13176a

SoSe 20: Post/Colonial Berlin: History and Heritage

Minu Haschemi Yekani

Additional information / Pre-requisites

The course will consist of a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous online teaching and learning. Students registered for the course will be informed about the syllabus and further details on Friday, April 24. Please note: I would like to invite everybody to participate in our first online class on Wednesday 29, 3-4 pm (Webex). During the rest of the semester, occasional meetings will take place on Thursdays 2-3 pm. Due to the actual circumstances, these meetings are not mandatory; students can complete the course without participating in them. All literature that is needed will be provided via Blackboard. The seminar requirements for “active and regular participation” will be based on a weekly text reading, response papers, forum contributions on Blackboard, self-organized group discussions, and presentations. A research paper is optional (depending on module). close

Comments

While in the public debates the meaning of Germany's imperial legacy is still suspect, this seminar aims to understand Berlin's history as a post/imperial metropolis. Berlin's role shifted from being the metropolis of a colonial empire to the capital of colonial-revisionist regret and a hub for anti-imperial actors, a destination for post/imperial migrations in the pre- and postwar periods. Last but not least, in the most recent debates, questions of heritage and postcolonial politics arise. In this course, we will reflect on the past and today's attempts to deal with Germany's colonial history in the capital and its (in-)visible traces. We will treat the cities places and objects as a burning glass that enables us to discuss various questions, such as: What defines an imperial metropolis? Is there a necessity to de-center such an understanding? How persistent is the colonial? What distinguishes Berlin and its specific "imperial mythology" (Simon Gikandi) from other cities, e.g., London, Paris, or Lisbon? – In engaging with the history through a selection of case studies and sources, we will try to interpret Berlin's post/colonial history, possibly in new ways, and also discover links to a more "global" understanding of Berlin's post/colonial history. Please note: Even though all seminar discussions will be held in English, reading skills in German (level B1) are mandatory for this class. close