Global Crises and What it Means to be German (Jan 2017 - Dec 2017)

Principal Investigator: Dr Nicholas Martin,
Co-Investigators: Dr Charlotte Galpin, Dr Sara Jones, Dr Julian Pänke
External funder: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Context

Global Crises will bring together the research completed during three previous DAAD-funded IGS research projects - Zeitgeist (2011-2012), Worldviews (2013-2014) and (Not) Made in Germany (2015-2016) - in order to explore the intersections between these different areas of work. The core foci of the three projects – what it means to be German today, how the German past influences contemporary politics, and how images of Germany are constructed from the outside – are considered alongside one another in order to develop a better understanding of how past, present, the national and the international interact in the construction of German identity in the twenty-first century. The research is structured around three key strands: 1) a panel discussion and workshop on German perceptions of the ‘Brexit’ referendum; 2) continuing professional development days for A-Level teachers of German; and 3) an international symposium around the theme of ‘Global Crises and What it Means to be German’.

Project aims and objectives

Having successfully completed three high-profile projects supported by Promoting German Studies in the UK, the Institute for German Studies is seeking funding for consolidation of this work and dissemination of its findings to both academic and non-academic audiences.

Strand 1: Perceptions of ‘Brexit’ in Germany brings together academics, media representatives, policy experts and the public to consider discourses about ‘Brexit’ in Germany. With a focus on Germany, these activities will explore different attitudes towards ‘Brexit’, the importance of these external perspectives and methods for disseminating this knowledge to a wider audience.

Strand 2: Continuing Professional Development for A-Level Teachers of German in the UK The study of A-Level languages in general and German in particular continues to decline from 6,367 entrants to the exams in 2002 to only 3,624 in 2015 (Scott, 2016). In continuing professional development (CPD) days we will focus on creative ways to inspire an interest in German language, culture, history and society.

Strand 3: International Workshop: 'Global Crises and What it Means to be German' The third and final strand of Global Crises brings together key participants from Zeitgeist, Worldviews and (Not) Made in Germany to explore intersections between the different projects.

More information           

For further information about this project, please contact 
Dr Nicholas Martin (n.c.martin@bham.ac.uk).