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ERIC Number: EJ1233722
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1756-1221
EISSN: N/A
Unpacking "Heimat": A Spiraled Approach to Identity and Belonging for Global German Studies
Peabody, Seth; Randall, Amanda
Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, v52 n2 p178-186 Fall 2019
If the German-speaking world is conceived of as a pluralistic society, open to migration, and integrated in global networks, then what could "Heimat" mean for German Studies? This article presents a rationale and curricular design model for critically unpacking the cultural narrative of "Heimat" within a globalized context. As numerous scholars have argued, "Heimat" is a complex, possibly untranslatable concept that expresses both belonging and exclusion. Its connection to nationalism, racism, and propaganda in German history is well known, and we argue that its most recent reemergence in public and political discourse presents pressing implications for German instruction. Given all of the cultural energies embedded into the concept, this article considers how we might reframe "Heimat" in our courses to build students' critical thinking skills and global perspectives. Through recent curriculum reform efforts in our undergraduate German program, we have implemented an iterative approach to critically probing the layered meanings of "Heimat" via multiple texts and avenues for student engagement at each level of the curriculum. By engaging the concept through a spiraling, content-driven design, students confront the implications of Heimat as an organizer of German identities and a discursive vehicle for achieving a more inclusive Germany and German Studies.
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A