Search/Sort
Course Search Results
Concentration
Title
Module
Semester
Day/Time
Art and Aesthetics
Art and Artists in Context
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Art and Artists in Context
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Art and Artists in Context
AH201 Made in Germany? Art and National Identity, 1800-2000
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Art and Aesthetics
Exhibition Culture and Public Space
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Exhibition Culture and Public Space
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Exhibition Culture and Public Space
AH226 Private and Public: The Sammlung Hoffman and Berlin’s Contemporary Collections
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Art and Aesthetics
Artists, Genres, and Movements
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
AH265 The Art of Afro-Latin America
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Art and Aesthetics
Artists, Genres, and Movements
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ying Sze Pek
This course explores how the history of photography in Germany was intertwined with the country’s encounter with modernity. Students will be introduced to canonical episodes and concepts from the history and theory of photography since the time of Germany’s unification in 1871. We cover topics such as photography and nationalism, Weimar-era photographic experimentation and the New Vision, photography and memory, photo-conceptualism, East German perspectives, and photography’s digital futures. Our course discusses the work of photographers and artists including Bernd and Hilla Becher, Sibylle Bergemann, Hannah Höch, Candida Höfer, László Moholy-Nagy, August Sander, and Tobias Zielony. We also engage black diasporic and postmigration perspectives to studying this material, addressing approaches and discourses that are urgent and emerging in the field of German cultural studies. Our investigations of photography and Germany thus account for the country’s intersectional histories of colonialism, fascism, socialism, and migration. Taking advantage of our location in Berlin, the class visits key photography institutions and collections in the city in selected weeks. For the course assignment, students will write a research paper and may choose to develop a research-based artwork or a piece of writing that incorporates their photographic works, such as a visual essay.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
AH284 Photography in Germany, 1871 to the Present
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ying Sze Pek
This course explores how the history of photography in Germany was intertwined with the country’s encounter with modernity. Students will be introduced to canonical episodes and concepts from the history and theory of photography since the time of Germany’s unification in 1871. We cover topics such as photography and nationalism, Weimar-era photographic experimentation and the New Vision, photography and memory, photo-conceptualism, East German perspectives, and photography’s digital futures. Our course discusses the work of photographers and artists including Bernd and Hilla Becher, Sibylle Bergemann, Hannah Höch, Candida Höfer, László Moholy-Nagy, August Sander, and Tobias Zielony. We also engage black diasporic and postmigration perspectives to studying this material, addressing approaches and discourses that are urgent and emerging in the field of German cultural studies. Our investigations of photography and Germany thus account for the country’s intersectional histories of colonialism, fascism, socialism, and migration. Taking advantage of our location in Berlin, the class visits key photography institutions and collections in the city in selected weeks. For the course assignment, students will write a research paper and may choose to develop a research-based artwork or a piece of writing that incorporates their photographic works, such as a visual essay.
Art and Aesthetics
Aesthetics and Art Theory
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Aesthetics and Art Theory
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katalin Makkai
“Aesthetics” and “aesthetic” are terms that are often taken for granted inside as well as outside academic discourse. We speak of aesthetic experiences and judgments and qualities, and we employ “aesthetics” to designate the study of such matters. Although their root is taken from the Greek, the now-familiar terms (in their now-familiar usages) are, however, comparatively new. They are commonly regarded as having been introduced into the philosophical lexicon in the eighteenth century—a few hundred years ago. This course studies some of the texts that were key to the discovery, or perhaps the invention, of the “aesthetic”. What work was the idea meant to do? How did its evolution retain or reconfigure its original senses and purposes? Is the idea of the aesthetic problematic, ideological, or chimerical? Do we need an idea of the aesthetic to think about art?
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Aesthetics and Art Theory
AH302 Ideas of the Aesthetic
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katalin Makkai
“Aesthetics” and “aesthetic” are terms that are often taken for granted inside as well as outside academic discourse. We speak of aesthetic experiences and judgments and qualities, and we employ “aesthetics” to designate the study of such matters. Although their root is taken from the Greek, the now-familiar terms (in their now-familiar usages) are, however, comparatively new. They are commonly regarded as having been introduced into the philosophical lexicon in the eighteenth century—a few hundred years ago. This course studies some of the texts that were key to the discovery, or perhaps the invention, of the “aesthetic”. What work was the idea meant to do? How did its evolution retain or reconfigure its original senses and purposes? Is the idea of the aesthetic problematic, ideological, or chimerical? Do we need an idea of the aesthetic to think about art?
Art and Aesthetics
Exhibition Culture and Public Space
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Exhibition Culture and Public Space
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Exhibition Culture and Public Space
AH318 Spaces of Appearance: Exhibitions as Counter-Public Spheres
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Art and Aesthetics
Art Objects and Experience
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Art Objects and Experience
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Art Objects and Experience
AR204 Art and Interpretation
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Art and Aesthetics
Approaching Arts Through Theory
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Approaching Arts Through Theory
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Approaching Arts Through Theory
AR210 New Materialisms in Philosophy and Art
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
“Language matters. Discourse matters. Culture matters.
