History 697G: Race and the Exotic in German Culture

Monika Albrecht

Spring 2004, Thurs. 6:00 - 8:30 pm

Synopsis:

Drawing on postcolonial theory, this course explores racism and exotism in German culture from the Enlightenment to the present. During this period, exoticist tropes connect criticism of Western society to an imagined desirable world, of an authentic and original state of mankind in an untouched. While racist tropes also project a social fantasy, it is in the form of a 'demonic other,' in every respect the opposite of what is desired. German literary texts in translation illustrate patterns of racist and exoticist thought from the eighteenth century to the present.  Critical texts include classics of postcolonial theory, as well exciting scholarly innovations in the field.

Syllabus: Not available

Course Website: Not available