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German,
Russian, and Classical
Studies
Professor Pelzer,
Chair
On Special
Appointment: Adjunct
Assistant Professors
Puckett-Stroh, Richmond,
Schorlemmer
The
study of a culture
through its language
offers insights into
unfamiliar worlds which
cannot be realized in
any other way; such
study is one of the
distinguishing features
of a liberal arts
education. Moreover,
competence in a language
other than English can
provide a decided
advantage for any
post-graduate education
or career objective. In
addition to literature
courses, various culture
courses (some taught in
the language of study,
others in English) make
aspects of this cultural
tradition available to
all students.
The
Department also strongly
encourages all students
to investigate
Occidental’s
opportunities for study
abroad (see
Off-Campus Study).
In recent years,
students from a wide
variety of departments,
including the sciences,
have taken advantage of
these programs, greatly
enhancing their
education and future
opportunities. These
programs exemplify
Occidental’s ideal of a
liberal education that
increases sensitivity to
and appreciation of
other cultures.
GERMAN
MINOR:
Four courses (16 units)
numbered German
202 and above. Three
of the four courses must
be completed as
Occidental courses.
GROUP
LANGUAGE MAJOR:
Students may combine
German with another
language (Chinese,
French, Japanese,
Russian, Spanish) into a
Group Language major by
taking at least four
courses (16 units)
numbered 201 and above
in German, four courses
(16 units) as specified
in the other language,
Linguistics
301, and another
elective course (4
units) to be determined
by the student’s
academic and/or career
interests (e.g., ECLS
370 Literary
Criticism, EDUC
205 The Politics and
Pedagogy of First and
Second Language
Acquisition and similar
courses in related
areas). Students
planning a Group
Language major are
encouraged to
participate in
Occidental’s abroad
programs as part of
their plan of study.
Interested students
should consult with
faculty in both
languages before
entering the group
program.
WRITING REQUIREMENT AND
COMPREHENSIVE
REQUIREMENT: The
specifics of the writing
requirement and the
comprehensive
requirement will be
determined by the
advisors of the
student’s two languages
at the time the student
declares the Group
Language major. See the
Writing Program for
more information about
the College’s writing
requirement.
101. ELEMENTARY
GERMAN.
Introduces basic
language skills,
grammar, pronunciation,
oral communication, and
reading simple prose.
Culture taught through
readings, videos, and
discussions.
Staff
102. ELEMENTARY
GERMAN.
Continuation of German
101.
Pelzer
151.
BEGINNING/INTERMEDIATE
CONVERSATION I.
Oral
practice based on
articles in current
periodicals and other
subjects of general
interest. Taught by a
German language
assistant from the
University of the
Saarland, under the
supervision of a German
instructor. Designed
primarily for students
who have completed
German
102. Graded on
Credit/No Credit basis;
attendance is mandatory.
Approximately two hours
of work outside of class
time required each week.
May be repeated for
credit. Prerequisite:
German
102 or permission of
instructor.
1
unit
Pelzer
152.
BEGINNING/INTERMEDIATE
CONVERSATION II.
Continuation of
151. Designed
primarily for students
who have completed
German 102. Graded on
Credit/No Credit basis;
attendance is mandatory.
Approximately two hours
of work outside of class
time required each week.
May be repeated for
credit. Prerequisite:
German
102, German
151, or permission
of instructor.
1
unit
Pelzer
201. INTERMEDIATE
GERMAN.
An
advanced course to build
up comprehension as well
as oral and writing
skills. Reading and
discussion of literary
and cultural texts,
supplemented with video
films and T.V. news on
current events in
Germany. Practice in
essay writing.
Prerequisite: German
102 or equivalent.
Pelzer
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
202. GERMAN
STYLISTICS.
Continuation of German
201 on an advanced
level. Review of
advanced German grammar
and exercises in
stylistics and essay
writing.
Prerequisite: German
201 or permission of
instructor.
Not
given in 2008-2009
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
232. CONTEMPORARY
GERMANY: CULTURE AND
SOCIETY AFTER 1945.
This
course covers major
trends and developments
of the cultural history
of post-war Germany.
Topics include the
reconstruction of
culture after 1945, the
makeup of cultural
institutions, the mass
media, popular culture
vs. traditional culture,
the counter culture of
the sixties and early
seventies, and the
problems of unification
after 1989. Taught in
German, with emphasis on
oral presentations and
essay writing. Readings
include literary texts
and documentary
material, newspaper and
magazine articles.
