course-schedule

A Way with Words - Away with Words: Reading and Writing Short Fiction and Novels. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Inhalt: Are you natural talent when it comes to creativity or are you still waiting to find the right 'source' - or should I say 'course' of inspiration? Are your ready to meander along the blurry borders between fact and fiction in order to tell a story even if it's a lie? And finally, do you have a way with words or are they still having their way with you? Then welcome to the world of creative thought and fiction: A Way with Words, Away with Words. In this seminar, you will encounter a variety of creative writing methods in generative workshops (e.g. catalytic creativity exercises for plotlines and character development) as well as responsive workshops (e.g. peer-editing and evaluation methods for constructive criticism). Beginning with a variety of short fiction (twiction, drabbles, vignettes, flash fiction, short stories) and then proceeding to the novel, we will examine and discuss these various forms of prose as well as experiment with exercises in style and literary techniques. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to acquire vocabulary enrichment techniques, develop a feeling for nuances in language (connotations, register), and effectively employ stylistic devices. Finally, you will learn to develop and refine a personal literary style.

Confronting Contemporary Culture. (FSL-SZ) (Profil NAS Modul 3) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Lynette Kirschner

Termin:
wöchentlich | Mittwoch | 10:15 - 13:45 | 01.04.2019 - 05.07.2019 | C 5.310 Seminarraum

Inhalt: This project about SteamPunk entails all stages of creating a collaborative novella in English. Students will work in teams in conjunction with their instructor/s for various aspects of the project and will become familiar with genre-related practices and contemporary discourses in North America. This seminar combines theoretical foundations with practical application.

Creative Writing: Poetry, Short Fiction, and Beyond. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Maria Moss

Termin:
wöchentlich | Freitag | 12:15 - 15:45 | 01.04.2019 - 05.07.2019 | C 5.111 Seminarraum

Inhalt: Interested in awakening your creative spirit and discovering your potential for equally creative output? This seminar puts theory into practice by offering a variety of exercises to ignite ideas, experiment with literary styles and genres as well as give and receive constructive criticism in peer-editing sessions. This seminar will help you develop your own style and voice when writing poetry, flash fiction and/or vignettes, short stories, and a part of a drama. While students will use the Cisneros “snapshot approach” to writing vignettes (e.g. expressing a certain moment, mood, character, or object while creating an atmosphere, not a story), they will initially write poetry by copying the “masters.” Starting out with traditional Japanese Haikus, students will soon move to the great modernists, such as Robert Frost, W.C. Williams, or Gertrude Stein. Students will also read different short stories to see the differences between a more traditional approach (e.g. Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery”) to more postmodern methods of writing in authors such as Margaret Atwood, Donald Barthelme, Thomas King, and Lorrie Moore. The last assignment is creating part of a drama: students will begin by finishing scenes from different plays before writing their own act. Very different from a novel, a short story or a poem, a drama focuses almost exclusively on dialogue which delivers the message and thoughts of the author. In the end, students will have a portfolio (for lack of a better name), consisting of 3 Haikus, 3 pieces of short fiction, 3 poems, one short story and/or one act of a drama.

Dramatize This! Reading, Writing, and Performing for the Stage and Screen. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Maryann Henck

Inhalt: This seminar is not just for drama kings and queens, but for anyone interested in the link between written and spoken words in general as well as composing and performing dialogues in specific. By examining excerpts from plays, sitcoms, and dramadies, we will explore possibilities for transforming stories into dramatic scenarios. In the following sessions, we will experiment with creative writing techniques that will help you craft dialogues for your own dramatic scenario. The seminar will consist of group peer-editing sessions as well as individual appointments to support you during the creative process. Of course, drama is meant to be performed. Therefore, at the end of the semester, you will be expected to translate your dramatic scenarios into a final mini-performance, e.g. on stage, as street theater, or in sitcom/dramedy format.

German Americans Meet Life Writing. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Sabrina Völz

Termin:
wöchentlich | Montag | 10:15 - 13:45 | 01.04.2019 - 05.07.2019 | C 5.109 Seminarraum

Inhalt: In this seminar, we will look at the ethnic group German-Americans through the cultural, social, economic, and political lenses of various types of life writing and other non-fictional texts. Selected topics chosen by the students relating to German-American immigration, life, and culture will be discussed, e.g. German American Internment in the U.S. (1941-1948) & German-American relations under Trump. A variety of life narratives will serve as an instrument of instruction and provide deep insight into American and Amish cultures. The 'noticing' approach will be complemented with a deductive approach by coming to terms with the literary theory of memoir writing, the impact of postmodernism on 'the truth', ethics, and aspects of creative non-fiction. As part of the project component of the course, students will have the chance to apply some of the techniques used in life writing to write about their own experiences, using the process-oriented approach to writing. No experience in creative writing is necessary. Everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?

