GERM 44.08 Sustainability and German Environmental Imagination

Ecological crises and sustainability related issues such as climate change, loss of biological and cultural diversity, and natural catastrophes are among the most pressing issues we face today. Without a doubt, we are now called to think about our actions and the ways they shape the future of our communities and planet. Sustainability challenges have multiple dimensions, requiring collaboration across various fields and disciplines. In this course, while focusing on the evolution of German ecological imagination and thinking from 1800 to the period in which we currently live, i.e., the Anthropocene, we will constantly highlight the connections among environmental, social, cultural, political, economic, and technological factors and perspectives. Through literary, scientific, and journalistic texts, films, plays, musical and visual art works, we will analyze catastrophic and ecologically impactful events such as the Second World War, Chernobyl, and Fukushima; try to capture the changing modes of the relationship between the human and the nonhuman; and discuss environmental justice and various forms of environmental activism.

Taught in English. German majors and minors are encouraged to read and view German-speaking materials in original.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

German Studies