Winter Term 2024/25

IPP Workshop Series

for BA, MA & PhD students

The IPP Workshop Series offers IPP members the opportunity to lead a workshop on current concepts and methods in the Study of culture. The aim of the series is to create an interactive discussion group for doctoral candidates and students. The topics can range from general introductions to various "schools" of literary and cultural theory to concepts, methods and topics of literary and cultural theory. The sessions are open for BA, MA and PhD students.

All the sessions will be in the GCSC-GGK Building (Otto-Behaghel-Str. 12) from 14.00 to 16.00. 

Please register for the event on Stud.IP through the links provided below. 

Literary Studies | Helena Como | 7.11.2023 | 14-16 | SR 109

Translating the ‘Body’ in Contemporary literature: Perspectives on ‘Embodiment’

In recent years, Embodiment theories have flourished in different research fields, all of which have put their peculiar twist on conceptions of the „body“. Directly derived from Embodiment, Embodied Cognition theory has become particularly relevant in fields such as linguistics and translation studies, among other disciplines. The influence of these developments is also evident in the literary practice of many contemporary authors who have come to establish their own notion of embodiment, as they seek to explore the „corporeity of language and translation“ in their works. Varying and conflicting definitions of embodiment have also emerged in relation to translation in its broadest sense, with many scholars arguing about the reliability of such a concept when it comes to assessing how translation is carried out and the impact that it has on a work of literature. However, it cannot be denied that the body, in its different dimensions, plays a central role in these writings. Therefore, the aim of this workshop is to discuss the dynamics to which these literary bodies are subjected. After presenting the theoretical framework, the workshop will offer a focused analysis of literary works produced by contemporary authors who actively engage with these concepts.

Keywords: Embodiment, translation, embodied cognition, contemporary literature

Please register here.

Cultural/Theological Studies | Luca Siniscalco | 14.11.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

An Introduction to the ‘Post-Secular’ Turn: Rethinking Religion(s) in Contemporary Age

It is in the public eye how much the role of religion is currently pivotal in the context of geopolitical, social and ethical challenges. Western secularization seems in a phase of partial – although irregular – shutdown.

Apart from the reaffirmation of traditional religions, often in form of revanchism and radicalization, scholars have underlined that the cultural crisis of the main drivers of modernity (materialism, scientism, individualism, progressivism, rationalism) seems to open a new phase, accompanied by the development and spreading of new religious forms, which seem to contradict – or even to reverse – the process of secularization.

Elaborating on Jürgen Habermas’s theorization of “postsecular societies”, Stoeckl, Rosati and Holton (Global Connections: Multiple Modernities and Postsecular Societies, 2012, p. 2) define “postsecular” those contemporary societies, nor premodern (sacral), neither completely secularized, where religious instances are resurgent, while “new forms of religious pluralism also emerge within a secular horizon that call into question established institutions and practices” (ivi, p. 2).

Under the notion of “Postsecular age”, a relevant debate has thus recently been established, culminating in the theorization of a “postecular turn”. Fundamental source, in this context, is The Routledge Handbook of Postsecularity (2019), which thematize, through interdisciplinary perspectives, the notion of postecularity, between the processes of “revival of the religion” and “secularization of secularism”.

The workshop will offer an introduction to the concept of “Postsecular”, discussing the meaning of this notion and its range of application as theoretical framework. A final section of the workshop will consider the application of this model to the analysis of contemporary cultural processes and will open a discussion with the participants, offering considerations on how other Phd candidates could integrate this framework in their own research projects.

Keywords: Postecularity, secularization, postmodernity, spirituality, crisis, societies

Please register here.

Literary Studies | Mortada Haidar | 21.11.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

Literary Depictions of the City as a Character

The city has occupied a central role in literature from the 19th century onwards. Whether it is Charles Dickens’ London, James Joyce’s Dublin, or Scott Fitzgerald’s New York, the city is personified, lively, and full of contrasts. The city in the aforementioned works can be considered a character in its own right. This workshop explores the literary city through the intersection of theories from literary studies and sociology, with particular attention to cultural and social geography and memory studies. The workshop will begin with a brief overview of depictions of the city in Western literature, but will move beyond that to compare and contrast the place of the city in literature from around the world, using my current work on Lebanese literature as an example. Through this, I aim to investigate how is memory explored through literary depictions of the city, and what does it mean for a city to be “in flux”. One of the main aims of this workshop is to explore the literary depictions of the city as a character in novels from outside the Western world, offering an insight into how post-conflict cities are depicted.

