Dr. Sabrina Völz

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C5.118
Fon +49.4131.677-2664, sabrina.voelz@leuphana.de
Lektor*in, Sprache und Kultur
Assoziierte/r, Institute of English Studies

Inhaltsverzeichnis dieser Seite

Werdegang

Dr. Sabrina Völz has been teaching American Studies and English language courses in the Foreign Language Center at Leuphana since 1997. She received her Ph.D. from The Pennsylania State University, USA, in 1998.

Lehrgebiete

Academic writing, area studies including twentieth-century U.S. history, media, literature, and culture

Forschungsgebiete

  • Area Studies
  • African American Literature and Culture
  • German American Culture and History including the Amish
  • Life Writing
  • Native American / First Nations Studies
  • The North American Short Story

Projekte

  1. Maple Leaf & Stars and Stripes: Encountering Canada and the United States (7. Ringvorlesung)
    (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Sabrina Völz (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Maria Moss (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
    →

    Projekt: Wissenschaftliche Veranstaltung

  2. American Studies Journal/Blog IV
    Torben Schmidt (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Sabrina Völz (Projektmitarbeiter*in) , (Projektmitarbeiter*in) , Maria Moss (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
    →

    Projekt: Anderes

  3. Maple Leaf & Stars and Stripes: Encountering Canada and the United States (6. Ringvorlesung)
    (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Sabrina Völz (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Maria Moss (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
    →

    Projekt: Wissenschaftliche Veranstaltung

  4. Jewish-American Film Director Ethan Bensinger and His Documentary Refuge: Stories of the Selfhelp Home
    Sabrina Völz (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
    →

    Projekt: Wissenschaftliche Veranstaltung

  5. American Studies Journal and Blog
    Torben Schmidt (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) , Sabrina Völz (Projektmitarbeiter*in) , (Projektmitarbeiter*in) , Maria Moss (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
    →

    Projekt: Forschung

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Publikationen

Bücher und Anthologien

  1. The Plain People: Contemporary Perspectives and Future Prospects
    Sabrina Völz (Herausgeber*in) , Maria Moss (Herausgeber*in) , 2017 Göttingen

    Publikation: Bücher und Anthologien › Konferenzbände und -dokumentationen › Forschung

  2. White-Indian Relations: Moving into the 21<sup>st</sup> Century
    Sabrina Völz (Herausgeber*in) , Maryann Henck (Herausgeber*in) , Maria Moss (Herausgeber*in) , 2011 Berlin / Madison, WI , 234 S.

    Publikation: Bücher und Anthologien › Konferenzbände und -dokumentationen › Forschung

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Beiträge in Zeitschriften

  1. The Necessity and Challenges of Researching Sexual Abuse in Amish Communities
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2024 , in: Journal of Mennonite Studies, 42 , S. 193-219 , 27 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet

  2. The 'Games' People Play: The Dangers of Holocaust Simulations and Thought Experiments in Nathan Englander’s and Ellen Umansky’s Short Stories and Beyond
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 29.12.2021 , in: Journal of the Austrian Association for America Studies, 3, 1 , S. 159-178 , 20 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet

  3. Cultural Memory, Legal Lynching, and the Death Penalty in Ernest J. Gaines’s<i> A Lesson Before Dying </i>
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2020 , in: Literatur in Wissenschaft und Unterricht, 50 (2017), 3/4 , S. 155-170 , 16 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet

  4. Review of: Toews, Miriam. 2018. Women Talking. London, UK: Faber &amp; Faber. 216pp., h/c. $24.00.
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2020 , in: Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies, 8, 1 , S. 101-102 , 2 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Rezensionen › Forschung

  5. Towards ‘New Memoir’: Ira Wagler’s Ex-Amish Life Narrative <i>Growing Up Amish</i>
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 25.10.2017 , in: American Studies Journal, 63

    Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Konferenzaufsätze in Fachzeitschriften › Forschung › begutachtet

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Beiträge in Sammelwerken

  1. Exploring Difficult History Lessons, Identity Construction, the Artistic Expansion of Sitcom Storytelling Tools in the Black-ish Episode, "Juneteenth"
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2025 Lanham , S. 162-175 , 14 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Sammelwerken › Kapitel › Forschung › begutachtet

