieth century; ability to express the acquired skills with methodological rigor.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Course title: Themen, Formen, Tendenzen
Lecturer: Moira Paleari ([email protected])
The course consists of the following parts:
Part A (20 hours, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Gegenwartsliteratur: eine Einführung
Part B (20 ore, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Kurzprosa der Gegenwart: Themen, Formen, Tendenzen (with Dr. Maike Schmidt, CAU Kiel and students of the University of Kiel)
Part C (20 hours, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Lyrik der Gegenwart: Themen, Formen, Tendenzen (with Prof. Dr. Torsten Hoffmann, Universität Stuttgart and students of the University of Stuttgart)
The course, which is held in German, is intended for students of the Master's Degree in European and Extra-European Languages and Literature and provides 6 or 9 ects; for the 6 ects exam, the student will take part A and one of the other parts (B or C) of his or her choice; for the 9 ects exam, the student will take the complete programme. The course programme is valid until September 2027.
Course Presentation
The course aims, in a first part, to provide a theoretical-methodological and analytical-interpretive introduction to German-language literature from 1989 to the present. This will be followed by an interpretation of short prose of the new millennium and contemporary poetry.
Lecturer: Moira Paleari ([email protected])
The course consists of the following parts:
Part A (20 hours, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Gegenwartsliteratur: eine Einführung
Part B (20 ore, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Kurzprosa der Gegenwart: Themen, Formen, Tendenzen (with Dr. Maike Schmidt, CAU Kiel and students of the University of Kiel)
Part C (20 hours, 3 ects):
Deutschsprachige Lyrik der Gegenwart: Themen, Formen, Tendenzen (with Prof. Dr. Torsten Hoffmann, Universität Stuttgart and students of the University of Stuttgart)
The course, which is held in German, is intended for students of the Master's Degree in European and Extra-European Languages and Literature and provides 6 or 9 ects; for the 6 ects exam, the student will take part A and one of the other parts (B or C) of his or her choice; for the 9 ects exam, the student will take the complete programme. The course programme is valid until September 2027.
Course Presentation
The course aims, in a first part, to provide a theoretical-methodological and analytical-interpretive introduction to German-language literature from 1989 to the present. This will be followed by an interpretation of short prose of the new millennium and contemporary poetry.
Prerequisites for admission
Lectures, activities in class, learning materials and exams are in German so that students are supposed to have at least a linguistic competence of level B2.
Teaching methods
The course, which is held in German, adopts the following teaching methods: class teaching; seminar discussion, paper presentations.
Teaching Resources
Bibliographical references:
Part A:
- Leonhard Herrmann, Silke Horstkotte (Hg.), Gegenwartsliteratur: eine Einführung, Stuttgart, J.B. Metzler, 2016 (ISBN: 9783476025784);
- Volker Braun, Die deutsche Gegenwartsliteratur, Stuttgart, UTB, 2010 (ISBN: 9783825233525).
Parte B:
- Reader Deutschsprachige Kurzprosa der Gegenwart
- Texts (to download from myAriel)
Part C:
- Reader Deutschsprachige Lyrik der Gegenwart
- Texts (to download from myAriel)
Part A:
- Leonhard Herrmann, Silke Horstkotte (Hg.), Gegenwartsliteratur: eine Einführung, Stuttgart, J.B. Metzler, 2016 (ISBN: 9783476025784);
- Volker Braun, Die deutsche Gegenwartsliteratur, Stuttgart, UTB, 2010 (ISBN: 9783825233525).
Parte B:
- Reader Deutschsprachige Kurzprosa der Gegenwart
- Texts (to download from myAriel)
Part C:
- Reader Deutschsprachige Lyrik der Gegenwart
- Texts (to download from myAriel)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination includes an oral test aimed at assessing the acquisition of the course contents and the ability to analyse literary texts.
Active participation during the lectures will be considered as an integral part of the assessment.
Active participation during the lectures will be considered as an integral part of the assessment.
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
L-LIN/13 - GERMAN LITERATURE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Part C
L-LIN/13 - GERMAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)