Seminar: Body, Beauty, and Societal Norms in U.S. American Literature and Culture - Vertiefungsmodul - Details

Seminar: Body, Beauty, and Societal Norms in U.S. American Literature and Culture - Vertiefungsmodul - Details

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General information

Course name Seminar: Body, Beauty, and Societal Norms in U.S. American Literature and Culture - Vertiefungsmodul
Course number ANG.05294.03
Semester WiSe 2025/26
Current number of participants 19
maximum number of participants 25
Home institute Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik
Courses type Seminar in category Offizielle Lehrveranstaltungen
Next date Tuesday, 16.12.2025 14:15 - 15:45, Room: Seminarraum 3 [AKStr.35] (Angl.)
Pre-requisites To earn credits in this class, it is essential that you participate actively and regularly. Without in-class participation, you will not be able to receive credit for the course. Here are the key requirements:

* Regular Attendance: Your presence is expected at every class session, as your oral contributions are the basis for receiving your "Studiennachweis." If you need to miss a class, please notify me in advance.
* Preparation: You are expected to thoroughly prepare for each class session by completing assigned readings, writing assignments, and other tasks. The reading workload is approximately 15-30 pages per week.
* Active Engagement: Class sessions are designed for discussion and engagement with the material. You are expected to contribute to class discussions, share your thoughts and ideas, and engage with your peers.
* Independent Work: You will be expected to complete independent research and assignments outside of class time, which may include library research, writing, and other tasks. Make sure to have time available for regular visits to the Steintor library.
* Time Commitment: This class requires a significant time commitment, including regular attendance, preparation, and independent work. You should ensure that your extracurricular activities do not interfere with your ability to dedicate adequate time to this course.
Performance record Students can earn two types of credit in this class:

1) A 'Studienleistung' is recorded in the university's computer system when all tasks set during the lecture period have been completed, regular and satisfactory in-class participation has been achieved, and written assignments have been submitted on time, in full, and of good quality.

2) Students receive credit for a "Modulleistung" upon successfully completing the "Modulabschlussprüfung". Detailed instructions on the nature of the final exam will be given at an appropriate time during the semester.
Lehrsprache(n) Deutsch
SWS 2

Module assignments

Comment/Description

We will start by studying excerpts from Michel Foucault’s important book, Discipline and Punish, with which he establishes the focus on the relationship between the human body and adherence to norms in the humanities. Then, we will explore how this emphasis on the body and societal norms appears across various disciplines and especially in literature, such as Indigenous culture studies and literature (e.g., Zitkala-Ša), Black studies and literature (e.g., Toni Morrison and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), and Disability studies and literature (e.g., Noria Jablonski). We will discuss a range of issues, including the terrible effects of “acculturation,” blindness, the beauty myth and the Black body, bodily disabilities and identity, and the diversity of hairstyles.

Required texts:
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Vintage International, Knopf, 2007.

Further reading material will be provided on the ILIAS platform.

Admission settings

The course is part of admission "Beschränkte Teilnehmendenanzahl: Body, Beauty, and Societal Norms in U.S. American Literature and Culture - Vertiefungsmodul".
The following rules apply for the admission:
  • A defined number of seats will be assigned to these courses.
    The seats will be assigned in order of enrolment.
  • The enrolment is possible from 29.09.2025, 08:00 to 31.10.2025, 23:59.