Upcoming Workshops - DAAD-funded Project 'Teaching German in a Transcultural World', online (18.01 – 23.02.2023)

Registration is open for a series of online workshops on the theme of identity as part of the DAAD-funded project 'Teaching German in a Transcultural World' at the University of Birmingham, UK. The events are open to students, teachers, academics and others. The first workshop takes place on 18-19 January at 16:00-19:00 UK time; further events follow on 1-2 February and 22-23 February. 

The events will be held online (on Zoom). To receive the Zoom link, please register using the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KLNGYKN

Workshop 1 - Talking about Identity

Wednesday 18th - Thursday 19th January 2023: 16.00 - 19.00 each day: Talking about Identity (Migration, Migrationshintergrund, De-Nazification, the Green parties in Germany and Europe, representation of ‘identity’ in school books, identity as a construct and identity formation, the construction of ‘Germany’ by other European countries / countries outside Europe)

Lead: Dr Klaus Richter (University of Birmingham, UK)

Wednesday 18th January, 16.00 - 16.50

Dr Klaus Richter (University of Birmingham, UK)

Nationalism, Identity and National Identity: Then and Now

In the introductory session of day one of this workshop series, we will look at how the idea that everyone has a national identity has become entrenched across the 20th century and how this historical knowledge helps us challenge the exclusive nature of national identity. Using the example of the multi-ethnic regions of Central and Eastern Europe, we will look at primary sources – ranging from 19th century peasant memoirs to contemporary Wikipedia entries – that can help learners understand notions of national identity and the contexts in which these emerge, change, and solidify.

We will discuss how these sources can be best used to reflect on processes of self-identification and categorisation, on the changing nature of identities, as well as on their fluidity and hybridity.

17.00 - 17.50
Donata Puntil (King’s College London, UK)

Talking and Doing Identity

Thursday 19th January, 17.00 - 17.50

Anke M. Leitzgen (tinkerbrain, Cologne, Germany)

The Digiclass:lab language training app and website by Tinkerbrain as an example of peer-to-peer learning

Please have your mobile available so that you can practise in the second half of the session

18.00 - 18.50

Dr Ulrike Garde (Macquarie University, Australia) 

“Wo kommst Du [wirklich] her?” Using contemporary drama in the German language classroom to critically reflect on fixed identities

This lightning talk introduces Yael Ronen & Ensemble’s The Situation to stimulate discussion about the ongoing use of questions of origin that are based on the notion of a single origin and fixed (national) identities. The talk provides background information about the drama and associated theatre production that premiered at Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theatre in 2015 to invite an informed discussion about the following topics:

How can this prize-winning popular text and its performance invite students to critically reflect on various concepts of identity, together with playfully and creatively exploring notions of fluid identities? How can the German language classroom provide a space where the relationship between language and (personal and national) identity can be discussed in fresh ways?

The talk provides an introduction to the play as well as excerpts that can form the basis for student-led activities.

Workshop 2

Wednesday 1st - Thursday 2nd Feb 2023: 16.00 - 19.00 each day: Reflecting on Power (the concept of ‘power’ in different academic disciplines; cultural imaginaries; language as power, power as and in language; power through terminology; power in the classroom)

Lead: Dr Julian Paenke

Wednesday 1st February, 16.00 - 16.50

Dr Vera Ahamer (University of Vienna, Austria)

Identifying ‘Power’ in DaF teaching material

17.00 - 17.50

Dr Ruth Whittle (University of Birmingham, UK)

The power of terminology on the ‘Integration’ discourse

Thursday 2nd February

16.00 - 16.50

Dr Julian Paenke (University of Birmingham, UK)

Power and notions of Germanness

17.00 - 17.50

Professor Christopher Pietrioni (University of Birmingham, UK)

Working with internalised identifications

Workshop 3

Wednesday 22nd - Thursday 23rd February 2023 16.00 - 19.00 each day: Questioning truth (What is ‘truth’; does it still exist?; hidden hegemonies in academic and non-academic discourses [e.g. on race and colonialism]; what do we teach when we do …?)

Lead: Dr Ruth Whittle (University of Birmingham, UK)

Wednesday 22nd February, 16.00 - 16.50 

Dr Charlotte Galpin (University of Birmingham, UK)

Gendering Europe: British national identity from EEC accession to EU secession

Thursday 23 February, 16.00 - 16.50

Dr Ash Stokoe (University of Birmingham, UK)

Power in the classroom (Lightning talk)

17.00 - 18.30

Show and Tell

Please contact Matt Hines (m.hines@bham.ac.uk) with any questions.