Topics in German Culture and Society: German Affects

This course sets out from the assumption that emotions are historically as well as culturally determined. In discussing literature, philosophy, theory, and film, we will traverse a variety of emotions and ask whether there exists anything like particularly “German” emotions. Our discussion will focus on love, resentment, the uncanny, shock and Angst, hatred, trauma and apathy, rage, Heimweh, enthusiasm, shame, and Schadenfreude.