Universität zu Köln International

Lecturer: Dr. Wulf Reiners / Eva Lynders

Course Nr.: 15304.0122

Date/Time: Mon, 16:00-17:30h

Location: virtual

The course provides an introduction to economic cooperation and its relationship with sustainable development in Europe and beyond. It concentrates on two main components. First, we will analyse the contemporary global architecture for economic cooperation and development and its main characteristics, including relevant actors, international organisations, treaties, and patterns in trade and development economics. Second, we will examine the European Union as an example of regional economic integration, its internal market, the framework for economic coordination and its external economic relations. The course will take up topical economic and political processes such as the United Nation’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the EU’s trade and economic partnership agreements. In this way, the course seeks to contribute to the understanding how economic cooperation and development are interconnected with environmental and social questions.

Lecturer: Dr. Thilo Zimmermann

Course Nr.: 15304.0127

Date/Time: Wed, 16:00-17:30h

Location: virtual

The course provides an introduction into economic theories, which are used to describe, explain and justify European integration. The course presents theories on economic integration and explains how they have applied to the case of the European unification process. Presented theories are for example international trade theories, such as Ricardo’s model of comparative advantage or the Heckscher-Ohlin model, fiscal federalism, public goods, as well as theories of monetary integration, such as monetary theories in general and the optimum currency areas approach. The course will set a special focus on the link between theories of economics and political science. Does economic integration presuppose political integration? To which degree do economic theories deal which questions of sovereignty and institution building?

The course will present economic theories and therefore also its mathematical equations. However, the focus lies on the description and discussion of these theories and how they have been used to explain and justify European integration. It is therefore possible to follow the course without previous knowledge of economic theories and methodology. The course is therefore addressed for an interdisciplinary audience with different backgrounds and might also be of interest for students of economics in order to debate about theories and their political implications.

Lecturer: Dr. Wulf Reiners / Eva Lynders

Course Nr.: 15304.0122

Date/Time: Mon, 16:00-17:30h

Location: virtual

The course provides an introduction to economic cooperation and its relationship with sustainable development in Europe and beyond. It concentrates on two main components. First, we will analyse the contemporary global architecture for economic cooperation and development and its main characteristics, including relevant actors, international organisations, treaties, and patterns in trade and development economics. Second, we will examine the European Union as an example of regional economic integration, its internal market, the framework for economic coordination and its external economic relations. The course will take up topical economic and political processes such as the United Nation’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the EU’s trade and economic partnership agreements. In this way, the course seeks to contribute to the understanding how economic cooperation and development are interconnected with environmental and social questions.

Lecturer: Dr. Johannes Müller

Course Nr.: 15304.0121

Date/Time: Mon, 14:00-15:30h

Location: virtual

The European Legacy in the History of a Central European City

Historiography tends to focus its objects like through an optical device: From bird’s eye view World History and panoramic European History, to macroscopic National History, to microscopic Local History. However, these levels are, of course, interconnected and overlapping.
In this course we will look at the historical trajectory of Cologne during the 19th Century and ask how the local events and experiences reflect Europe-wide historical processes, in which ways they are interconnected with overarching transnational trends, and if and how they are comparable or contrasting to contemporary developments in urban centers elsewhere in Europe. In doing so, we will recreate the history of Cologne from a pre-modern city to a regional economic and industrial hub. But at the same time, we will identify the European legacy within this development and outline the specific “Rhenish” variant of the European Identity in Cologne.
As we will try to argue during this course: European Identity – as any identity in historical perspective – is polymorphic and a result of local, regional, national and transnational experiences. But it relates to a core of common historical references, common developments and trends, of which the particular local historical mix is one possible combination. Some European Identities are more spicy than others, some are less contoured than others, but all are brewed in the same European kitchen.
Let’s see, what defines the European Identity of Cologne in the 19th century.