There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
In this seminar we explore, re-think and revisit relationships between the human and nature. Recent attempts to do this have followed criticism of Western thinking (and acting) as being rooted deeply in a violent division: a sovereign human subject on the one hand with non-human, natural objects as merely passive material on the other. Alongside this critique, we want to read proposals for a different understanding of what human or nature could possibly mean – after all, climate change and the Anthropocene have fundamentally challenged a hierarchical idea of the relation between these two categories. Understanding matter and materialities as the non-human will be of crucial interest. With this aim in mind, we examine the perspectives of philosophy, science and arts. For example, Karen Barad proposes learning from quantum physics to overcome the idea of fixed oppositions defining subjects and objects. Instead, entanglements, intra-actions and diffractions should open up a relational space in which agency is situated. Ultimately, humans are not the only beings in the world who can act. We consider artistic and curatorial as well as theoretical approaches to the potential of matter (e.g. Pierre Huyghe in documenta13). We look at manifestations of the aesthetic which deal with what Jane Bennett calls vibrant matter. Further readings for our seminar will include texts by Donna Haraway, Nancy Tuana, Dipesh Chakrabarty, Rosi Braidotti and Bruno Latour.There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
Art and Aesthetics
Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
AR335 Artificial Sex: Technology, Gender, and Sexuality
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
Microeconomics is the study of how individual economic units (households and firms) interact to determine outcomes (allocation of goods and services) in a market setting. This course further develops principles and analytical methods introduced by the “Principles of Economics” and the “Mathematics for Economics” courses. The first part of the course deals with the consumer side. We will study the underlying assumptions about consumer preferences and behavior that lead to the creation of individual and market demands. The second part of the course deals with the theory of the firm (i.e., how production and costs create individual and market supply). The third part of the course deals with the market as a whole, combining consumer-based demand with producer-based supply. Here we also study issues related to the efficiency of markets and the workings of welfare economics. Finally, we will learn positive and normative characteristics of alternative market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly.
Prerequisites: Principles of Economics and Mathematics for Economics.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
EC210 Microeconomics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
Microeconomics is the study of how individual economic units (households and firms) interact to determine outcomes (allocation of goods and services) in a market setting. This course further develops principles and analytical methods introduced by the “Principles of Economics” and the “Mathematics for Economics” courses. The first part of the course deals with the consumer side. We will study the underlying assumptions about consumer preferences and behavior that lead to the creation of individual and market demands. The second part of the course deals with the theory of the firm (i.e., how production and costs create individual and market supply). The third part of the course deals with the market as a whole, combining consumer-based demand with producer-based supply. Here we also study issues related to the efficiency of markets and the workings of welfare economics. Finally, we will learn positive and normative characteristics of alternative market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly.
Prerequisites: Principles of Economics and Mathematics for Economics.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of an economy as a whole. In this course, the functioning of the aggregate economy is introduced and analyzed starting from basic aggregate data measurement and concepts. It provides an overview of macroeconomic issues: the determination of output, employment, unemployment, interest rate, and inflation. The course also evaluates the scope for policy intervention to improve macroeconomic performance. In the first part, we study the traditional short run model, including goods market and financial markets. In the second part, we will extend it to include medium run developments, such as labor market and inflation dynamics. In the third part, we take a long run perspective and study factors influencing the long run growth potential of a country.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
EC211 Macroeconomics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of an economy as a whole. In this course, the functioning of the aggregate economy is introduced and analyzed starting from basic aggregate data measurement and concepts. It provides an overview of macroeconomic issues: the determination of output, employment, unemployment, interest rate, and inflation. The course also evaluates the scope for policy intervention to improve macroeconomic performance. In the first part, we study the traditional short run model, including goods market and financial markets. In the second part, we will extend it to include medium run developments, such as labor market and inflation dynamics. In the third part, we take a long run perspective and study factors influencing the long run growth potential of a country.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The course Industry Networks and Economic Development explores the impact of industry networks on countries' GDP and their development opportunities. The curriculum is divided into two parts to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of network theory and its practical applications. In the first part of the class, students will delve into the fundamental concepts and principles of graph theory. We study key network measures and strategies for handling bipartite networks. The course places a strong emphasis on the visualization of networks. Part 1 includes a short primer in programming using Python and Gephi. In the second part, we will use the statistics package Stata. No prior knowledge of Python, Gephi, or Stata is required. The faculty will try to organize complimentary copies of Stata. Building on the foundation laid in part one, we focus on practical applications of network theory in economic contexts. Students will explore the historical and contemporary use of input-output tables, understand the role of the Product Space in measuring countries’ development opportunities, and analyze and apply productivity networks.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
EC250 Industry Networks and Economic Development
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The course Industry Networks and Economic Development explores the impact of industry networks on countries' GDP and their development opportunities. The curriculum is divided into two parts to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of network theory and its practical applications. In the first part of the class, students will delve into the fundamental concepts and principles of graph theory. We study key network measures and strategies for handling bipartite networks. The course places a strong emphasis on the visualization of networks. Part 1 includes a short primer in programming using Python and Gephi. In the second part, we will use the statistics package Stata. No prior knowledge of Python, Gephi, or Stata is required. The faculty will try to organize complimentary copies of Stata. Building on the foundation laid in part one, we focus on practical applications of network theory in economic contexts. Students will explore the historical and contemporary use of input-output tables, understand the role of the Product Space in measuring countries’ development opportunities, and analyze and apply productivity networks.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
