German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Studies: GSD

Lower-Division Courses

GSD X01. Introduction to the Study of Northern Europe.

Introduces significant moments in and monuments from the cultural histories of the German-speaking, Scandinavian, and Dutch nations from their beginnings to the present. Designed to discuss representative problems in research and analysis in cultural studies and the humanities.

GSD X10. Introductory Topics on Northern Europe.

Introduction to important topics in the history of Northern Europe's culture, including areas from history, the arts, film studies, language and linguistics, and literature.

GSD X10.1. American Jews: The Yiddish Experience.

Focuses on over a century of Yiddish-based contributions to American literature, music, and film, including works by Isaac Bashevis Singer, Michael Chabon, Woody Allen, and the Marx Brothers.

GSD X11C. Movies Go To War.

A comparison of films from various nations about major twentieth century wars to the historical facts of the conflicts as practicums in critical comparative analysis of histories as representations.

GSD X11D. Race and Gender Stereotypes in Germany.

Examination of pseudoscientific popular theories of "race" and gender that developed in Germany and elsewhere in Europe in the nineteenth century, and how these affected the lives of millions and shaped current thinking about "racial" and gender differences.

GSD X11E. Grimms' Fairy Tales.

Reading and discussion of tales from the Grimms' collection, as well as some of the relevant secondary literature.

GSD X11F. Germany and Globalization.

GSD X11G. Luther's World.

GSD X11I. Sweden: Innovating for the World.

Using case studies, trace Sweden's long history with innovation, starting with classic innovations produced with direct governmental support in the eighteenth century and continuing into present day with innovations like Spotify and Swish leading the way.

GSD X11J. Children's Literature of Northern Europe.

Explore nineteenth- to twenty-first-century children's literature from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Focus on the prominent place of children's literature in the popular culture of central and northern Europe, as well as the serious issues and themes which north Americans might otherwise consider "adult" that are often found in this genre-death, war, poverty, social justice, and family conflict-alongside whimsy, warmth and wonder.

GSD X12C. The Conversion of Pagan Europe.

Examine the familiar and unfamiliar fragments of what remains from pre-Christian European culture--the limited written records, the artifacts, and the folklore--as well as the more plentiful anti-pagan writings of early Christian missionaries. Test many of the popular claims about how Europe's pre-Christian inhabitants lived, what they believed, and how Christianization impacted their lives against the limits of what we can actually know, using the tools from the study of history, cultural studies, and religious studies.

GSD X12E. The Faust Legend: From the Magus to Today.

Examine a broad selection of the (re)tellings of the Faust legend, i.e., the "bargain with the Devil," to reveal how this particular narrative forms a pillar of the cultural heritage of the European Christendom.

GSD X19S. Topics in the Study of Northern Europe.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Germanic Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

Upper-Division Courses

GSD X21W. German Cultural History.

Excursions, local research, and exposure to a German viewpoint on contemporary European affairs.

GSD X29S. Topics in the Study of Northern Europe.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Germanic Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

GSD X31C. Films of Ingmar Bergman.

An introduction to the films of Ingmar Bergman.

GSD X31D. Feminism and Film: Women Filmmakers in Northern and Central Europe.

An introduction to the work of women filmmakers from Scandinavia, Germany, as well as to the viewing and interpretation of films in general.

GSD X31E. Scandinavian Cinema Since 1980.

GSD X31F. Central Europe Goes to Hollywood.

Survey research tools and methods used to study the history of Hollywood film industries and the roles that films and film professionals play; based on films and industry careers connected to Central Europe.

GSD X31G. Silent Film in Germany and Scandinavia.

Explore silent film and filmmaking in Germany and Scandinavia.

GSD X31J. German Cinema 1918-1945.

Explore the history and aesthetics of German cinema from 1918 until 1945.

GSD X41D. Social Dramas of Henrik Ibsen.

A detailed introduction to Ibsen's social dramas (1877-1899), emphasizing their unity as a prolonged commentary on the society of his era and the variety of its human problems. Special emphasis on subjects such as: the family and the home; the public world of reputation, work, and citizenship; the predicaments of men and women in a male-dominated society; and the motives of our interventions into the lives of others.

