Multicultural Germany Class: Multilingualism
This post is part of a series in which students reflect on their discussions in the UC Berkeley undergraduate seminar “Multicultural Germany.” This week’s summary is by Treasure Nguyen: During the tenth week of class we delved into language, exploring multilingualism, literature, and debates about the institutionalization of a language in a nation’s constitution. We […]
Book Review: “Why the Child is Cooking the Polenta”
As part of their work for the Multicultural Germany undergraduate seminar at UC Berkeley, students in the course have reviewed recent German books relating in various ways to topics of migration, multiculturalism, and contemporary German identity. Ying Ruan reviewed Aglaja Veteranyi’s novel “Warum das Kind das Polenta kocht” (Why the Child is Cooking the Polenta): […]
Winterblume (Winter Flowers)
Seventeen years before, Mehmet Umut illegally immigrated from Turkey to Germany. His presence was tolerated there until he became unemployed. Fearing he would apply for welfare, policemen were sent to his apartment to roust him from his bed and have him deported. Much of this drama follows the determined Mehmet as he struggles to sneak […]
Abgebrannt (Burnout)
Pelin, eine junge alleinerziehende Mutter aus dem Problemkiez Berlin-Wedding wird mit ihren drei Kindern von unterschiedlichen Vätern verschiedener Nationen,- Robby (9), Elvis (4) und Roxanne (19 Monate),- zur Mutter-Kind-Kur in einen landschaftlich paradiesischen Kurort nach Norddeutschland verschickt. Die Kur soll Pelin, die immer wieder auf einen Kollisionskurs mit Jugendamt und Familiengericht zusteuert, Zeit zum Nachdenken […]
Der Unfall (The Accident)
Der spanische Gastarbeiter Abél wird schwer verletzt mit eingeschlagenem Schädel in einer Baugrube gefunden. Sein Bruder Paco kommt nichtsahnend einen Tag später nach Köln. Ohne Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache muss er sich durchschlagen und wird schnell mit Vorurteilen konfrontiert. Nachdem er vom Kriminalkommissar, der die Untersuchung leitet, über Abéls Zustand informiert wurde, versucht er selbst, […]
Multicultural Germany Class: Multiple Tongues
This post is part of a series in which students reflect on their discussions in the UC Berkeley undergraduate seminar “Multicultural Germany.” This week’s summary is by Jenelle Mathews: This week in class was a continuation of last week’s topic, Multiple Tongues – Multilingualism, Literature and Translation. As with previous weeks, our readings included articles from […]
Book Review: “The Passport”
UC Berkeley undergraduate Preethi Kandhalu reviewed Herta Müller’s 1986 novel “Der Mensch ist ein grosser Fasan auf der Welt” (The Passport): The Passport presents the story of Windisch, a miller who lives in the Socialist Republic of Romania with his wife and daughter, Amalie, who is in a desperate quest to acquire a passport to emigrate to […]
Book Review: “Septembertee”
As part of their work for the Multicultural Germany undergraduate seminar at UC Berkeley, students in the course have reviewed recent German books relating in various ways to topics of migration, multiculturalism, and contemporary German identity. Julia Schroeder reviewed Renan Demirkan’s memoir Septembertee oder Das geliehene Leben: In der 2008 erschienenen Autobiographie Septembertee: oder das […]
Ferien (Vacation)
Sommer. Ein abgelegenes Landhaus in der Uckermark. Umgeben und verborgen durch einen Wald. In diesem weltabgeschiedenen Refugium lebt Anna (Angela Winkler) mit ihrem Mann Robert (Wigand Witting) und ihrem Sohn Max (Amir Hadzic). Im Verlauf eines Sommers kommen in dem Haus mehrere Generationen der verzweigten Familie zu sammen. Laura (Karoline Eichhorn), Annas Tochter aus erster […]
Evet, Ich will!
The movie revolves around three different couples who have to overcome familial and cultural obstacles to be with their ones they love. A man looking for a bride-for-hire also learns the hard way that expectations and reality do not always come together well. Links: IMDB, Film official website Genre(s): comedy, romance Director: Sinan Akkus Cast: […]