The course centers on the economic analysis of environmental issues. We will start by addressing market failures related to the environment and to the management of natural resources. Throughout the course we will discuss both global and local environmental issues (e.g., global and local resources held in common, energy production, climate change, water pollution, overfishing, etc.). Our goal will be to review and critique the policy instruments provided by economics and management science to overcome market failures. We also confront the practical issues affecting the application of these instruments, including the question of how monetary values can be assigned to environmental goods.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
EC313 Environmental Economics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
The course centers on the economic analysis of environmental issues. We will start by addressing market failures related to the environment and to the management of natural resources. Throughout the course we will discuss both global and local environmental issues (e.g., global and local resources held in common, energy production, climate change, water pollution, overfishing, etc.). Our goal will be to review and critique the policy instruments provided by economics and management science to overcome market failures. We also confront the practical issues affecting the application of these instruments, including the question of how monetary values can be assigned to environmental goods.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
This course offers an introduction to the theoretical, methodological and ethical foundation of economics. The first part examines the foundations of rational-choice theory. We assess its underlying axioms and principles from a normative and a descriptive perspective. We examine the interpretation of economic models and the metaphysical underpinnings of economics. The second part focuses on methods employed by economists in testing theories and establishing facts, laws and causal relations. We examine how and under which conditions theses methods work, and what kind of question they can answer. In the third part we examine the ethical foundations of welfare economics. Topics will include the moral limits of markets, theories of well-being, inequality and distributive justice, and the evaluation of economic outcomes and policies.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
EC318 Philosophy of Economics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
This course offers an introduction to the theoretical, methodological and ethical foundation of economics. The first part examines the foundations of rational-choice theory. We assess its underlying axioms and principles from a normative and a descriptive perspective. We examine the interpretation of economic models and the metaphysical underpinnings of economics. The second part focuses on methods employed by economists in testing theories and establishing facts, laws and causal relations. We examine how and under which conditions theses methods work, and what kind of question they can answer. In the third part we examine the ethical foundations of welfare economics. Topics will include the moral limits of markets, theories of well-being, inequality and distributive justice, and the evaluation of economic outcomes and policies.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA103 Found Fragments and Layered Lines: Mixed-Media Techniques for Drawing and Collage
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Maria Volokhova
Discover the world of “white gold”. This is what the precious porcelain has always been called because of its special properties: white, translucent, graceful, non-porous material that is harder than ceramics and not that easy to produce. During playful and creative experimentation with the material and through trying out a variety of decorative possibilities, we uncover the fundamental principles of porcelain casting. The course involves studying porcelain and its properties, creating an individual piece, building a plaster mold, and casting a limited edition in porcelain.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA104 Introduction to the Art of Porcelain-Making
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Maria Volokhova
Discover the world of “white gold”. This is what the precious porcelain has always been called because of its special properties: white, translucent, graceful, non-porous material that is harder than ceramics and not that easy to produce. During playful and creative experimentation with the material and through trying out a variety of decorative possibilities, we uncover the fundamental principles of porcelain casting. The course involves studying porcelain and its properties, creating an individual piece, building a plaster mold, and casting a limited edition in porcelain.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA106 Beginners Black and White Photography Class: The Slow Photo
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Joon Park
This studio course covers broad ceramics-making techniques at the foundational level. It explores a variety of ceramic materials and methods for the production of functional ware and ceramic art objects. Students learn basic skills of clay preparation, clay recycling, wheel-throwing, hand-building, slip casting, glazing, and applying decorations. The selected works will be glazed and fired in collaboration with the Ceramic Kingdom in Neukoelln.
Please note there is a fee of €50 for participation in this course to cover material expenses and firing processes.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA107 Ceramics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Joon Park
This studio course covers broad ceramics-making techniques at the foundational level. It explores a variety of ceramic materials and methods for the production of functional ware and ceramic art objects. Students learn basic skills of clay preparation, clay recycling, wheel-throwing, hand-building, slip casting, glazing, and applying decorations. The selected works will be glazed and fired in collaboration with the Ceramic Kingdom in Neukoelln.
Please note there is a fee of €50 for participation in this course to cover material expenses and firing processes.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA108 Beginners in Digital Photography - Your own point of view
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA112 Marble Stone Sculpture
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nadania Idriss
During this class students will learn the 2000-year-old technique of making molds that are used to make glass objects. We will go on a journey from the positive form to thinking about negative and hollow spaces. We will also learn how to cut and polish glass so that each object will go from prototype to working model to finished object. A pop-up show at the end of the class will allow all of us to reflect on the process and show our sculptures to a wider audience. Mold-blowing is a technique of shaping glass by using negative forms made of plaster. The gaffer (main glassblower) prepares the molten glass and blows it into the mold. Participants will learn to assist the gaffer and have an interactive experience of the process. This workshop is geared toward an experience of learning a new and exciting technique, so do not be discouraged if your piece is not successful. Join the class with lots of ideas and don't be afraid to try!
