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SoSe 18: Life in the Metropolis: a Social History of Berlin and London 1900-1930

Anna Lena Kocks

Comments

Subject:At the beginning of the twentieth century, Berlin and London boomed. Both cities saw significant changes in the occupational structure, in housing conditions, in infrastructure as well as in lifestyles. Increasing democratisation, the formation of women’s movements, migration and generational conflicts had a significant influence on life in these cities, as did the national and international political and economic context. Berlin and London each had a varied urban culture that was still rapidly expanding. Both capitals continuously attracted new inhabitants from all levels of society. The cities were characterized by wealth and by poverty at the same time. Different districts could seem worlds apart. Correspondingly, the ways in which the cities’ inhabitants perceived and experienced life in the metropolis were manifold. Program: In this course, we will take a closer look at city life from the beginning of the twentieth century to the First World War, the post-war years, the so-called ‘Roaring Twenties’ until the ‘Great Depression’. What was life in Berlin and London like? How did people of the different social classes live? What were their experiences of metropolitan everyday life? What effects did urbanization and the boom in urban popular culture, leisure and consumption have on their lives? By adopting a comparative approach, the course will trace and examine similarities and differences in the social history of these two big cities over a time span of thirty years and thereby critically assess an important aspect of European history. Is this course suitable for you? This course is open to students from the Social Sciences, Cultural Studies, Arts and Humanities. Students should be prepared to study a number of academic and literary texts as well as historical sources in English and should be interested in discussing and analysing aspects of social and cultural history. Workload and Assessment: In order to obtain 5 ECTS credits, students will have to • attend the course regularly and participate actively; • study the weekly course materials (an average of 25 pages of English texts per week); • give a brief presentation in class (approx. 15 minutes); • pass the written examination (90 minutes). close

13 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Fri, 10:00 - 12:00 13 Class schedule

Fri, 2018-04-20 10:00 - 12:00

Lecturers:
Anna Lena Kocks