http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/14657371

German Studies in America. German Studies Notes

This volume contains two papers, "German Studies in America," by Volkmar Sander, and "Historicism, Marxism, Structuralism: Ideas for German Culture Courses," by Heinz D. Osterle. The first paper discusses the position of German studies in the United States today. The greatest challenge comes from low enrollments; therefore, German departments must find new ways to attract students. Five solutions are suggested: (1) the language and literature fixation must be given up; (2) more courses of literature in translation should be offered: (3) teacher training should be restructured; (4) ways of helping high school programs should be devised; and (5) German Studies programs patterned after the Stanford or Bloomington models should be made available. The second paper deals with a search for a method to deal with three fundamentally different ways of viewing culture and society - historicism, Marxism, and structuralism. These three schools of thought are of international significance, and their theories of culture and society give very clear direction toward increased international communication and cooperation. With these three theories in mind, German culture courses must be organized on a comparative basis, with East/West German, as well as American, perspectives. A detailed syllabus for a general education course with this new approach is included. (Cfm).

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