2016-17 Academic Catalog

This class introduces students to the cultural history of childhood through the lens of German literature and thought. Starting with the “discovery of childhood” in the age of enlightenment and concluding with the “loss of innocence” associated with Freud’s theories and Fin-de-siècle culture, we will trace changing notions of education, family life, gender, and sexuality. Our discussions will draw on a wide array of texts--including children’s literature, coming-of-age stories, pedagogical treatises, paintings, photographs, and reading primers. We will also explore how modern takes on nineteenth-century "black pedagogy" and teenage rebellion, such as Haneke’s film The White Ribbon and the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, adapt these tales of childhood terror for contemporary audiences. Prerequisite: One course above German 204