GSD X41E. Hans Christian Andersen.

Introduction to such Hans Christian Andersen tales as "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Emperor's New Clothes. Examination of their author and the romantic period in which they were written, as well as their historical, philosophical, and literary context.

GSD X41F. Women and the Holocaust.

Introduction to both the history of Jewish and German women during World War II and the Holocaust, and to women's narratives and self-representations of this period. Historical sources, memoirs, films, and interviews will be used as source material.

GSD X41G. Isak Dinesen/Karen Blixen.

An introduction to the twentieth-century Danish author Karen Blixen, focusing on her major themes such as gender and destiny, and examining her role as a literary figure.

GSD X41J. Contemporary Scandinavian Stories.

An analysis of contemporary Scandinavian literature and films, how they reflect Scandinavian reality, and how Scandinavian identity is created through sports, food, and politics.

GSD X41K. The Scandinavian Contribution to World Literature.

Close readings of the most influential Scandinavian texts, including works by Nobel Prize-winning authors such as Knut Hamsun and Selma Lagerlof, as well as the playwrights August Strindberg and Henrik Ibsen while addressing important themes caused by the revolutionary transition to modernity in Scandinavia around 1900, including emancipation of women and sexuality.

GSD X41L. Vikings and Their Literature.

GSD X41M. Arendt and de Beauvoir.

GSD X41N. Nobel Prizes: Literature and Politics.

An introduction to Nobel Prize winning authors from northern Europe in the context of literary prizes and the politics of literary reputation. Analyze and compare literary works, set novels into historical context, investigate what popular and scholarly reviews do, and research in both popular and scholarly sources.

GSD X41Q. Northern European Comics.

A study of graphic novels from Scandinavia, Germany, and Holland to understand the art form of comics and the influence of the cultures in which they were produced. Readings, all in English, cover various genres and time periods.

GSD X41S. German Media: Print to Television.

Examine the history of media technology and its cultural and political implication in the German (speaking) context.

GSD X41T. Germanic Novels: History, Culture, and Interpretation.

Explore several representative novels by German, Scandinavian, or Dutch writers, along with representative texts and essays on the novel as a genre and interpretative strategies. Examine these works in their literary and cultural contexts via lectures and discussions.

GSD X41U. Hegel and His Heirs: Philosophy That Remade the West.

Explore how Hegel's philosophy contributed to the founding of the modern social sciences and led to innovations in the study of religion, psychology, education, social organizations, and social reform.

GSD X51C. Language, Culture, and the Texas German Experience.

The evolution of the culture and language of German immigrants to Texas from the 1840s through the present and how they have influenced other ethnic groups in Texas.

GSD X51D. Identity, Codes, and Culture.

Explore how to read identities as patterns in literary texts, linguistic and cultural corpora with digital methods, and come to a deeper understanding of individual texts and textual phenomena. Examine digital research methods, tools, and use cases. Work hands-on with literary and linguistic sources.

GSD X60. Topics in Culture and Society.

In-depth explorations of contemporary and historical moments in the cultures, social relations, cultural histories, and intellectual histories of the nations in Northern Europe and its cultural networks.

GSD X60.1. Holocaust Aftereffects.

Explores the historical, political, psychological, theological, and cultural fallout of the Holocaust, as well as literary and cinematic responses in Europe and the United States.

GSD X60.3. Heretics and Freedom Fighters, 1350-1650.

Explores the theologies, politics, and personal identities that emerged and passed away in this era.

GSD X60.5. Germany and Immigration.

GSD X61C. Introduction to Germanic Religion and Myth.

Survey of the sources and main features of Germanic religion and of the transition from paganism to Christianity in northern Europe and the Germanic territories of western Europe. Subjects include cosmogonic myths; the origin of man and of society; the concept of the soul; gods and goddesses and their mythology; and the organization of worship.

GSD X61D. Medieval Women Mystics.