Please note there is a fee of €50 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA113 Introduction to Glass Making
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nadania Idriss
During this class students will learn the 2000-year-old technique of making molds that are used to make glass objects. We will go on a journey from the positive form to thinking about negative and hollow spaces. We will also learn how to cut and polish glass so that each object will go from prototype to working model to finished object. A pop-up show at the end of the class will allow all of us to reflect on the process and show our sculptures to a wider audience. Mold-blowing is a technique of shaping glass by using negative forms made of plaster. The gaffer (main glassblower) prepares the molten glass and blows it into the mold. Participants will learn to assist the gaffer and have an interactive experience of the process. This workshop is geared toward an experience of learning a new and exciting technique, so do not be discouraged if your piece is not successful. Join the class with lots of ideas and don't be afraid to try!
Please note there is a fee of €50 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA114 Beginning Painting
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
FA145 Foundations of Filmmaking: The Short Form
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 0930-1245
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Eva Burghardt
In addition to ongoing movement training as an essential foundation, this course explores the crossover between dance and visual arts, looking at dance and choreography outside of its usual context, the theater space. Drawing from contemporary dance and improvisation techniques, students will train their body as an “instrument,” deepening its awareness, sense of presence and musicality, practicing listening to oneself as well as others. Starting from this inner awareness, we bring attention to our surroundings, making connections to other bodies, objects, space and architecture. Weather permitting, we will leave the dance floor and take our explorations out into the neighborhood to work site-specifically. How can we refresh our eyes and reshape experiences of known places with our present body? How can the experience of the surroundings inspire, inform and bring form to the dances within us or create relationships with the environment we live in? How does our body relate to forms, lines, textures, colors, sounds, or the history or memories of a place? How does it change our experience of a place as a dancer or spectator? Open score improvisations and tasks will be assigned individually and to the group. A final presentation, including sketches, experiments and scores created by students will be shown at the end of the semester. Throughout the course, we will look at and discuss the works of those artists who widened the understanding of dance and choreography, crossing the borders between dance and visual media, e.g., postmodernists Trisha Brown, Simone Forti and Anna Halprin and contemporary figures such as Tino Sehgal, William Forsythe, Willi Dorner or Anne Imhoff. Two off-site excursions to performances in Berlin, including discussions and a written reflection afterwards, will be an integral part of the course. Two off-site excursions to performances in Berlin, including discussions and a written reflection afterwards, will be an integral part of the course.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA156 Dance Lab: Body Space Image. Dance and Visual Arts
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Eva Burghardt
In addition to ongoing movement training as an essential foundation, this course explores the crossover between dance and visual arts, looking at dance and choreography outside of its usual context, the theater space. Drawing from contemporary dance and improvisation techniques, students will train their body as an “instrument,” deepening its awareness, sense of presence and musicality, practicing listening to oneself as well as others. Starting from this inner awareness, we bring attention to our surroundings, making connections to other bodies, objects, space and architecture. Weather permitting, we will leave the dance floor and take our explorations out into the neighborhood to work site-specifically. How can we refresh our eyes and reshape experiences of known places with our present body? How can the experience of the surroundings inspire, inform and bring form to the dances within us or create relationships with the environment we live in? How does our body relate to forms, lines, textures, colors, sounds, or the history or memories of a place? How does it change our experience of a place as a dancer or spectator? Open score improvisations and tasks will be assigned individually and to the group. A final presentation, including sketches, experiments and scores created by students will be shown at the end of the semester. Throughout the course, we will look at and discuss the works of those artists who widened the understanding of dance and choreography, crossing the borders between dance and visual media, e.g., postmodernists Trisha Brown, Simone Forti and Anna Halprin and contemporary figures such as Tino Sehgal, William Forsythe, Willi Dorner or Anne Imhoff. Two off-site excursions to performances in Berlin, including discussions and a written reflection afterwards, will be an integral part of the course. Two off-site excursions to performances in Berlin, including discussions and a written reflection afterwards, will be an integral part of the course.
Art and Aesthetics
Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
FA228 Exploring the Expanded Field of Sculpture
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Art and Aesthetics
Artists, Genres, and Movements, Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Artists, Genres, and Movements, Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Artists, Genres, and Movements, Media, Practices, and Techniques
FA295 Framing Otherly - Queer-Feminist Moving Image Practices
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Art and Aesthetics
Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
FA308 Advanced Photography - Finding the Stories
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Art and Aesthetics
Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
FA317 Advanced Painting: Illusionistic Surfaces
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Art and Aesthetics
Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Media, Practices, and Techniques
FA325 The Photo Zine: A Subversive Phenomenon
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Art and Aesthetics
Approaching Arts Through Theory
Spring 2026
Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Approaching Arts Through Theory
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Approaching Arts Through Theory
FM212 Freud and Jung Go to the Movies: Psychoanalysis and Film
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Art and Aesthetics
Artists, Genres, and Movements
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artists, Genres, and Movements
FM302 Bad Dreams and Beautiful Nightmares: The Films of David Lynch
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
HI250 The Postcolonial Transition in Africa
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
HI315 Cultural Memory and Historical Politics in East-Central Europe
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Certificate in Human Rights, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Florian Duijsens, Agata Lisiak, Clio Nicastro
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate and GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirements
Students enrolled in the Bard College Berlin Internship Program are required to complete the Berlin Internship Seminar, an interdisciplinary course designed to accompany the internship experience. We will meet on a weekly basis and discuss contemporary ways of living and working in Berlin and beyond: What do we mean when we talk about work? Do we need to love what we do? What renders work in/visible? How is work gendered and classed? How is work organized temporally and spatially and how does it, in turn, affect the city and its residents? What distinguishes the spaces in which we live and work today? Which new forms of work have recently emerged in Berlin? Which of them seem to thrive? How do Berlin’s art institutions and citizen-activist organizations operate? Besides in-class discussions, invited lectures, and off-campus visits, the seminar offers a platform for the exchange of observations, reflections, and comments on individual internships.
