To introduce students to a range of cultural artefacts from the Weimar Republic. Students are enabled to situate the texts and films in historical context, paying particular attention to two major developments in the twentieth century: the growth of the modern metropolis (especially Berlin) and changing concepts of gender - masculinity and femininity - in the wake of the First World War;

To introduce students to concepts of literary and film analysis as well as critical theory relevant to the themes of the texts (the city, class and gender identity);

To develop students' critical writing skills in two different tasks - commentaries and an essay - and will acquire further competence in online tasks.

(LO1) Students will demonstrate an awareness of the cultural output and historical and political context of Weimar Republic-era Germany, with particular focus on the theme of the city and on notions of class and gender.

(LO2) Students will further develop critical and analytical skills enabling them to situate texts and concepts in their historical context.

(LO3) Students will be able to evaluate a range of textual and critical evidence, to assess their relative merits and to construct in verbal and written form clearly reasoned arguments on the basis of such evidence.

(LO4) Through close readings of selected primary material, students will develop their awareness of language and literary strategies, and an awareness of historical film techniques and the form of critical film analysis.

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Media analysis

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S4) Global citizenship - Cultural awareness

(S5) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Listening skills

(S6) Global citizenship - foreign language skills

(S7) Research skills - independent analysis

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: The module is delivered through lectures and seminars. The introductory classes for the course, and on each new area, take the form of tutor-led lectures which provide details of the historical context and guidance on critical approaches to the films/texts.

Students are also expected to contribute to informal online tasks (through VITAL) as preparation for, or follow-up to, classes.

The course is assessed by means of two commentary assignments (of graduated weighting), which develop students skills in close reading and analysis, and a longer essay which allows them to develop an argument at some length, engaging with the secondary literature and presenting their work in a recognised academic form.

The texts are available both in German and in English (the films are sub-titled), but students of German, or with competence in German, are encouraged to use their target-language skills.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Tea ching Method 2 - Seminar
Description: Seminars are a mix of student presentations and group discussion, based upon contextual, thematic and stylistic analyses of the set texts / films. Students will be expected to make substantial oral contributions to the seminars.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Skill / other attribute 1:
Research skills - independent analysis
How this is developed:
In preparing for seminars and in writing commentary/essay coursework.

Skill / other attribute 2:
Global citizenship - foreign language skills.
How this is developed:
In engagement with the primary sources.

Skill /other attribute 3:
Communication (oral, written and visual) - listening skills.
How this is developed:
Lectures in particular, also seminar discussions.

Skill / other attribute 4:
Global citizenship - cultural awareness.
How this is developed:
Encouraged through lectures and seminar discussions.

Skill / other attribu te 5:
Critical thinking and problem solving - critical analysis.
How this is developed:
In seminar discussions and in coursework.

Skill / other attribute 6:
Communication (oral, written and visual) - academic writing (inc. referencing skills).
How this is developed:
In all assessed work.

Skill / other attribute 7:
Communication (oral, written and visual) - media analysis.
How this is developed:
In lectures, seminar discussions and in coursework analysis.

Topics covered during the module may include:

Introduction to the history of the Weimar Republic;

Introduction to Weimar Berlin and concepts of the city;

Arriving in the metropolis;

Crime and community;

Becoming modern.