Please register here. 

Literary Studies | Archana Ravi | 28.11.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

Forms of Perpetration in Contemporary Second World War Fiction

The proposed Workshop aims to examine the representation of the different forms of perpetration in literary fiction. Perpetrator fiction, as opposed to being an oversimplified depiction of an archetypal ‘evil’ perpetrator, attempt to “engage with the immense suffering of the victims and reflect on the human capacity for cruelty that enabled such extreme acts of perpetration to occur in the first place.” (Pettitt, 361) The workshop will engage with texts that deal with perpetrators and the layered, forms of perpetration on a spectrum, by looking at their ‘motivations’, their agency (and the lack of it) which occurs while they are positioned in a larger totalitarian structure that encourages perpetration.

The workshop will be divided into two sections. The first would be a general introduction to perpetrator narratives and the depiction of perpetrator/perpetration in contemporary Second World War Fiction. It will also introduce the participants to how authors engage in narrative processes of simultaneous identification and dis-identification with perpetrator characters. (McGlothlin) The second part of the workshop would be practical. Participants will be given readings (sections from selected novels) that they would be expected to read prior to the workshop. During the workshop, the participants would be encouraged to discuss how they view and differentiate between the different forms of perpetration, discuss notions of culpability, and the ethical implications of humanizing perpetrators by means of reflecting, for instance, on their trauma and situating them and their acts of perpetration within a violent political structure.

Works cited: 

• McGlothlin, Erin. “Narrative Perspective and the Holocaust Perpetrator: Edgar Hilsenrath’s The Nazi and the Barber and Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones”. The Bloomsbury Companion to Holocaust Literature edited by Jenni Adams, London, New York, Bloomsbury, 2014, pp. 159-178.
• Pettitt, Joanne. “What Is Holocaust Perpetrator Fiction?” Journal of European Studies, vol. 50, no. 4, Dec. 2020, pp. 360–72. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1177/0047244120965268

Please register here. 

Research | Yauheniya Lekarevich | 05.12.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

An Introduction to Computer-Assisted Text Analysis for the Study of Literature

This workshop aims to introduce a repertoire of well-established digital tools used in computational literary studies. It is planned as a critical introduction to demystify commonly referred-to Digital Humanities (DH) methodologies. The workshop will familiarize the audience with the field and underscore the role of qualitative and interpretative components within it. The overview will begin with stylometry, likely the most well-known component that has made attempts to impact the field classical philology. It will then cover network analysis, vector semantics, and topic modeling. The workshop will not involve a deep methodological dive or a strong hands-on component. Instead, it will focus on groups of approaches and prominent case studies, viewed within the broader context of the field's developments. The limitations of these methods will be discussed in a participatory format, including the most accessible ways to start applying them if there is interest. The workshop is aimed at developing conceptual familiarity, so participants with a qualitative background do not hesitate when encountering computer-assisted approaches. Additionally, we will discuss current challenges in the field, such as the crisis of reproducibility, the connections to literary schools, and the interaction of digital methodologies with literary theories.

Please register here.

Literary/Cultural Studies | Tien-Phát Nguyen | 16.01.2025 | 14-16 | SR 109

Experiencing Narrative Techniques Across Theatre – Literature – Cinema From an Intermedial Perspective

From modern theatre and prose fiction to commercial and independent cinema in the 21 st century, there is a trend in which hybrid narrative techniques have been developing throughout the encounters of the three classic media. From an intermedial perspective, this workshop is going to introduce some narrative tools that have transcended the boundaries of narrative arts, with a concentration on how meanings are constructed within the interactions of narrative techniques among the three art forms, and also how to adapt traditional narrative instruments from one storytelling platform to a new environment of storyworlds. Instead of following the direction of studying each separate platform, the course digs into the archive of techniques and analyzes their effects when applied for creating, and also the potential of mixing them for a wider audience, backed by the process of transmedial storytelling, especially adaptations as the artistic milieu. It can be hypothesized that characteristics of every narrative technique from a specific art–form have a certain influence on how humans perceive the world. Therefore, in a world where the convergence of media is increasingly high, these narrative techniques need to be viewed from an intermedial perspective. From this point of view, we can scrutinize the assumptions about the “cultural lenses” associated with the interactions among narrative tools to determine new narrative techniques that can describe human perspectives on specific phenomena of contemporary life. The workshop will make use of structuralist theoretical tools, while also applying case studies based on postclassical narratology theories.