Students must already be in the process of arranging an internship with Careers Office before registering. If a student has arranged their own internship, they should contact [email protected] to register your internship before enrolling in the course.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
IS331 Berlin Internship Seminar: Working Cultures, Urban Cultures
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Florian Duijsens, Agata Lisiak, Clio Nicastro
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate and GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirements
Students enrolled in the Bard College Berlin Internship Program are required to complete the Berlin Internship Seminar, an interdisciplinary course designed to accompany the internship experience. We will meet on a weekly basis and discuss contemporary ways of living and working in Berlin and beyond: What do we mean when we talk about work? Do we need to love what we do? What renders work in/visible? How is work gendered and classed? How is work organized temporally and spatially and how does it, in turn, affect the city and its residents? What distinguishes the spaces in which we live and work today? Which new forms of work have recently emerged in Berlin? Which of them seem to thrive? How do Berlin’s art institutions and citizen-activist organizations operate? Besides in-class discussions, invited lectures, and off-campus visits, the seminar offers a platform for the exchange of observations, reflections, and comments on individual internships.
Students must already be in the process of arranging an internship with Careers Office before registering. If a student has arranged their own internship, they should contact [email protected] to register your internship before enrolling in the course.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Rebecca Rukeyser
This class introduces creative writing theory and methodology through the study of, and work within, the genre of fiction. We'll examine the formal and structural components necessary to crafting fiction before tackling craft elements of tone, character building, point of view, temporality, dialogue, and scene. We'll read widely, spending equal time with both canonical writers (e.g. James Baldwin, Katherine Mansfield, Yasunari Kawabata, J.G. Ballard) and contemporary writers (e.g. Carmen Maria Machado, Etgar Keret, Mariana Enriquez, Helen Oyeyemi). This class's assignments include: discussing the distinctive qualities and the malleability of various genres, completing generative writing assignments, and an overview of the process of workshopping written pieces. Students will complete a portfolio of revised short pieces based on in-class prompts as well as a 1,000-5,000-word short story.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT142 Writing Fiction
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Rebecca Rukeyser
This class introduces creative writing theory and methodology through the study of, and work within, the genre of fiction. We'll examine the formal and structural components necessary to crafting fiction before tackling craft elements of tone, character building, point of view, temporality, dialogue, and scene. We'll read widely, spending equal time with both canonical writers (e.g. James Baldwin, Katherine Mansfield, Yasunari Kawabata, J.G. Ballard) and contemporary writers (e.g. Carmen Maria Machado, Etgar Keret, Mariana Enriquez, Helen Oyeyemi). This class's assignments include: discussing the distinctive qualities and the malleability of various genres, completing generative writing assignments, and an overview of the process of workshopping written pieces. Students will complete a portfolio of revised short pieces based on in-class prompts as well as a 1,000-5,000-word short story.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boneace Chagara
The eastern part of sub-Saharan Africa— spanning East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia)—is a vibrant literary landscape. This seminar explores the richness and complexity of contemporary Eastern African literatures through fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction and digital texts of the 21st Century. The seminar will be structured thematically and historically, encouraging students to trace aesthetic, formal, as well as political continuities and ruptures in Eastern African writing over the past two decades. We will start our inquiry by mapping the shifting terrain of contemporary Eastern African writing, highlighting its historical and geographical contexts. We will then explore how this writing addresses layered textures of everyday life amid shifting political, cultural, and ecological landscapes. We will address themes like the afterlives of empire, urbanization, migration, diasporic subjectivity, the politics of gender and sexuality, among others. Drawing on African philosophical thought and postcolonial literary theory, our approach will emphasize close reading and contextual analysis while paying close attention to form, language, and aesthetics. Students will critically reflect on literature’s power to unsettle dominant narratives and imagine alternative lived realities. We shall engage with exemplary texts from Eastern African authors— including Nuruddin Farah and Abdourahman Waberi (Somalia/Djibouti), Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda), Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia), Jennifer Nansubuga and Doreen Baingana (Uganda), Mukoma wa Ngugi, Makena Onjerika, Yvonne Adhiambo and Billy Kahora (Kenya), Haji Gora Haji, Adam Shafi and Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania/Zanzibar)— as well as selections from Kwani?, Jalada Africa, and Bahati Books. Supplemental readings from critical theorists and scholars like Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo and Paul Gilroy will aid our textual and contextual readings.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT204 Contemporary Currents in East African Literature
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boneace Chagara