Lecturer: Benjamin Naujoks

Course Nr.: 15304.0125

Date/Time: Tue, 14:00h-15:30h

Location: virtual

Can we learn from history?
On the one hand, Susan Neiman postulated in 2019 that one can “learn from the Germans” — with regard to the Erinnerungskultur (culture of remembrance) and Vergangenheitsbewältigung (coping with/working through the past) that is considered to be successful. Many experts share this view. On the other hand, with the onset of the pandemic, those socio-political developments that were already visible before are intensifying: quite a few observers speak of a global shift to the right.
This course therefore aims to provide an insight into various European Erinnerungskulturen and Vergangenheitsbewältigungen (as plurals) since 1945. So, the course follows three leading questions:
1. Basic knowledge: What is Erinnerungskultur? What is Vergangenheitsbewältigung? Which types and forms of both exist? And, what is remembered, especially where, how and when?
2. Practical approach: What concrete historical examples are there? How can these be critically classified, especially with regard to national or nationalistic narratives? In other words: What role can or do these play in forming (collective) identities and memories and do they also have functions of social integration?
3. Theoretical approach: How do both work? What forms are there? Are the forms of
Erinnerungskulturen as well as of Vergangenheitsbewältigungen dynamic or static?
The course aims to answer these and — most important — your questions by working on concrete examples in modern European history. In doing so, emerging competitions of memories will also be discussed in order to show that in most cases this concurrences can lead to relativizations, which are very evident in current developments. Special attention will be paid to the differentiation of written, oral and visual history.

All core courses listed under Basic Module 1 may be chosen as an elective course as well (granted that three BM1 courses have been selected as BM1 core courses).

The offers of the Department for German as a Foreign Language may be counted towards the Elective Module, if the requirements for the Basic Module 2 have been fulfilled already. 

Semester German course (9CP)

Complementary German courses (3CP, depending upon availability)

Lecturer: Judith Berns

Course Nr: 15304.0120

Time/Date: Tue, 16:00- 17:30h

Location:             

Credit Points: 3

Today´s world, in both, private as well as professional/academic aspects, is characterized by fast changes, quick means of travel and instant communication. Physical distance has become less and less of an obstacle for interaction between people. COVID-19 was a push for digitalization and intensified digital communication across any kind of distance. Intercultural encounters, whether physical or digital, are very common, but the challenges that come along with that are often underestimated.
Universities are aiming to become more international and intercultural competence is considered a key skill to be expected by university graduates.
This course will not only provide knowledge, but more importantly help students to incorporate means to face intercultural challenges adequately in everyday life. A special focus will be put on academic challegenes.

Topics dealt with are (selection):

What is culture and what is intercultural competence?
Intercultural theories and models
Working on real-life cases (critical intercultural incidents)
Introduction to Communication
Performing in classes
- Support on how to deliver requested performances (e.g. how to do a presenation)
- Proper teacher-student-/student-student-interaction
- Comparing participants´ home Universities

The seminar will be held digitally

Lecturer: David Kern

Course Nr: 14569.3304

Time/Date: Mon, 10:00- 11:30h

Location: virtual        

Credit Points: 3

In this course we are going to explore the intellectual and imaginative pull of Science Fiction (SciFi), a vast literary and artisitc genre spanning across a wide array of forms: the (graphic) novel, the novella, short fiction, film and TV serialization. We are going to look at some of the the classics in the field to then move beyond them in order to think about SciFi as a vast archive of ideas, their history and transformations. We are going to trace how traditional tropes of/in SciFi writing (space exploration, technology, alien encounters, technological advance...) keep transforming to account for and speak to ever-changing social, cultural and political issues, concerns and anxieties. The majority of theoretical texts, short stories and digital formats will be made available to you in ILIAS. However, you should purchase (and read) your own copies of:

- Margaret Atwood: Oryx and Crake, 2013, Virago (Other editions and/or eBook are fine)

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Birgit Hellwig, Tobias-Alexander Herrmann

Course Nr: 14659.6001

Time/Date: Mon, 14:00-15:30h

Location: virtual

Credit Points: 3

The lecture series will be held digitally via Zoom.

The CCLS Lecture Series offers a forum to linguists from many different areas to present findings from current research. In this way, students will have access to up-to-date work done locally at the University of Cologne, as well as to work done internationally. Topics will cover a variety of languages, methodological approaches, and theoretical perspectives. Individual class sessions will be divided up in a lecture part and a question and answer session. Open to all interested.

Soon, you can find the full program on ILIAS and here: http://ccls.phil-fak.uni-koeln.de/ccls-lecture-series.html

Students receive credit points (please check departmental regulations and study programs) if they provide the following “Studienleistungen”:

2 CPs: 3 summaries of lectures
3 CPs: 5 summaries of lectures

All students have to provide a short bibliography (at least 10 titles) referring to one of the summaries about the topic of the lecture.

You can send your summaries at any time during the semester. I strongly recommend that you don’t submit your summaries close to the deadline. However, you are required to submit (all of) your summaries by 11 February 2022, 11.59 p.m. Please send your summaries as a PDF document to ccls-info@uni-koeln.de.

