• BA English and American Studies (neu): Hauptmodul A. (Zulassungsvoraussetzung: Zwischenmodul II)

• Lehramt Englisch an Gymnasien (neu): Hauptmodul L-GYM Literature (Zulassungsvoraussetzung: Zwischenmodul Literature)

• MA North American Studies: Culture and Literature (4) Aufbaumodul Cultural Studies (7) Vertiefungsmodul Cultural Studies

• MA North American Studies: Culture and Literature (5) Aufbaumodul Literary Studies (8) Vertiefungsmodul Literary Studies

• MA The Americas/Las Américas: Modul 4

• MA Literaturstudien – interdisziplinär: Modul 4

Justin Trudeau’s embrace of stereotypes posits Canadians as the better North Americans in a move that is typically Canadian—distinguishing Canada from all things south of the 49th parallel. This seminar examines key topics in Canadian Studies, ranging from debates over “Canadianness” to the relation of Canadian Studies to (North) American Studies. We will discuss cultural specifics ranging from indigenous knowledges and epistemologies, multiculturalism, regionalisms and Prairie Writing, Black and Asian Canadian Studies, up to the most recent phenomenon of Canadian Exceptionalism—focussing on questions such as: is Canada a postcolonial nation? What are Canadian national myths? What view of Canadianness do Canadian studies project?
Our reading list includes, among others, short fiction by Margaret Atwood and Aritha van Herk, essays from literary historian Northrop Frye’s The Bush Garden, the Western comedy Gunless (2010), the graphic biography Louis Riel by Chester Brown and Thomas King’s short story “Borders”.

The seminar is accompanied by an Independent Study Group (ISG) for BA students who will be required to compile and present a book review.