16922

SoSe 21: German democracy in American perspective

Daniel Louis Nethery

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Subject: In response to the storming of the Capitol of the United States of America in January of this year, which served as a stark reminder that the institution of democracy cannot be taken for granted, we will read works by American authors on democracy in Germany. Was Germany under Bismarck a democracy? Was Hitler elected to power? How democratic was the German Democratic Republic? And how robust is democracy in Germany today? These are questions which the course will address. Program: We will learn about critical moments in the history of German democracy: the revolution of 1848, the institution of democracy in the German Empire, its suspension under Hitler, the fate of democracy in Germany divided, and German democracy since reunification. We will also discuss texts from the theoretical literature on democracy, including the classic Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville as well as recent works of American political science. If circumstances permit the course will also comprise excursions to important democratic monuments in Berlin, chief among them the Reichstag building. By the end of the course you will have gained a broad understanding of the history of democracy in Germany and a familiarity with important themes in the theoretical literature. Is this course for me? This course is open to students in the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies. There are no prerequisites. Workload and assessment: To qualify for 5 ECTS points you will need to attend the course regularly, engage with the course materials, and pass the final written examination. close