  2. Exposing Sexual Abuse among the Amish and Seeking Social Change: Misty Griffin’s Tears of the Silenced
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2025 Berlin, Boston , S. 183-200 , 18 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Sammelwerken › Kapitel › Forschung › begutachtet

  3. Bernard Malamud (1914-1986)
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 19.01.2022 Berlin , S. 425-443 , 19 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Sammelwerken › Kapitel › Forschung › begutachtet

  4. Life Writing - Writing Life: A Project-Based Approach
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.06.2021 Bochum , S. 228-236 , 9 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Sammelwerken › Aufsätze in Konferenzbänden › Lehre › begutachtet

  5. <i>Lee Daniels' The Butler</i>: Overcoming the Transgressions of<i> Precious</i> and Negotiating the Double Bind
    Sabrina Völz (Autor*in) , 01.01.2018 1.. Aufl. , S. 83 - 100 , 18 S.

    Publikation: Beiträge in Sammelwerken › Aufsätze in Konferenzbänden › Forschung › begutachtet

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Aktivitäten

  1. Exposing Sexual Abuse among the Amish and Seeking Social Change. Misty Griffin’s Tears of the Silenced (Universität Bielefeld)
    Sabrina Völz (Sprecher*in)

    Aktivität: Konferenzvorträge › Forschung

  2. Talking the Talk - Walking the Walk: Race, Racism and Anti-Racism in the EFL Classroom and Beyond (Virtual Teacher Seminar: Teach about the U.S.)
    Sabrina Völz (Sprecher*in)

    Aktivität: Vorträge in anderen Veranstaltungen › Forschung

  3. Ex-Amish Memoir: An Emerging Genre?
    Sabrina Völz (Sprecher*in)

    Aktivität: Gastvorträge und -vorlesungen › Lehre

  4. Ernest J. Gaines' <i>A Lesson Before Dying</i>
    Sabrina Völz (Sprecher*in)

    Aktivität: Gastvorträge und -vorlesungen › Lehre

  5. Towards 'New Memoir': Ira Wagler's Ex-Amish Life Narrative Growing Up Amish
    Sabrina Völz (Sprecher*in)
    →

    Aktivität: Konferenzvorträge › Forschung

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Presse / Medien

Auszeichnungen

Lehrveranstaltungen

Academic Writing (Group I)
Sabrina Völz
⌄
Do you have a good command of academic vocabulary? Do you know how to write a proper introduction to a research paper? Or what strategies apart from the summary you can use for the conclusion? Do you know the difference between informal and formal English? Do you have a good idea of how to vary your sentence structure or integrate creative elements into your academic prose? Do you know the ins and outs of using AI-based writing tools without sounding like a bot or relying too heavily on them? If you have answered no to two or more of these questions, then this might be the course for you.

Each participant will gain experience reading and responding to academic texts, improve research and analytical skills, as well as have ample opportunities to actively apply course concepts through weekly writing activities. Students will learn strategies for writing effective academic texts and critically evaluate a number of conventional and AI-powered reference works and writing tools.

Form of Assessment (50% of module Grade): in-class writing assignment
Nächster Termin:
Dienstag, 28.04.2026 um 14:15 Uhr
Raum: C 5.019 Seminarraum
Academic Writing (Group II)
Sabrina Völz
⌄
Do you have a good command of academic vocabulary? Do you know how to write a proper introduction to a research paper? Or what strategies apart from the summary you can use for the conclusion? Do you know the difference between informal and formal English? Do you have a good idea of how to vary your sentence structure or integrate creative elements into your academic prose? Do you know the ins and outs of using AI-based writing tools without sounding like a bot or relying too heavily on them? If you have answered no to two or more of these questions, then this might be the course for you.

Each participant will gain experience reading and responding to academic texts, improve research and analytical skills, as well as have ample opportunities to actively apply course concepts through weekly writing activities. Students will learn strategies for writing effective academic texts and critically evaluate a number of conventional and AI-powered reference works and writing tools.

