Contemporary discourse on the City is increasingly shaping scholarship in fields as diverse as human geography, history, and the arts. At once a static "place" with a distinct topography and an interactive "space" comprised of residents and visitors of multifarious social groups, the City fascinates with its seemingly infinite possibilities for societal- and self-fashioning.
We invite you to join us as we read about, discuss, and explore the meaning of "place" and "space" in the context of Germany's ultimate City, Berlin. More than Germany's capital, Berlin is a nexus of political, cultural, and social networks. Jointly and independently, they ignite synergy, spark creativity, and foster cooperation between various social groups.In our seminar, we will learn why "places" in Berlin perform as "spaces" of social interaction.
Our analysis starts with the Brandenburg Gate: that landmark, or "place," which serves as a meeting point, as a "space," of East and West, of tourists and Berliners, of heads of state. Truly, it is a temporal-topographical moment in Berlin's landscape that fuses past and present, trauma and triumph. Via this temporal-topographical lens, we will move on to other sites in Berlin and identify the spatial, historical, and social factors that have made them such unique "places/spaces."
Period
16-07-2011 - 13-08-2011 (4 weeks)
Target group
Ideal for students of cultural, political, and social sciences, this seminar seeks to bring to the foreground connections between Berlin's topography, its history, and its current functions as a political and cultural space.
Course aim
see course description
Credits
4.0 ECTS creditsGRADINGActive Participation: 35%Presentation: 30%Course Blog: 35% (4 posts 500 words per post. Evaluation based on content, style, and quality of analysis)
Course fee
EUR 800: Tuition
EUR 250: Program fee
Course leader
Dr. David James Prickett
Freie Universitat Berlin FUBiS
Address: Otto-von-Simson-Str. 26
Postal code: 14195
City: Berlin
Country: Germany
Website: http://www.fubis.org/
E-mail: fubis@fubis.org
Phone: +49 + 30 + 838 73472
We will show you Berlin - Analyzing Space and Place in Berlin
