This course will improve students' knowledge of contemporary German culture and language as we examine recent texts by German-speaking women writers. Discussing these texts will develop students' awareness of contemporary issues including gender politics and cultural diversity.

20x1hr sessions over both semesters as scheduled in MyCampus.

This is one of the honours options in SMLC and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Two x 2,000 word Essays (one in each semester) - 50% each 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the Essay, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ gain understanding of the diversity of contemporary culture and written language in German-speaking countries, taking account of the impact of different nation states as well as of different political systems and of immigrants now living in Germany;

■ reflect upon our own lives as gendered subjects by discussing contemporary literature;

■ develop skills of literary analysis appropriate to Honours level;

■ apply gender studies perspectives, focusing on gendered experiences of work, relationships and the work-life balance in different historical and political contexts, as well as on gendered inflections of aesthetic forms.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ analyse recent German-language literature from a variety of different German-speaking contexts in terms of gender studies perspectives;

■ understand contemporary German written language, culture and political systems more effectively;

■ analyse gendered experiences of work, relationships and the work-life balance in different historical and political contexts; 

■ formulate their own critical arguments through class discussions and assessed essays.