In a city so deeply marked by its history, the institutionalized processes of collective memory have faced continuous challenges from anti-, non-, and para-institutional forces. Who and how decides what needs to be publicly remembered? How do these decisions shape our understanding of Berlin's past and present? This course explores the dynamic interplay between activism, art, and public remembrance in Berlin from 1989 to nowadays. Through mixed methods and practice-based research, the course delves into the spatial politics that shape the social significance of public spaces in relation to our collective past and analyzes the current strategies employed by different organizations to contest official memory practices up until today. The course includes planning site visits, engaging with present organizations and initiatives, and producing a critical reflection on our role as active participants in shaping public memory.
Language Requirements: English B1German A1
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This course is part of the Berlin Perspectives program for international exchange students. Regular degree-seeking students are also welcome to attend within the elective part of their study program. Courses are offered by the Career Center as part of the elective program üWP.
For each completed seminar, students gain 5 ECTS.
The seminars are designed at an undergraduate level. If you are a master's student, we ask you to check with your university in advance whether the study points can be recognized.
The detailed syllabus for this course is available on the Berlin Perspectives website: https://hic.hu-berlin.de/en/berlin-perspectives/courses
Registration for the Winter Semester 2023/24 is open until 10 October 2023.
Places are allocated via Agnes in a lottery procedure (not on a first come first serve basis).
Until 13 October 2023, you will be informed by Agnes if you got a place.
Please make sure to attend the first session to confirm your participation. If you are no longer interested in the course, please sign out in Agnes. Other students will be happy to get a place in the seminar.
If you did not get a place and ended up on the waiting list, there is still the possibility to move up in the first weeks of the semester, if other students decide to drop the course. In this case, please inform the teachers that you are interested in joining the course.