Form of Assessment (50% of module Grade): in-class writing assignment
Nächster Termin:
Dienstag, 28.04.2026 um 16:15 Uhr
Raum: C 5.019 Seminarraum
Advanced Language Skills
Sabrina Völz
⌄
This course will focus on skills development from both the learner's and the teacher's perspective. This is a very practical course which will cover a number of interesting and debated issues related to skills development for learners of English at different levels of proficiency. In addition to skills development, participants will try their hands at designing activities for themselves and/or learners of English.
Nächster Termin:
Mittwoch, 29.04.2026 um 12:15 Uhr
Raum: C 5.311 Seminarraum
Cat Got Your Tongue? – Developing Your Oral Communication Skills in English (Group 1). Englisch ab B2
Sabrina Völz
⌄
Are you uncomfortable speaking in English in front of a group? Do you want to say something in your classes, but can’t get the words out fast enough? Do you want to be prepared to meet workplace demands, where employees are valued for their ability to communicate? If so, then this is the course for you.

In this student-centered class, we will work on vocabulary-building strategies while improving oral fluency and proficiency skills in English. Moreover, students will practice their public speaking skills in various contexts (small talk, presentations, interviewing, etc).
Nächster Termin:
Dienstag, 28.04.2026 um 12:15 Uhr
Raum: C 5.111 Seminarraum
Cat Got Your Tongue? – Developing Your Oral Communication Skills in English (Group 2). Englisch ab B2
Sabrina Völz
⌄
Are you uncomfortable speaking in English in front of a group? Do you want to say something in your classes, but can’t get the words out fast enough? Do you want to be prepared to meet workplace demands, where employees are valued for their ability to communicate? If so, then this is the course for you.

In this student-centered class, we will work on vocabulary-building strategies while improving oral fluency and proficiency skills in English. Moreover, students will practice their public speaking skills in various contexts (small talk, presentations, interviewing, etc).
Nächster Termin:
Donnerstag, 30.04.2026 um 14:15 Uhr
Raum: C 12.010 Seminarraum
Effective Communication (Intensive Course | Group 2)
Sabrina Völz
⌄
This course will help students refresh and refine their written and oral communication skills in English. Each participant will become familiar with some of the fundamentals of successful business and academic communication, including email and essay writing, developing their presentation skills, and academic register (e.g., the differences between formal vs. informal English). This course will also cover certain aspects of language and vocabulary use, including university/Leuphana terminology. At the end of the week, students should feel more confident about communicating in a variety of contexts and genres.
Nächster Termin:
Montag, 14.09.2026 um 10:15 Uhr
Raum: C 7.013 Seminarraum
Effective Communication (Intensive Course | Group 5)
Sabrina Völz
⌄
This course will help students refresh and refine their written and oral communication skills in English. Each participant will become familiar with some of the fundamentals of successful business and academic communication, including email and essay writing, developing their presentation skills, and academic register (e.g., the differences between formal vs. informal English). This course will also cover certain aspects of language and vocabulary use, including university/Leuphana terminology. At the end of the week, students should feel more confident about communicating in a variety of contexts and genres.
Nächster Termin:
Montag, 21.09.2026 um 10:15 Uhr
Raum: C 7.013 Seminarraum
Writing With Style: Discovering Your Academic Voice in English. Englisch C1
Sabrina Völz
⌄
Will you write your bachelor thesis in English and are not quite sure if you're ready? Will you need to write an assignment or essay in English for one of your classes this semester? Do you want to become proficient with AI-based and digital tools in English? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you may want to take this class.

Just as students need to know the fundamentals of math to use the calculator properly, academics need certain skills to make the most out of a seemingly unending amount of AI-driven writing tools. In this class, we'll explore the fundamentals of academic writing and the possibilities of digital and/or AI-driven tools.

Further topics include recognizing quality writing, including producing knock-out introductions and conclusions, making the most of citations, examining personal bias and positionality (how one's identity affects their writing and research), and critically revising one's own work. Finally, we'll also take a closer look at matters of style and creative language use.

Participants will work on and discuss many writing activities in class. At the same time, due to the heterogeneity of seminar participants, the instructor will assist students in developing their own writing styles and mentor them individually. Those who are willing to put the time and effort into the class should notice a great improvement in their confidence and writing skills.

Nächster Termin:
Freitag, 24.04.2026 um 10:15 Uhr
Raum: C 5.104