gb - Englisches Seminar - Ruhr-Universität Bochum

of the two cities in geography, cultural theory and in particular American literature
and film. How have cultural theorists and urban geographers described the cities?
How have New York and Los Angeles been imagined in American literature and film,
especially in the 20th century? And what has been the cultural function of these
representations? Students attending this class should be interested in reading
complex theoretical texts, be familiar with the main concepts of Cultural Studies, and
be willing to do their own research and analysis of filmic and literary representations
of these two American metropolises.
Assessment/requirements: Übung: active participation, short written assignments;
Seminar: the above, and presentation or term paper (wissenschaftliche Hausarbeit).
--- --- Kindinger
’Home’ in US-American Literature and Culture, 4 CP
2 st. di 10-12 GB 6/137 Nord
(vgl. Vorl.-Nr. 050 649)
Dorothy’s remark that “there is no place like home” in The Wizard of Oz, reveals
much about the ‘nature’ of this place we are all familiar with: not only is there no other
place like home, if we read Dorothy’s comment differently, could home actually be an
impossible place that only exists in our imagination and memory? Can home in these
times of globalization and mobility ever meet our expectations? In this class, we will
explore what and where home is, and how it is represented in American literature and
culture by approaching the United States as home to millions of immigrants, but also
by considering other concepts of home, such as ‘house-as-home’ and ‘region-ashome’
(e.g. the American South). We will read and deal with theoretical texts, as well
as works of fiction (e.g. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Eleni N.
Gage’s North of Ithaka) and film (e.g. Sweet Home Alabama and The Wiz).
Please purchase the following novel (this edition please!!!):
Eleni N. Gage, North of Ithaka, Griffin Press: 2006.
Other texts will be made available in a Reader.
Assessment/requirements: Übung: active participation, presentation and written
assignment to be handed in during the semester; Seminar: active participation,
reading journal, paper proposal and term paper (or essay to be handed in during the
semester).