The eastern part of sub-Saharan Africa— spanning East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia)—is a vibrant literary landscape. This seminar explores the richness and complexity of contemporary Eastern African literatures through fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction and digital texts of the 21st Century. The seminar will be structured thematically and historically, encouraging students to trace aesthetic, formal, as well as political continuities and ruptures in Eastern African writing over the past two decades. We will start our inquiry by mapping the shifting terrain of contemporary Eastern African writing, highlighting its historical and geographical contexts. We will then explore how this writing addresses layered textures of everyday life amid shifting political, cultural, and ecological landscapes. We will address themes like the afterlives of empire, urbanization, migration, diasporic subjectivity, the politics of gender and sexuality, among others. Drawing on African philosophical thought and postcolonial literary theory, our approach will emphasize close reading and contextual analysis while paying close attention to form, language, and aesthetics. Students will critically reflect on literature’s power to unsettle dominant narratives and imagine alternative lived realities. We shall engage with exemplary texts from Eastern African authors— including Nuruddin Farah and Abdourahman Waberi (Somalia/Djibouti), Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda), Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia), Jennifer Nansubuga and Doreen Baingana (Uganda), Mukoma wa Ngugi, Makena Onjerika, Yvonne Adhiambo and Billy Kahora (Kenya), Haji Gora Haji, Adam Shafi and Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania/Zanzibar)— as well as selections from Kwani?, Jalada Africa, and Bahati Books. Supplemental readings from critical theorists and scholars like Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo and Paul Gilroy will aid our textual and contextual readings.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1230-1545
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1230-1545
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clare Wigfall
With over nineteen years experience of teaching creative writing, British author Clare Wigfall has developed a method that aims to break down the barriers that inhibit so that the creative process can come naturally. Under her gentle guidance, you will develop a body of new work, learning craft organically through practice and exposure to great writing. The carefully-structured workshops are a springboard, designed to stimulate ideas and encourage experimentation; one or two might even move off campus – how might a museum prove a source of inspiration, for example? A park? The city we live in? Focus will be given to new genres you might not yet have considered, such as fantasy or historical fiction, or how you might weave myths and legends into your work. Also explored will be the subject of how our own experience can shape our fiction, while also considering the issue of how writing fiction can give us scope to imagine places and experiences we’ve never lived in our own lives. You have already begun to develop a voice that is uniquely your own, and will take this further now with opportunities to share your work with a group of fellow writers who you can trust to give you invaluable critique. Alongside this, the reading element of this course will be key; from writers such as Annie Proulx to Carmen Maria Machado, or Katherine Mansfield to George Saunders, the selected reading will cast the net wide to throw you into the literary sea, also introducing you to writing about writing from authors such as Zadie Smith and Alexander Chee. With a proven track record of inspiring her students to produce award-winning, publishable writing, Clare will offer the opportunity to talk about how to submit work to literary journals, or space can be found to give focus to a subject uniquely inspiring to the group. Plus, there will of course be a chance to share new work with the world at the end-of-semester reading, always a well-attended event. Open to students who have already taken a foundational fiction workshop, as well as new students with some writing experience under their belt, you are very welcome to make contact with Clare before registration to introduce yourself and ask any questions.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT212 Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1230-1545
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clare Wigfall
With over nineteen years experience of teaching creative writing, British author Clare Wigfall has developed a method that aims to break down the barriers that inhibit so that the creative process can come naturally. Under her gentle guidance, you will develop a body of new work, learning craft organically through practice and exposure to great writing. The carefully-structured workshops are a springboard, designed to stimulate ideas and encourage experimentation; one or two might even move off campus – how might a museum prove a source of inspiration, for example? A park? The city we live in? Focus will be given to new genres you might not yet have considered, such as fantasy or historical fiction, or how you might weave myths and legends into your work. Also explored will be the subject of how our own experience can shape our fiction, while also considering the issue of how writing fiction can give us scope to imagine places and experiences we’ve never lived in our own lives. You have already begun to develop a voice that is uniquely your own, and will take this further now with opportunities to share your work with a group of fellow writers who you can trust to give you invaluable critique. Alongside this, the reading element of this course will be key; from writers such as Annie Proulx to Carmen Maria Machado, or Katherine Mansfield to George Saunders, the selected reading will cast the net wide to throw you into the literary sea, also introducing you to writing about writing from authors such as Zadie Smith and Alexander Chee. With a proven track record of inspiring her students to produce award-winning, publishable writing, Clare will offer the opportunity to talk about how to submit work to literary journals, or space can be found to give focus to a subject uniquely inspiring to the group. Plus, there will of course be a chance to share new work with the world at the end-of-semester reading, always a well-attended event. Open to students who have already taken a foundational fiction workshop, as well as new students with some writing experience under their belt, you are very welcome to make contact with Clare before registration to introduce yourself and ask any questions.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Laura Scuriatti
As he got older, the notoriously misanthropic English novelist Kingsley Amis insisted that he would not read anything that did not begin with the words "a shot rang out." What is it about the detective fiction form that exercises a grip on readers, even when all aesthetic interest or ornament has fallen away? This fundamentally compelling quality has allowed detective fiction to nestle at the heart of even the most intricate and complex literary performances (think of Shakespeare's Hamlet), or alternatively, to explore issues of identity and social codes that might be deemed too challenging outside of an entertaining, plot-driven mode. The figure of the detective (usually an exceptional character of some kind) has become a cultural icon. Focusing on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century works, we will examine the basic components of the genre, its cultural history (including the advent of professional women detectives), and the connection between detective stories, urban modernity and new epistemologies (for example: criminology and psychoanalysis). Our discussion will be informed by the literary theories have drawn inspiration from the enigmas of detective fiction. The course includes work by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy L. Sayers, Walter Benjamin, Jorge Luis Borges, Gertrude Stein, Ernst Bloch, Tzvetan Todorov, Gerard Génette, Sara Lodge.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT217 Detective Fiction