Please register here.

Literary Studies | Hatunnur Ciftci | 23.01.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

Queer Narrative Theory: From Foundations to Futures

What did queer do for literary studies? Rooted in the gay and lesbian movements of the 60s, queer theory has maintained a close yet contentious relationship with literary studies, particularly narrative theory. Especially today, the rise of renewed formalist movements in cultural studies demands new conceptualizations of queer as a mode of literary criticism. In response to this timely call, therefore, this workshop aims to: first, provide participants with a knowledge of the “classics” of queer narrative theory; second, improve participants’ critical skills in queer reading and analysis; and third, build a conversation around the future possibilities and affordances of “queer” for literary analysis. This workshop is designed to be an active, goal-oriented process to help participants improve and overcome individual research challenges. For this reason, participants read an assigned material beforehand, and the session begins with a brief introduction to the topic, followed by a guided group activity. After the groups have shared their findings, the session opens up for discussion and questions. The material for this workshop is Tyler Bradway’s essay, “Queer Narrative Theory and Relationality of Form” (pp. 711-727), which through its innovative approach, provides a fruitful discussion about the queer capacities of narrative. In the introduction, I will draw on the work of Susan Lanser and Anne Mulhall to give an overview of the queer narrative theory. Despite its focus on genderqueer, the workshop’s introductory yet interdisciplinary and forward-thinking approach offers a stimulating platform for participants at all levels of literary studies.

Please register here. 

Literary/Cultural Studies | Annalina Benner | 30.01.2025 | 14-16 | SR 109

Telling My life in Pictures: An Introduction to Graphic Memoirs

While looking back at a long tradition and famous representatives such as Captain America (1940- present) or TinTin (1929-1986), being both entertaining and informative, as well as globally successful, comic books have often been accused of lacking seriousness and literary merit (cf. Gundermann 2007: 16-24). This started to slowly change when Will Eisner coined the term “graphic novel” with the release of A Contract with God (2006 [1978]) which was followed by the success of Art Spiegelman’s Maus (2003 [1991]) shortly after (cf. Abel & Klein 2016: 29-34; cf. Jaffe & Hurwich 2019: 20-21). These two texts not only stand as great examples for the canon of graphic novels but also share another similarity in that both tell the respective author’s family history (cf. Hallet 2012: 34-37).

To provide an overview of life writing in graphic novel format, this workshop will be split into two parts with the first serving as an introduction to the graphic novel format (cf. McCloud 1994; cf. Kelley 2010: 1-5), and the latter allowing participants to actively engage with the graphic memoirs provided. Works that can be discussed include but are not limited to graphic memoirs of various thematic foci such as Jewish lives in the USA in the aforementioned texts by Eisner and Spiegelman, LGBTQIA+ experiences in Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home (2007 [2006]) or Grayson Lee White’s Dotson (2023), social change in John Lewis’ March (2013-2016 [2009-2015]), and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (2008 [2000-2003]), or mental health issues in Debbie Tung’s Everything is Okay (2022), and Zoe Thorogood’s It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (2023). Further, participants are warmly invited to bring their own examples for discussion. Finally, we will assess the diversity of life writing found in graphic memoirs from graphic novels to picture books.

Bibliography

• Abel, Julia, and Christian Klein (2016). Comics und Graphic Novels. Eine Einführung. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler. Print.
• Bechdel, Alison (2007). Fun Home. A Family Tragicomic [2006]. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Print.
• Eisner, Will (2006). The Contract with God Trilogy. Life on Dropsie Avenue [1978]. New York: Norton. Print.
• Gundermann, Christine (2007). Jenseits von Asterix. Comics im Geschichtsunterricht. Schwalbach/Ts.: Wochenschau Geschichte. Print.
• Hallet, Wolfgang (2012). “AutobioGraphic Novels. Selbsterzählungen in Comic-Form analysieren und verfassen.” Der Fremdsprachliche Unterricht Englisch 46: 34-38. Print.
• Jaffe, Meryl, and Talia Hurwich (2019). Worth a Thousand Words. Using Graphic Novels to Teach Visual and Verbal Literacy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Print.
• Kelley, Brian (2010). “Sequential Art, Graphic Novels, and Comics.” SANE journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education 1.1: 1-24. Web. <https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=sane> (19 July 2024).
• Lewis, John, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (2013-2016 [2009-2015]). March. Marietta: Top Shelf Productions. Print.
• McCloud, Scott (1994). Understanding Comics. The Invisible Art. New York: Harper Collins. Print.
• Satrapi, Marjane (2008). The Complete Persepolis [2000-2003]. London: Vintage. Print.
• Spiegelman, Art (2003). Maus. A Survivor’s Tale [1991]. London: Penguin Book. Print.
• Thorogood, Zoe (2023). It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. An auto-bio-graphic novel. Portland: Image Comics. Print. 
• Tung, Debbie (2022). Everything Is Okay. n.p.: Andrews McMeel Publishing. Print.
• White, Grayson Lee, and Stephanie Roth Sisson (2023). Dotson. My Journey Growing Up Transgender. n.p.: West Margin Press. Print.