Humor in Television, Film, and Literature. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Sabrina Völz

Inhalt: There are many kinds and functions of humor. In some cases, humor is meant to entertain or poke fun at something, and in other cases, it is a serious matter, a deadly serious matter. After a brief introduction to incongruity, superiority, and relief theories of humor, representation theory, and English terms in the field of humor studies, we will analyze American, British, and Canadian humor in literature and television, approaching the various themes, modes, and cultural contexts through the interdisciplinary lenses of aesthetics, gender studies, sociology, history, or ethnic studies (where appropriate). A special emphasis will be placed on the sitcoms "I Love Lucy" and "Black-ish" as well as stand-up comedy (Chris Rock and Ellen DeGeneres), sketch comedy (Mr. Bean), political humor in Late Night Talk Shows, and satirical/edgy humor in the short stories of the Canadian/Native writer Thomas King. Students will have the opportunity to influence course content through their choice of presentation topics. This content-based seminar will also help students to actively perfect their speaking skills in English. While working on presentation techniques, a special focus will be placed on developing fluency and use of voice (pauses, pace, expressiveness, and volume). Moreover, students will be mentored on an individual basis.

Introducing North American Studies (FSL-SZ) (Modul 1, Profil NAS) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Maria Moss

Inhalt: Since the North American continent is one of the most diverse places in the world with a rich immigrant history, a vibrant political culture, and an influential media and arts industry, this seminar approaches its topics not only from a socio-cultural and historical point-of-view, but also from a genre- or media-specific perspective. In the seminar, we will encounter three aspects of North American Studies: first, NAS as an academic subject influenced by both academic as well as non-academic discourses (such as politics, religion, and the justice system); second, NAS encompassing a vast range of topics such as minority voices, aspects of “Otherness” (e.g. ethnic, religious); and third, NAS as a showcase for cultural production reflected in literature, art, and film. After a general introduction to North American Studies, we will concentrate on the following topics: Native cultures and the oral tradition; European colonization and immigration; Canada-U.S. relations (settlement patterns, ecological movements, and literary cultures); mainstream and marginalized voices that – encouraged by the social movements of the 1960s – enriched both the political debates and the literatures of North America. A discussion of North American pop culture will conclude the survey course. Apart from traditional academic texts, we will also examine non-academic texts such as blogs, newspapers, songs and political cartoons.

The Art of Debate: The Rhetoric of Disagreement (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Paul Lauer

Termin:
wöchentlich | Mittwoch | 14:15 - 17:45 | 01.04.2019 - 05.07.2019 | C 5.310 Seminarraum

Inhalt: In this seminar you will have the opportunity to develop the rhetorical and linguistic skills needed for critical and argumentative reasoning. You will be able to. In contrast to mainstream debating with its emphasis on scoring points for winning arguments, we are developing a less competitive format with the goal of researching and debating issues in order to find insight into issues of deep importance to you and your fellow students. It is, if you will, an opportunity to leave your “bubble” and question your most deeply held beliefs. Substantial research will be involved in preparing these debates.

Where No Man Has Gone Before: Women in Science Fiction. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Lynette Kirschner

Termin:
wöchentlich | Montag | 10:15 - 13:45 | 01.04.2019 - 05.07.2019 | C 5.311 Seminarraum

Inhalt: What can social science fiction tell us about gender, politics or ecology? How can this genre - whose roots lie in pulp fiction - shed light on a variety of social issues? These and other questions will be examined in this seminar. According to the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, “…the organizing concept of social science fiction is speculation about the future of society through projecting potential innovations in the knowledge and techniques of the social sciences… and focuses on their social consequences.” In this seminar, students will read excerpts of social science fiction from female as well as male authors and investigate how this genre presents a critique of social conditions. In order to do this, students will acquire a knowledge of and apply various theories to analyze social aspects of select short stories and/or excerpts. In addition to the theoretical introduction, students will also participate in writing workshops (e.g. essays of argumentation) as well as a Skype session with a contemporary science fiction writer.

Course Schedule

Lehrveranstaltungen

A Way with Words - Away with Words: Reading and Writing Short Fiction and Novels. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Confronting Contemporary Culture. (FSL-SZ) (Profil NAS Modul 3) (Seminar)

Creative Writing: Poetry, Short Fiction, and Beyond. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Dramatize This! Reading, Writing, and Performing for the Stage and Screen. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

German Americans Meet Life Writing. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Humor in Television, Film, and Literature. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Introducing North American Studies (FSL-SZ) (Modul 1, Profil NAS) (Seminar)

The Art of Debate: The Rhetoric of Disagreement (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)

Where No Man Has Gone Before: Women in Science Fiction. (FSL-SZ) (Seminar)