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Laura Scuriatti
As he got older, the notoriously misanthropic English novelist Kingsley Amis insisted that he would not read anything that did not begin with the words "a shot rang out." What is it about the detective fiction form that exercises a grip on readers, even when all aesthetic interest or ornament has fallen away? This fundamentally compelling quality has allowed detective fiction to nestle at the heart of even the most intricate and complex literary performances (think of Shakespeare's Hamlet), or alternatively, to explore issues of identity and social codes that might be deemed too challenging outside of an entertaining, plot-driven mode. The figure of the detective (usually an exceptional character of some kind) has become a cultural icon. Focusing on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century works, we will examine the basic components of the genre, its cultural history (including the advent of professional women detectives), and the connection between detective stories, urban modernity and new epistemologies (for example: criminology and psychoanalysis). Our discussion will be informed by the literary theories have drawn inspiration from the enigmas of detective fiction. The course includes work by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy L. Sayers, Walter Benjamin, Jorge Luis Borges, Gertrude Stein, Ernst Bloch, Tzvetan Todorov, Gerard Génette, Sara Lodge.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jeffrey Champlin
This course examines the claim of the prophetic word to call down a higher power that shakes moral and political complacency. Moving from ancient and medieval religious texts to romantic poetry and modernist literature, we look at how prophecy both draws on and interrupts key genres and institutions. Some key questions: How might studying prophetic pronouncements open creative approaches to the future? How do they relate to enlightenment theories of historical progress? Can they help us critique our current cultural fascination with dystopia? What new forms does prophecy take in a supposedly secular age? We will be particularly interested in the role of the minority voice and the relation between the call to action and the new audiences and actors that respond to it. Readings include: texts from the Vedic and Abrahamic traditions, Aeschylus, Hildegard of Bingen, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Joachim of Fiore, William Blake, Heinrich von Kleist, Percy Shelley, William Butler Yeats, James Baldwin, Etel Adnan, and Miranda Mellis
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT227 Prophecy: Literature and Divine Intervention
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jeffrey Champlin
This course examines the claim of the prophetic word to call down a higher power that shakes moral and political complacency. Moving from ancient and medieval religious texts to romantic poetry and modernist literature, we look at how prophecy both draws on and interrupts key genres and institutions. Some key questions: How might studying prophetic pronouncements open creative approaches to the future? How do they relate to enlightenment theories of historical progress? Can they help us critique our current cultural fascination with dystopia? What new forms does prophecy take in a supposedly secular age? We will be particularly interested in the role of the minority voice and the relation between the call to action and the new audiences and actors that respond to it. Readings include: texts from the Vedic and Abrahamic traditions, Aeschylus, Hildegard of Bingen, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Joachim of Fiore, William Blake, Heinrich von Kleist, Percy Shelley, William Butler Yeats, James Baldwin, Etel Adnan, and Miranda Mellis
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Joshua Yaffa
What happens when we flip the usual adage of “Write what you know” on its head? In this course, students will seek to imagine, understand, and describe those people and places that are far different from their own—and discover the possibilities of reading and writing outside of the familiar or comfortable. In this course, students will read a range of non-fiction literature—on life in far-flung foreign locales, hardship and deprivation in the American inner city, among other selections—in which authors have purposely put themselves in unknown or unfamiliar situations, to varying results. Some encounters produce insight and empathy; others reveal how broad the gap in experience can be. Can the act of reporting and writing bridge this divide, or does it remain impassible? Led by Joshua Yaffa, writer for The New Yorker and Bard College Berlin’s writer-in-residence, students will consider their own relationship to foreign, strange, unfamiliar, and even challenging settings and subjects. The course will center on a close reading of a selection of non-fiction and journalistic texts; students will then embark on reporting and writing assignments of their own.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT230 Write What You Don't Know
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Joshua Yaffa
What happens when we flip the usual adage of “Write what you know” on its head? In this course, students will seek to imagine, understand, and describe those people and places that are far different from their own—and discover the possibilities of reading and writing outside of the familiar or comfortable. In this course, students will read a range of non-fiction literature—on life in far-flung foreign locales, hardship and deprivation in the American inner city, among other selections—in which authors have purposely put themselves in unknown or unfamiliar situations, to varying results. Some encounters produce insight and empathy; others reveal how broad the gap in experience can be. Can the act of reporting and writing bridge this divide, or does it remain impassible? Led by Joshua Yaffa, writer for The New Yorker and Bard College Berlin’s writer-in-residence, students will consider their own relationship to foreign, strange, unfamiliar, and even challenging settings and subjects. The course will center on a close reading of a selection of non-fiction and journalistic texts; students will then embark on reporting and writing assignments of their own.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Saskia Vogel
