GERST 3360

Queer and Trans Germany

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

This course explores claims about the uniqueness of Germany to current conceptualizations of gender and sexuality. Together, we will delve into early sexological research, examine literary works that use sexological language and repurpose it, and grapple with the impact of various German historical and cultural shifts on sexuality and gender (and vice versa). Moreover, this course pays particular attention to the way "queerness" allows us to consider heterosexual relationships that are nonnormative and state-regulated or prohibited—especially those that fall outside of white, middle-class ideals. We will engage with films, novels, short stories, music videos, graphic narratives, and scholarly texts. Considering the great variety of media and genres, we will spend class time not only discussing the texts in German and building up the German vocabulary necessary to talk about each medium, but we also will learn how to dissect each text with differing methods.  

When Offered Fall.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: one course at the GERST 3000-3209 level or equivalent, or placement by examination.

Distribution Category (ALC-AS, SCD-AS) (CA-AG, D-AG, LA-AG)
Language Requirement Satisfies Option 1.

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