Please register here.

Literary Studies | Louise Louw | 06.02.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

Reading Trauma Narratives: Understanding the Value of Contemporary Fiction in Conveying Traumatic Memory

Ever since the term PTSD was first coined in 1980, there has been a growing interest in trauma research, with psychologists and literary scholars alike looking towards new ways of understanding trauma as “a response to events so overwhelmingly intense that they impair normal emotional or cognitive responses and bring lasting psychological disruption” (Vickroy, ix). Drawing on Laurie Vickroy’s seminal text, Trauma and Survival in Contemporary Fiction (2002) wherein she argues she introduces the “trauma narrative” as an emerging genre of fiction devoted to the exploration of the subject– this workshop is aimed at elucidating how contemporary fiction functions in representing intangible concepts such as historical and collective traumas.

We will look at how psychic expressions of trauma, such as Sigmund Freud’s “repetition compulsion” (Forter, 260) and Cathy Caruth’s notion of “latency” are represented through narrative methods that highlight the temporal paradoxes, flashbacks, forgetting, amnesia, and moments of outright disassociation that characterise unprocessed traumatic memory (Explorations in Memory, 152). Through the close reading of selected passages, we will evaluate how contemporary fictional texts, operating under a unique set of narrative affordances, are able to represent trauma mimetically and stylistically through narrative techniques such as vignettes, analepsis, fragmented narrative, and dreams without detracting from their testimonial and therapeutic value. Thus, by looking how fictional narration mimics the “nonlinear movements” of memory that allows “trauma to register in language and its hesitations, indirections, pauses, and silences” (Rossington et al., 208), we will explore how trauma narratives not only demand reader participation, but also foster empathy through language.

Works Cited:

• Caruth, Cathy. "Explorations in Memory." Baltimore/London (1995): vii, 151-157. 
• Forter, Greg. "Freud, Faulkner, Caruth: Trauma and the Politics of Literary Form." Narrative, 15.3 (2007): 259-285. 
• Rossington, Michael, Anne Whitehead, and Linda R. Anderson. Theories of Memory: a reader. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. 
• Vickroy, Laurie. Trauma and Survival in Contemporary Fiction, 2002

Please register here. 

Literary Studies | Anna Klishevich | 13.02.2024 | 14-16 | SR 109

Multimodal Fiction: What is it and how to read it?

Almost thirty years ago, W.T.H. Mitchell, the author of the “Picture Theory”, wrote that “all media are mixed media” (Mitchell 1995, 94-95), meaning that all means of communication have, to some degree, the elements of other means of communication, i.e., other media, within them. Literature is, thus, to be viewed as a ‘composite’ art or a medium which has different arts, media, or forms of representation within it. As one of the responses to such ideas, a new literary genre was introduced – multimodal fiction – and the multimodal novel was defined as a novel that integrates nonverbal modes of meaning-making into its narrative discourse (Hallet 2018, 26). In this workshop, we will discuss what multimodal fiction is and what one needs to be aware of when reading it. We will focus on multimodal novels by American and British authors as examples of multimodal fiction and distinguish them from graphic novels and illustrated novels, teasing out characteristics specific for multimodal novels. We will draw on works by such novelists as David Mitchell, Mark Haddon, Nick Hornby, Jonathan Safran Foer, Steven Hall, and others., as examples to understand the challenges of reading multimodal fiction and will try to suggest possible solutions to overcome them. The workshop’s target audience comprises Bachelor, Master, and PhD students of literary and cultural studies or any other disciplines who are interested in but have no specific background knowledge in multimodality or multimodal fiction.

Please register here.