| Unit name | Visibility Matters: Identity, Diversity, and Power in the Cultural Marketplace |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GERM30081 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Schofield |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of German |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
What do the latest developments in contemporary German-language literature and publishing tell us about what it means to be German and Austrian today? Which voices are granted access to the cultural marketplace, and which are excluded? How does contemporary literature shape current debates on race, gender and sexuality, and the relationship of language to identity?
Addressing these questions, this unit explores core structures of German-language publishing – literary prizes; bestsellers; and multilingualism and translation – alongside extracts from relevant literary works. We will assess how these structures determine ideas about what German-language literature “should” be, who is “allowed” to write it, and what themes it is “permitted” to address. Interrogating the traditional categories that have been used to determine the parameters of German-language literature, you will analyse a range of extracts from contemporary texts (short stories, novels, graphic novels, essays), and work collaboratively on a project relating to the publishing industry.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit engages with contemporary debates on identity and culture: how these intersect, are institutionalised, and are translated. It is likely that you encountered some of these debates during your Year Abroad, and the unit also builds on your studies throughout your degree of how culture constructs images of Germany and Austria domestically and transnationally. As a final-year unit, it deepens your intercultural understanding by exploring the contemporary diversity of German-language literature and by working with cutting-edge research. You will cultivate independent research skills in an essay, and collaborate with each other, applying your knowledge to a simulated real-word task.
An overview of content
On this unit, we will map features and gatekeepers of German-language publishing culture, and assess how these shape inclusion and exclusion. From this foundation we will analyse literary works through the lens of: (i) literary prizes, and their role in providing a public stage for diverse literary representation; (ii) translation and multilingualism as powerful means with which literature can address concepts of visibility, voice, and belonging; and (iii) examples of when the bestseller has become a flashpoint for national and transnational debates on questions of race, gender, and sexuality.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
The debates considered on this unit are of wide relevance beyond Germany and Austria. By the end of the unit, you will understand how contemporary literature comes to market; how this shapes discourses of inclusion and exclusion; and the impact of this on the construction of identity – transferable concepts that will enable you to engage critically with related debates in academic and non-academic contexts. You will be able to showcase your independent research orally and in writing, and also through collaborative projects, enhancing your team-working skills, and your ability to demonstrate the relevance of your studies in professional contexts.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
This is a dynamic and constantly evolving topic, with new perspectives and approaches rapidly shaping contemporary German-language culture. As a result, you will be able to pursue and integrate your own lines of intellectual enquiry into the unit, alongside your study of the set readings and topics. To support this, the seminars will provide you with a firm theoretical grounding in the subject, as well as explorations of case studies modelling different approaches to the literary market and questions of diversity and inclusion. The unit will be taught through seminars consisting of a combination of short, informal lectures, and small group and plenary discussions of set texts. You will also have opportunities to lead discussions, in which you can explore your own research questions and ideas about the texts and the literary industry, as further preparation for your assessments.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will be able to prepare effectively for our weekly seminars by responding to discussion prompts, guiding questions, and short tasks released beforehand on Blackboard. These short tasks allow you to develop skills which will support your later work on your summative group project and on your individual essay.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
A collaborative group project resulting in a 15-minute presentation.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. GERM30081).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