The life and writings of Saint Birgitta of Sweden, fourteenth-century visionary, religious reformer, and pilgrim, examined and compared with her predecessor Hildegard of Bingen (Germany), her successor Margery Kempe (England), as well as Margery's mentor, Julian of Norwich. Social and historical contexts for all four of these women mystics will be explored in depth.

GSD X61E. Tolerance in Dutch Culture.

The historical roots of Dutch "tolerance" and how it plays a role in current Dutch culture and attitudes towards religious, gender, and sexual differences, as well as drug use, prostitution, and euthanasia. Exploration of the stereotypes and the actuality of these Dutch attitudes and policies from an international comparative perspective.

GSD X61F. Squaring the Vienna Circle.

Traces the origin of the Vienna Circle of Logical Empiricism in nineteenth-century Europe, and introduces central texts and problems of intellectual history and historical epistemology at the roots of today's analytic philosophy.

GSD X61G. Northern Gods, Northern Faiths: The Conversion of Scandinavians, Finns, Northern Slavs and Shamans.

An introduction to the basic source texts for several pre-Christian belief systems evolving in geographic proximity and their influence on one another including pre-Christian Slavic; pre-Christian Scandinavian; pre-Christian Sami and Finnish; and ancient and modern Siberian shamanism.

GSD X61J. Protest, Revolt, and Revolution in West Germany.

Explores pivotal political and cultural movements in post-1945 West Germany, including the student movement, terrorism, feminism, the Green movement, and the anti-nuclear movement. Students engage with a wide array of primary and secondary sources ranging from literature and films to essays, newspaper articles, and speeches in order to examine the roots and results of protest, revolt, and revolution during this period of German history.

GSD X61K. German Nationalisms.

History of diverse views and movements regarding German national identity within their respective contexts, 1800-present.

GSD X61L. Anti-Semitism in History and Literature.

GSD X61M. Berlin.

GSD X61N. Exhibitions and Public Spectacle.

Investigate exhibits, world's fairs, museum, monuments, theme parks, and historical reconstructions from Europe and the US, with attention to images of how their sponsoring nations or other entities want to be seen. Examine evidence for both the good and bad sides of national pride and identity. Explore examples of how large-scale culture projects and the public interact. Consider the lasting marks left on the cities and countries sponsoring them.

GSD X61P. Sports and Politics in Germany.

Explore how fascism, communism, liberal democracy, and the current nationalistic backlash against immigration have all used the popularity of sports to achieve their strategic goals, from the 1936 Nazi Olympics to Germany's 2014 World Cup victory and beyond.

GSD X61Q. German Scholars: US Exile.

Examine the migration of established European intellectuals into the US, due to the Second World War. Explore how they worked against their persecutors for their own cultural heritage and to influence US intellectual life. Investigate the ethical dilemmas faced in transplanting their lives and projects into new contexts.

GSD X61R. Viking Language: Runes and Sagas.

GSD X61S. European Immigration to Texas in the Nineteenth Century.

GSD X61T. Switzerland and Globalization.

Investigate how the small European country of Switzerland positions itself in a globalized world and how it competes and thrives in it. Explore the questions of how globalization impacts a small, affluent country and how its economy copes with globalization. Consider Swiss history, and its development of direct democracy, to understand Swiss exceptionalism, its response to contemporary issues, and its influence abroad.

GSD X61U. Politics of Memory: Germany and the United States.

Examine the role that narratives of the past play in politics and policies in both Germany and the United States, by engaging with key theoretical and empirical debates. Focus on the role of memory in German and US immigration politics.

GSD X61V. Nazi Culture and Politics.

Explore fundamental questions about the unique role of culture in modern democracies and dictatorships by taking an overview of culture and politics in the Third Reich. Examine questions about the relationship between political propaganda and modern entertainment, mass media and authoritarianism, political aesthetics and ideology, and the dynamics of oppression, resistance, and consent.

GSD X61W. Jewish Folklore.

GSD X62C. Globalization and the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Examine the modern globalization process that also incorporates a description of the current Coronavirus pandemic as a phenomenon that is inextricably linked with modern globalization.

GSD X62D. Memories of War.

