| Unit name | Overcoming Empire |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GERM20057 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Allinson |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | Department of German |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
How do empires rise and fall? How are they constructed, imagined, remembered and contested? What happens when an empire collapses? And how do new political entities draw on history, culture, and language to create a sense of national belonging or identity? In this unit we will explore these questions through the lens of the complex and controversial emergence of Austria and Austrian identities. In the early 21st century, it might appear that Austria has a distinct identity, yet the modern state was established as recently as 1918, and originally dismissed as ‘the leftovers’ after the collapse of empires, including the Austo-Hungarian empire. Indeed, in the wake of this collapse, many Austrians would initially have preferred German or Swiss identities. We will explore how a clearer consensus emerged of what it meant to be Austrian, and how this relates in many different ways to Austria’s turbulent experience and history of empire.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit links to what you have learnt about literature, film, history, and the German language in your first year, but encourages you to apply this knowledge, and your critical skills, to a new case study: that of Austria. Placing Austria in a transnational framework and exploring its culture, language and history through the conceptual lens of empire, we will take a multidisciplinary approach to the contested development of Austrian identities, using historical tools, literature and film, and exploring the contribution of Austria’s distinct linguistic landscape. This will introduce you to new concepts and skills of use beyond this unit.
An overview of content
This is a multidisciplinary unit, where you will work with a team of staff who will introduce you to a range of different voices and methods for approaching key questions about Austrian identities, and how these relate to the histories, legacies, and concepts of empire. Initial sessions will focus on core topics such as “Concepts of Identity” or “Histories of Empire”, and how these relate to Austria. We will then explore a series of key aspects, each one focussing on a pivotal moment of Austria’s history, socio-political development, language use, or cultural production. These concepts might include "Spaces of Empire", "Languages of Empire", "Cultures of Empire", "Imagining Empire", or "Memorialising Empire".
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
This unit is designed to help you develop a creative and enquiring mindset that allows you to undertake research collaboratively. You will learn to take responsibility for your learning by devising a podcast topic. The group podcast will foster your adaptability and your communication skills, helping you to become a confident learner. Through an individual reflection on this learning process, you will learn how to present the skills you gain at university in a professional context.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
You will learn through a variety of activities:
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The formative task helps you to devise a suitable topic for your podcast.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Group podcast, 20 minutes (75%) [ILOs 1-4]
Individual reflection in German, 500 words (25%) [ILO 5]
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. GERM20057).
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.
