Course Details in 2025/26 Session

Module Title	LH Sex, Seduction and Submission: Gender in German Literature from 1900 to Today
School	Lan, Cult, Art Hist & Music
Department	Modern Languages
Module Code	09 26799
Module Lead	Dr Ruth Whittle
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Seminar-30 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This seminar explores the women’s Lebensentwürfe in German literature in the period between the turn of the 20th century and the early 2000s. It explores the relationship between aspirations and biographies as well as the ways in which some of the most significant women of this period expressed themselves. Selected texts by a range of women writers engaging in different genres will be discussed. The course is intended to help students gain a historical perspective on the diversity of women’s writing in the period and on the key topics, be they negotiated directly or indirectly: the place of ‘woman’ in society, the relationship with ‘man’, and the role of relationships in defining one’s identity. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which these authors negotiated tensions between ideals and reality (war, industrialisation, nationalism, growing antisemitism; working life, motherhood, Körperfeindlichkeit, sexual freedom).
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: discuss the broader historical context of the women discussed set the texts into the historical context; demonstrate use of appropriate terminology to describe and critically analyse texts; Demonstrate understanding of the tensions between the different women’s movements; Critically discuss the tensions between aspiration and reality in the texts discussed;
Assessment	26799-01 : Essay in English with 300 word abstract in German : Coursework (75%) 26799-02 : Research Poster : Coursework (25%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 1 essay in English, prefaced by a 300-word abstract in German (3000 words total) (75%) and 1 research poster in English (25%) accompanying the social media profile. Reassessment: No resits are permitted in final year. If students miss the assessed task owing to extenuating circumstances, the failed task would be rescheduled at a later date.
Other
Reading List