2025 Summer Courses

All summer courses are online and asynchronous. Courses run June 2nd to July 25th unless otherwise noted.

GERM 104: Elementary German I

Introductory German; no previous German required. Development of students' balanced knowledge of the German language and culture, including the ability to understand and produce short spoken, written, and multimedia texts on everyday topics and to interpret, compare, and contrast German and American cultural phenomena. Emphasis on interaction. Not open to native speakers of German. Students who complete this course successfully should take GERM 108.

GERM 145: Fairy Tales from Brothers Grimm to Disney and Beyond

Once upon a time fairy tales were not the Disneyfied children's stories we know and love. For centuries folk and fairy tales have fueled the popular imagination around the world. Though they are nowadays intended for children, this has not always been the case. This course provides an introduction to folk and fairy tales with special attention to the German tradition. We investigate the evolution of tales from the Brothers Grimm to modern adaptations in film, television, theater, and art. Along the way, we will seek answers to questions such as: Why is the stepmother always evil? Why does the prince never have a name? And why do things always come in threes? At the same time, we will ask what fairy tales are, how their functions have evolved over time and across cultures, and how they teach and perpetuate cultural norms and stereotypes. Various interpretations of fairy tales will be explored, including their potential for social subversion through reinterpretation and rewriting. Taught in English.

GERM 336: The German Transatlantic Experience

Introduction to the migration of German-speaking Europeans to North America, 17th century-present. Consideration of European and North American factors motivating migration, the journey to the New World, the experiences of immigrants and their descendants, and the ways in which German-speaking Europeans shaped the multicultural history of America. Taught in English.

PCS 120: Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies

An introduction to the content and methods of peace studies. Peace studies is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to the study of war and peace. Building on and integrating the work of various fields of study, the course examines the causes of structural and direct violence within and among societies and the diverse ways in which humans have sought peace, from conquest and balance of power to international organizations and nonviolent strategies.

SLAV 148: Slavic Folklore (June 2 -27)

An introduction to the various forms of folklore among the Slavic peoples, with particular emphasis on the folk literature, customs, and artifacts of Russia, Poland, and the South Slavic countries.

SLAV 230: The Vampire in Literature, Film, and Television (June 2 -27)

The vampire has been a fascinating and terrifying imagined other in human society for centuries. This course begins with the historical development of the vampire legend in Eastern Europe leading up to its contemporary Russian and English literary and cinematic variations. We will contextualize the various incarnations of the vampire and endeavor to consider the ethical significance of such a figure, through questions such as: What are the moral implications of becoming or being a vampire subject? Are there different ethical rules at play? Are vampires always unethical?

SLAV 320: Graphic Novel as Memory

This course examines the interaction between literature and memory, in particular how authors respond to major historical events and contribute to shaping the collective memory of those events. Students will read graphic novels inspired by memories of the Holocaust and Communism. Through the visual and textual mix of the graphic novel, we will consider the impact of historical upheavals on the lives of ordinary individuals, drawing connections to contemporary national and global socio-political problems. Students will write on these topics in a variety of academic and non-academic genres, including: journal, article summary, synthetic essay, analytical essay, and reflection essay/creative writing. (Same as GIST 321 and JWSH 348.)