Consider the ways the wars of the twentieth and twenty-first century are being remembered in Germany and the United States - from poems, novels and films to monuments and the controversial debates about military conflicts that the two countries have been involved in. Utilize theories of social memory, and concepts of individual and social mourning, to analyze how war affects individual lives, how societies mourn, and how remembering war impacts national identity and politics.

GSD X62E. German-American Immigration and Ethnicity.

Explore German immigration to the United States from the colonial era to the present. Examine the motivations for migration; settlement patterns; construction of identity through traditions and festivals; German American's economic, social, and cultural contributions to the United States; and challenges to assimilation.

GSD X62F. Arabs and Vikings: Art and Culture.

Explore the art and culture of the global Middle Ages through close examination of recent films, popular and academic publications, and works of art and architecture that reveal the interconnection between the European and the Islamic worlds.

GSD X62G. Radical Chic: Revolutions from Europe.

Explore innovative European ideas that reshaped United States history and society: Freud and settlement houses, models for education (from Switzerland to Dewey at the University of Chicago), and the labor movement (Marx to Eugene V. Debs and Mother Jones)

GSD X62I. People of the Midnight Sun - Sami Culture and Civilization.

Examine the indigenous people of Scandinavia, the Sami, including their history, culture, and self-expression. Explore issues of indigeneity, decolonization, and religious repression.

GSD X62J. Nordic Noir.

Uncover the dark side of the Nordic countries, from gritty streets to icy fjords, and explore the history, culture, literature, and movies these societies produce.

GSD X62K. Germanic and Scandinavian Modernisms, 1870-1925.

Explore the cultural renaissance between 1880 and 1925 in Northern and Central Europe, covering the period often called the Modern Breakthrough in Scandinavia, but also known as la belle epoque in France and "the gilded age" in the United States.

GSD X62L. Relations Between East Germany and the United States.

Explore and (re)asses the diplomatic, strategic-military relations and socio-cultural entanglements between the United States and the German Democratic Republic, thus complicating our understanding of the West-East divide and Cold War culture.

GSD X62M. Literature, Culture, and Ecology in Northern and Central Europe.

Explore a variety of texts, films, and artifacts from Northern and Central Europe for the insights they provide about the interrelationships between nature and culture and strategies for developing a sustainable relationship to the world around us.

GSD X62N. Memory and Place After the Holocaust.

Examine the literature of Eastern European Jewish Holocaust survivors and their artistic successors. Engage novels, short stories, memoirs, essays, and even song lyrics with questions of memory and of place.

GSD X62P. Transatlantic Memory Cultures.

Explore and compare German and American memory cultures, analyzing the Holocaust, slavery, and colonialism. Analyze the diversity and complexity of (inter)national, local, and indigenous memory cultures while also discussing how Germany and the United States might "learn from each other.

GSD X62Q. Forensic Files: Philosophy Crimes.

Explore political philosophies from the continental tradition (Heidegger/Arendt, Nietzsche, Adorno/Horkheimer, and Agamben/Schmitt) implicated in radical politics and answering to political turning points, with a focus on research and reading in historical contexts.

GSD X62R. Northern Renaissance: Religion, Magic, and Humanism.

Explore Northern Europe's transition from medieval to Early Modern in and through the northern Renaissance. Examine humanist culture and its many tensions with the Church, technological breakthroughs and their social and economic consequences, the connections between the discovery of new lands and the recovery of ancient learning, and the formation of the early modern state.

GSD X62T. Legacies of World War II in Eastern Europe.

Examine the complex and dynamic legacies of World War II and questions of memory, identity, and politics from 1945 to the present.

GSD X73F. Historical Perspectives on the German Language.

GSD X73I. Building Blocks of Modern German.

GSD X77. Capstone Research in German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Studies.

Work leading to assembling a capstone portfolio in German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Studies, including tutorials on norms for presentation, writing, documentation, and research.

GSD X79. Conference Course in German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Studies.

Supervised individual study of selected problems in German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Studies.

GSD X79H. Honors Tutorial Course.

Supervised individual research on a literary or linguistic problem, culminating in an honors paper of some length.

Graduate Courses

Professional Courses