Topic for Winter 2025: Cold War Kids: Youth and Rebellion in Socialist East Germany
PREREQUISITES: no prerequisites What does rebellion look like in a socialist society, where people’s lives are planned for them “from cradle to grave,” and where the state employs a vast network of spies to monitor and control its own citizens? The course explores various perspectives on this topic in the context of the GDR’s (East Germany's) history and its afterlife in united Germany. The focus is not only on rebellious youth within East Germany, but also on transnational connections (the solidarity movement, Angela Davis as a youth icon, experiences of guest workers from countries such as Vietnam, Mozambique, or Cuba). This course is taught in English and is designed for first- and second-year students who have little knowledge of German cultural studies and/or German language proficiency. German majors and minors must register for GER418.