Lecturer: Victoria Herche

Course Nr: 14569.3503

Time/Date: Tue, 10:00-11:30h

Location: virtual

Credit Points: 3

This seminar considers the tremendous adaptability and rich afterlives of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel, Frankenstein, in such fields and disciplines as film, theatre, dance, comic books, and performance art as well as Frankenstein’s global impact for the twenty-first century across a myriad of cultures and nations, from Japan, Mexico, and Turkey, to Britain, Iraq, Europe, and North America. Thereby this seminar interrogates its sustained relevance over two centuries during which it has engaged with such issues as mortality, global capitalism, gender, race, embodiment, neoliberalism, disability, technology, and the role of science.

Please read in preparation for the seminar: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: or 'The Modern Prometheus': The 1818 Text (preferably Oxford World's Classics Edition).

This course is designed to practice oral and written academic skills. Students will learn how to describe, analyze and compare literary and cultural texts in their respective historical, cultural, and genre context and discuss them with respect to issues of race and ethnicity, class and gender on an advanced level. Students will practice how to perform close readings of narrative texts and cinematic material, practice how to work with secondary sources, how to analyze primary materials by using critical and theoretical concepts, and, finally, in preparation for the end-of-module exams, how to come up with an interesting argument and thesis statement of your own.

Lecturer: Dr. Paul Silva

Course Nr: 14213.0237

Time/Date: Thu, 12:00- 13:30

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 3

In the first part of this course our main interest will be in philosophical questions about the nature of time, the identity of persons across time, and the conditions for free will. In the second part of this course our main interest will be in questions about the nature of human knowledge: what is knowledge, what are our sources of knowledge, and how–if at all–we can show that we have knowledge and deal with the problem of skepticism. Throughout the course there will be various introductory lectures on inductive and deductive logic.

Lecturer: Dr. Paul Silva

Course Nr: 14213.0212

Time/Date: Tue, 12:00- 13:30

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 3

Lecturer: Prof. Heinz Antor

Course Nr: 14569.3101

Time/Date: Thu, 14:00- 15:30

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 3

The construction and definition of identity has always been connected with the drawing of borders separating the self from an other, the invention of an imagined line of difference allowing us to think about ourselves as a separate entity clearly distinguishable from the foreign and the alien. Such processes can be observed on many levels of identity construction, ranging from individual to collective or national identities, selfhood defined by species, race, ethnicity, class or gender, to name but a few of the defining factors. However, reality is often characterized by less clarity and ‘purity’ than our identity constructions would allow for. Border-crossings of all kinds are the order of the day, and hybridity blurs the conceptual boundaries we have invented. This frequently gives rise to conflict and to renegotiations of identity. In this lecture series, we will look at how such processes are depicted and negotiated in Anglophone texts from the early modern period to the present across a wide range of English-speaking cultures (e.g. Britain, the USA, the Caribbean, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, and others). The texts discussed will include William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus (1594), The Merchant of Venice (1596/7), and Othello (1601), Frances Brooke's The History of Emily Montague (1769), H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), E.M. Forster's A Passage to India (1924), Hugh MacLennan's Two Solitudes (1945), Patrick White’s A Fringe of Leaves (1976), Joy Kogawa's Obasan (1981), K.S. Maniam's The Return (1981), Amy Tan’s The Joy-Luck Club (1989), V.S. Naipaul’s Half a Life (2001), and others. There will be an online test at the end of the semester.

Lecturer: Prof. Stefan Neubert

Course Nr: 14387.1000

Time/Date: Tue,16:00- 17:30

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 3

The seminar will offer an introduction to internationally influential debates on education in connection with the philosophical tradition of John Dewey (1859-1952) and the sociology of Zygmunt Bauman (1925-2017).

Lecturer: Prof. Christiane Bongartz

Course Nr: 14569.2101

Course Type: Lecture

Time/Date: Wed, 17:45- 19:15h

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 3

This lecture class investigates models and ideologies as they inform multilingual education. Invited speakers will present on various contexts in which they provide instruction or conduct research studies. In our class discussions, we will explore to what extent monolingualism or alternative notions such as translanguaging inform language instruction in the examples chosen by our presenters.

Lecturer: Prof. Frank Schulz-Nieswandt

Course Nr: 14344.0003

Time/Date: Wed,12:00-13.30

Location: virtual

Credit Points: 3

Lecturer: Prof. Kirk William Junker

Course Nr: 13980.2614

Time/Date: Wed, 08:00- 9:30h

Location: virtual     

Credit Points: 6