Revolution and Genre: 1918, 1968, and 1989

4.0 credits

This course explores questions of social justice, representation, and political expression clustered around three major revolutionary moments in 20th century Germany: The German Revolution of 1918, the German Student Movement & German Women’s Movement of 1968, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Oriented by a careful reading of Marx and Engel's Communist Manifesto, we will consider several revolutionary genres in art and literature (manifestos, essays, pamphlets, posters, political theater, and film). 1918, 1968 and 1989 are historical hinge points (a term I am borrowing from Matt Christman) that bring various emancipatory impulses into relief, and that find formal expression in the revolutionary (socialist, feminist, avant-garde, anti-authoritarian) works we will explore together. Students will also engage in an independent research project throughout the semester, culminating in a class conference. Readings and discussion in English, but if students of German would like to work on German language texts, these can be provided along with alternative assignments where German language practice and translation are included.