GERM 475: Exile and Utopia in the German Imagination

This seminar will explore visions of exile and utopia in modern German-language culture. We will examine how the historical experience of exile – primarily during and after the Second World War and in the 21st century – has shaped works of literature, film, and philosophy. We will also investigate the commonalities between exilic and utopian literature, addressing the question of why writers and filmmakers living in exile often tended towards the creation of fictional worlds other and better than the ones they inhabited. Readings and discussions will be conducted primarily in German.

Prerequisite: GERM 315, GERM 401, or the Consent of the Instructor