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GM301A: HUMANS AND OTHERS: MODERNITY AND ITS DISCONTENTS A (2018-2019)

Last modified: 22 May 2019 17:07


Course Overview

What does it mean to be human? Writers have explored this question by turning to the nonhuman, and to realms of experience that modern human life excludes. The course examines literary works in relation to early twentieth century thought, society and culture in order to understand writers' discontentment with modern life. The course involves reading some key works of German literary modernism, by authors such as Döblin, Kafka, Rilke, Musil, and Hesse, alongside works by influential thinkers of this period such as Nietzsche, Simmel and Freud.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Old Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Ms Tara Beaney

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • German (GM)
  • Programme Level 3

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

What does it mean to be human? Writers have explored this question by turning to what humans are not – particularly to animals, which may stand for all that is excluded from human life. The course examines literary works in relation to early twentieth century thought, society and culture in order to understand writers' discontentment with the conditions of modern human existence. The course explores the concept of humanity and the human by reading some key works of German literary modernism, by authors such as Döblin, Kafka, Rilke, Musil, and Hesse, alongside works by influential thinkers of this period such as philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, sociologist Georg Simmel and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.

The following primary texts should be read before the start of the course:

Georg Simmel, ‘Die Großstädte und das Geistesleben’ (1903, sociological essay)

Alfred Döblin, ‘Die Ermordung einer Butterblume’ (1910, short story in collection of the same name)

Franz Kafka, ‘Die Verwandlung’ (1915, story)

____, ‘Bericht für eine Akademie’ (1917, short story)

____, ‘Ein Hungerkünstler’ (1922, short story)

Friedrich Nietzsche, Zur Geneologie der Moral (1887, philosophical work) especially part II (extracts will be provided during the course)

Rainer Maria Rilke, please read the following poems: ‘Der Panther’ (1902), the first, second, fourth, eighth and ninth Duineser Elegien (1923), the first of the Sonette an Orpheus (1923)

Hugo von Hofmannsthal, ‘Chandos Brief’ (1902, fictional letter)

Sigmund Freud, ‘Aus der Geschichte einer infantilen Neurose’, especially Section IV: ‘Der Traum und die Urszene’ (1918, psychoanalytical case-study)

Hermann Hesse, Der Steppenwolf (1927, novel)


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1st Attempt

  • One in-class presentation (30%) and one essay (70%) word length 2500 words.  

Resit

  • Written examination (100%)

Formative Assessment

Project work and in-class discussions.

Feedback

All essays are returned within no more than 3 weeks of submission. All assignments receive CGS marks, which the course guide links to specific marking criteria, and written and/or verbal feedback in the form of tutors' comments is also given. Additional informal feedback on seminar participation is offered in seminars. Tutors have office hours at which further feedback may be sought.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

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