S. Interdisziplinär I: : Making Space in a Hopeless Place: Identity, Memory and Belonging in Unexpected Environments
Instructors: Dr. Taylor Andrew McConnellShortname: 05.FTMK.24_100
Course No.: 05.FTMK.24_100
Course Type: Seminar
Requirements / organisational issues
LanguageThis course and all readings will be offered in English. You are expected to have a passive and active understanding of English as a prerequisite for the Bachelor’s degree programmes in the FTMK Institute and as such should be able to understand and discuss complex texts and concepts as part of this course. Questions may be asked in German to clarify particular terms or difficult-to-understand passages, but the majority of the coursework and activities in class will be in English.
The term paper (Hausarbeit), in accordance with the current exam regulations, may be written in English or German.
Contents
What is this class about?This seminar explores the concept of place, identity and belonging by examining unusual venues for identity-making, such as gas stations, airports, saunas and bars. Some of these have historically been labelled “non-places” (Augé 1995) for their relative lack of importance to the daily lives of the people who use them. Identity, however, can be generated in these strange places through social acts of meaning-making and daily practices that develop only in those locations. What does it mean, then, when we only feel we’ve arrived “home” once we visit a particular location? What memories and forms of storytelling do visits to these sites evoke?
In this course, we will read through some of the foundational literature on place and non-place, identity, memory and belonging while using various sorts of media to observe how these spaces turn into places imbued with meaning over time. The academic texts are grounded in both cultural studies and sociology, while the sources include documentaries, films, advertisements, newspapers and maps, among others.
This course will be taught in English and open to FTMK students across all disciplines as well as incoming exchange students (Erasmus+, Freemovers, etc.).
What topics will we discuss this semester?
- Space and meaning-making
- Identity and self
- Communicative memory and cultural memory
What are the learning outcomes of this course?
By the end of this semester, students should gain an advanced knowledge and a critical understanding of key concepts and theoretical approaches to place and identity through a social scientific and media studies lens. In particular, students will be able to:
- Construct a cultural studies-informed argument, using appropriate evidence about the construction of meaning and identity in a chose place of study
- Demonstrate an understanding through cultural studies and media studies of the relationship between place/space, meaning and identity cross culturally and the importance of cultural and social context across regional and national boundaries
- Discuss social processes involved in the creation of identity and meaning and in the retrieval of personal memories
- Reflect on case studies examining specific identity-generating places in Europe and elsewhere
- Prepare and discuss scholarly work for seminars, even in other fields
- Actively participate in group discussions, whether in the classroom or further afield
Dates
| Date (Day of the week) | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10/29/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/05/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/12/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/19/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/26/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/03/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/10/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/17/2025 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/07/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/14/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/21/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/28/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 02/04/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 02/11/2026 (Wednesday) | 14:15 - 15:45 | 00 473 P13 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |