What is at stake in reading, writing, depicting and telling the histories of Berlin’s architectural and urban landscape? How do historical and analytical frameworks shape scholarly understandings of the city? How does the architecture of Berlin shape its history and theory? Conducted as a discussion seminar, this course uses recent architectural and urban histories of 20th century Berlin to explore different ways of narrating the city’s history. Each week, students will approach Berlin’s urbanity through different textual and visual media to discuss the themes and methods—from femininity to migration, politics to privatization—by which they narrate the entanglement of Berlin’s physical and social landscape. Over the course of the semester, students will develop their scholarly reading techniques, and their fluency in the multipolar and manifold circumstances of the city. The premise of the course is that engaging the narrative can lead to ‘changing the narrative,’ thereby opening the door for students to develop an original final project, situating their worldly experience in the past, present and future of Berlin.
Language requirements: English B2
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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.
Berlin Perspectives seminars are specifically designed for undergraduate-level students. As a master's student, please check with your university beforehand to confirm whether the study points can be recognized.
Upon completion of the seminar, students will receive 5 ECTS.
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 Summer Semester 2024 is open until 9 April 2024.
Places are allocated via Agnes through a lottery procedure (not on a first-come, first-served basis).
You will be notified by 12 April 2024 if you have been allocated a place.
Please make sure to attend the first session to confirm your participation. If you have changed your mind about the course, kindly sign out in Agnes. Other students will be happy to take your place in the seminar.
If you were placed on the waiting list, there is still a chance of moving up in the first few weeks of the semester if other students decide to drop the course. In that case, please inform the teachers of your interest.
