LFU:online

Improving the capability of analyzing literary texts, particularly in their historical and social-cultural context.

In this seminar we will read and discuss major recent literary texts from Austria. As a lead-in, we will consider how and why one should discuss contemporary literature in German Studies at a university.

The course aims to show the diversity of contemporary literature. To this end, we will read the “classics” (Christoph Ransmayr, Peter Handke, Josef Winkler and Elfriede Jelinek), “Bestsellers” (Daniel Kehlmann, Wolf Haas and Arno Geiger), texts that have won the renowned and oft-reviled Ingeborg-Bachmann-Preis (including Maja Haderlap) and products of the younger generation (Anna Kim, Anna Weidenholzer, Andrea Grill, etc.).

We will, on the basis of readings and text analyses, address the following questions: Can “trends” be recognized in the latest literature from Austria? What formal and thematic innovations can be observed? To what extent do political, social and economic developments play a role for this literature? To what extent do traditional methods of literary criticism help us to analyse this literature? And: To what extent is a national frame of reference still useful for literature? In addition, we will consider the business of literature (publishers, prices, the literature market), conditions for writing and the leading literary journals (with text examples).

Continuous assessment (based on regular written and/or oral contribution by participants).

Michael Boehringer, Susanne Hochreiter (Hrsg.): Zeitenwende. Österreichische Literatur seit dem Millennium. 2000–2010. Praesens, Wien 2011. (Einzelne Beiträge)

Stefan Krammer, Daniela Strigl (Hrsg.): Österreichische Gegenwartsliteratur 2000-2010. Ide – informationen zur deutschdidaktik 4/2010. (Einzelne Beiträge)

Weitere Literatur wird bekanntgegeben bzw. zur Verfügung gestellt.

Recommended for the 5th to 8th semester Diploma programme 'Deutsche Philologie' and Teaching degree programme German.
Prerequisite for Master's programme German studies: positive completion of elective module 2; for Diploma programme