Prerequisite: German
201 or permission of
instructor.
Pelzer
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
251. ADVANCED
CONVERSATION I.
Open to
all qualified students,
but designed primarily
for students preparing
for
Occidental-in-Germany
program. May be
repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: German
152 or permission of
instructor.
1
unit
Pelzer
252. ADVANCED
CONVERSATION II.
Continuation of
251. May be
repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: German
251 or permission of
instructor.
1
unit
Pelzer
273. THE CULTURE OF
WEIMAR.
This
course will analyze the
political, social and
cultural changes in
German history after
1918 and will provide an
introduction to the
wealth of the innovative
literary and artistic
production of the
so-called Twenties. We
will focus on the
difficult transition
from the old monarchy to
a parliamentary
democracy, the economic
and political challenges
of the new republic and
its slow demise in the
early thirties. Some
lead topics will be: the
rise of film and other
forms of popular
culture, the styles of
Expressionism and Neue
Sachlichkeit, the
experience of the city,
the emancipation of
women, and the fight
against the onslaught of
fascist tendencies. We
will read texts by
Bertolt Brecht, Ernst
Toller, Erich Kästner,
Irmgard Keun, Marieluise
Fleisser, Kurt
Tucholsky, see films
(such as Nosferatu,
Metropolis, Kuhle Wampe
and others) and study
the new trends in
architecture (Bauhaus),
the arts (Beckmann,
Kirchner, Heartfield),
photography, music and
the media. The course
is taught in English.
German minors and group
majors will read some of
the texts in the German
original. Prerequisite
for German minors and
group majors: German
201 or permission of
instructor.
Not
given in 2008-2009
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
370. SEMINAR ON A
SELECTED TOPIC.
The
Frankfurt School, 1945
to the Present: Social
Analysis, Cultural
Theory, and Political
Action. This seminar
will explore the history
of the Frankfurt School
after World War II when
it was re-established in
Frankfurt and began to
play a crucial role in
the development of a
‘critical theory’ of
society and culture
during the West German
‘economical miracle;’
afterwards, with the
onset of the German (and
international) student
movement of the
mid-Sixties, it gained
international reputation
and impacted social,
political, and cultural
discourses in countries
like France, Great
Britain, Italy, or the
United States. We will
study primarily some of
the major writings of
Th. W. Adorno
(especially on art,
music, cultural theory,
and the lessons of
Fascism), H. Marcuse
(whose writings on
social theory and
aesthetics, on
‘repressive tolerance’
and ‘liberation’ exerted
a strong influence on
the student movement),
and of J. Habermas who
became one of the most
influential European
intellectuals in the
decades after 1970. This
seminar is the
continuation of an
earlier class on the
beginnings of the
Frankfurt School and its
history until 1945;
participation in that
earlier seminar is not
required. The course
is taught in English.
Students minoring in
German or majoring in
Group Language or IPS
will read some of the
original texts in
German.
Pelzer
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
397. INDEPENDENT
STUDY.
Individual study of a
major author, movement,
genre, or translation
techniques. For students
with advanced competence
who seek study in an
area not included in the
department’s curriculum.
Prerequisite: permission
of department.
2
or 4 units
Staff
GREEK
101. ELEMENTARY
GREEK.
Study of
Alphabet, pronunciation,
grammar and culture of
ancient Greece.
Particularly useful for
science majors and
pre-medical students.
5
units
Puckett-Stroh
102. ELEMENTARY
GREEK.
Continuation of Greek
101 and reading of
adapted Greek texts.
5
units
Puckett-Stroh
397. INDEPENDENT
STUDY.
Prerequisite: permission
of department.
Staff
LATIN
101. ELEMENTARY
LATIN.
Introduction to language
and culture of ancient
Rome. Recommended for
students wishing to
improve their English
vocabulary and grammar.
5
units
Puckett-Stroh
102. ELEMENTARY AND
INTERMEDIATE LATIN.
Continuation of Latin
101 and reading and
interpretation of an
original text.
5
units
Puckett-Stroh
397. INDEPENDENT
STUDY.
Prerequisite: permission
of the department.
2
or 4 units
Staff
RUSSIAN
MINOR:
Four courses (16 units)
numbered 201 and above.
Three of the four
courses must be
completed as Occidental
courses. (One of the
three MUSTbe taken at
the Eagle Rock campus.
The other two may be
taken at an
Occidental-in-Russia
campus.)
GROUP
LANGUAGE MAJOR:
Students may combine
Russian with another
language (Chinese,
French, German,
Japanese, Spanish) into
a Group Language major
by taking at least four
courses (16 units)
numbered 201 and above
in Russian and four
courses (16 units) as
specified in the other
language, Linguistics
301, and another
elective course (4
units) to be determined
by the student’s
academic and/or career
interests, (e. g. COGS
110 Computation and
Cognition, ECLS
370 Literary
Criticism, etc.)
Students planning a
Group Language major are
encouraged to
participate in
Occidental’s abroad
programs as part of
their plan of study.
Interested students
should consult with
faculty in both
languages before
entering the group
program.
101. ELEMENTARY
RUSSIAN I.
Introduction to the
structure of the Russian
Language with an
emphasis on reading and
verbal communication.
Films and laboratory
assignments complement
in-class work. May
not be taken for credit
by those with more than
one year of high school
study (grades 10, 11,
12) or one semester of
college study of
Russian.
Richmond
102. ELEMENTARY
RUSSIAN II.
Continuation of Russian
101; emphasis on
reading and
conversation.
Prerequisite: Russian
101 or
equivalent.
Richmond
201. INTERMEDIATE
RUSSIAN I.
Development of reading
skills through the use
of original texts by
Bulgakov, Chekhov,
Pushkin and others;
improvement of
conversation skills
accompanied by a review
and expansion of
grammar. Films and
laboratory assignments
complement in-class
work. Prerequisite:
Russian
102 or
equivalent.
5
units
Richmond
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
202. INTERMEDIATE
RUSSIAN II.
Continuation of Russian
201 with emphasis on
reading skills; readings
by Gogol, Chukovsky,
Shukshin, and others.
Prerequisite: Russian
201 or equivalent.
5
units
Richmond
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
272. RUSSIAN
MODERNISM.
This
course examines the
numerous manifestations
of Modernism in Russian
art, poetry, literature,
photography, film, and
theater during the
period 1890-1930.
Beginning with
Decadents, the course
follows the evolution of
Modernist poetry through
Symbolism, Primitivism,
to the radical Futurist
experiments of the
1910s. New literary
forms by Bunin, Babel,
Olesha, and Bulgakov are
compared to traditional
literature to
demonstrate how they
exploit and undermine
previous works. The
artistic push to
nonobjectivity is
followed through the
Impressionism of Vrubel,
the Cubism of
Goncharova, and
Larionov, ending with
the Suprematism of
Kazimir Malevich, the
first truly
non-objective art form
that laid the foundation
for all 20th Century
art. The films of
Eisenstein, Pudovkin,
and Vertov, the
photomontages of
Rodchenko, and the
theatrical innovations
of Meyerhold are also
studied. Knowledge of
Russian not required.
Not
given in 2008-2009
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
274. WAR AND PEACE.
Using
Leo Tolstoy’s novel War
and Peace, this class
will explore the issues
of cultural identity,
nationalism, religion,
societal norms, and
human progress. The
class will also examine
the novel’s place in the
traditions of Russian
literature and the
historical novel.
Not
given in 2008-2009
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
278. SOVIET
DISSIDENT CULTURE.
During
the Soviet period
cultural figures
criticized and rebelled
against the system
through underground
movements in literature,
art, and music. This
course examines those
movements through their
best exemplars. Novels
studied include
Bulgakov’s condemnation
of Communism The
Heart of a Dog,
Platonov’s parody of
Soviet collectivization
The Pit, and
Solzhenitsyn’s Nobel
Prize-winning The
First Circle, which
caused his expulsion
from the Soviet Union.
Short stories include
the fantastic tales of
Abram Terts and Nikolai
Arzhak, who were both
imprisoned for their
writings. Anti-Soviet
music is studied through
the work of Vladimir
Vysotsky and Bulat
Okudzhava. The course
concludes with a survey
of the radical Sotsart
artistic movement and
particularly its
founders, Komar and
Melamid. Knowledge of
Russian not required.
Richmond
CORE REQUIREMENT
MET:
EUROPE
331. CONVERSATION.
Oral
practice, based on
topics of current
interest and everyday
communicative needs,
using short readings,
video, and the internet
to generate discussion.
Graded on Credit/No
Credit basis only;
attendance is mandatory.
Prerequisite: Russian
102 or permission of
instructor.
1
unit
Not given in
2008-2009
332. CONVERSATION.
Continuation of
331.
1
unit
Not given in
2008-2009
397. INDEPENDENT
STUDY.
Prerequisite: permission
of instructor.
2
or 4 units
Staff
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