Translation is more than a creative literary practice, it is also a way of seeing and engaging with the world around. How do we make sense of ourselves in ever-shifting personal, technological, and political contexts? Taking Europe as a geographical starting point, this course uses this question as an entry point to explore contemporary European literatures, with a focus on writers who don’t fit neatly into categories and whose work offers an expanded and complex view of 20th- and 21st-century Europe. We’ll look at the work of writers living in Europe, including Sulaiman Addonia (UK/Belgium), Balsam Karam (Sweden), Ágota Kristóf (Hungary/Switzerland), Niviaq Korneliussen (Greenland), among others, as a springboard for conversation on themes of migration, class, identity and language. Engagement with the assigned readings will be interwoven with discussions and exercises around the creative practice of literary translation, with the aim of illuminating the practice of translation itself (for the student curious about the role and work of a literary translator) and how the notion of translation can help us make sense of life today: ourselves and another, generational divides, the social contract, technological developments, and more.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT255 Living in Translation: Contemporary European Literatures
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Saskia Vogel
Translation is more than a creative literary practice, it is also a way of seeing and engaging with the world around. How do we make sense of ourselves in ever-shifting personal, technological, and political contexts? Taking Europe as a geographical starting point, this course uses this question as an entry point to explore contemporary European literatures, with a focus on writers who don’t fit neatly into categories and whose work offers an expanded and complex view of 20th- and 21st-century Europe. We’ll look at the work of writers living in Europe, including Sulaiman Addonia (UK/Belgium), Balsam Karam (Sweden), Ágota Kristóf (Hungary/Switzerland), Niviaq Korneliussen (Greenland), among others, as a springboard for conversation on themes of migration, class, identity and language. Engagement with the assigned readings will be interwoven with discussions and exercises around the creative practice of literary translation, with the aim of illuminating the practice of translation itself (for the student curious about the role and work of a literary translator) and how the notion of translation can help us make sense of life today: ourselves and another, generational divides, the social contract, technological developments, and more.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clio Nicastro
The body has always attracted the interest of thinkers and researchers from different disciplines, from philosophy to critical theory to neuroscience. The crucial challenge is to overcome the dichotomy between mind and body, reason and feeling, that has affected Western culture especially from Descartes on. What does it mean to think through the body and what are its ‘dialectics’ (Lisa Yun Lee)? Is there such a thing as a ‘natural’ body or are bodies always constructed by class, race, gender, and our personal stories? This course introduces the main theories of literature and culture by looking at the body as an object of the “medical gaze” (Barbara Duden, Michel Foucault) and of political/gender persecutions (Silvia Federici) as well as a site of both active and passive resistance and expression. The experience of the body is often at the limit of the expressible and challenges the artistic and verbal forms we have available to articulate and give meaning to it. Furthermore, we will look at efforts to find a language to speak for/through the body, its desires, and its idiosyncrasies (Dodie Bellamy, Audre Lorde). What kinds of stories are mapped and inscribed in our physical bodies (Paul B. Preciado, Roxane Gay)? Does the body forget? And how are our bodies influenced by their narratives and representations?
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT268 Theories of the Body
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clio Nicastro
The body has always attracted the interest of thinkers and researchers from different disciplines, from philosophy to critical theory to neuroscience. The crucial challenge is to overcome the dichotomy between mind and body, reason and feeling, that has affected Western culture especially from Descartes on. What does it mean to think through the body and what are its ‘dialectics’ (Lisa Yun Lee)? Is there such a thing as a ‘natural’ body or are bodies always constructed by class, race, gender, and our personal stories? This course introduces the main theories of literature and culture by looking at the body as an object of the “medical gaze” (Barbara Duden, Michel Foucault) and of political/gender persecutions (Silvia Federici) as well as a site of both active and passive resistance and expression. The experience of the body is often at the limit of the expressible and challenges the artistic and verbal forms we have available to articulate and give meaning to it. Furthermore, we will look at efforts to find a language to speak for/through the body, its desires, and its idiosyncrasies (Dodie Bellamy, Audre Lorde). What kinds of stories are mapped and inscribed in our physical bodies (Paul B. Preciado, Roxane Gay)? Does the body forget? And how are our bodies influenced by their narratives and representations?
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Martin Widmann
This course offers students a broad and comprehensive introduction to German literary history, tracing its development from the earliest written records in the German language to contemporary works. Through close readings of representative texts from key periods—including the Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Modernism—as well as movements such as Naturalism and Expressionism, we will examine how aesthetic forms and literary expression have evolved in response to shifting historical and cultural contexts. In addition to exploring the formation and transformation of literary traditions, we will reflect on how narratives of national literary history both shape and reflect ideas of national identity. Our survey will include works by canonized authors such as Lessing, Goethe, Kleist, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Rilke, Thomas Mann, Irmgard Keun, and Emine Sevgi Özdamar. To broaden the scope of inquiry, we will engage with voices historically excluded from the canon and engage with renegotiations of established narratives through seminal texts of literary theory like Deleuze/Guattari’s concept of “minor literature” or Hans Mayer’s Außenseiter. Guest speakers from the literary world will share contemporary perspectives on selected texts, fostering connections between historical inquiry and present-day literary discourse. In addition, museum visits or excursions will provide further opportunities to contextualize these texts within broader cultural and historical frameworks. Course materials and class discussions will be in both German and English. Students are expected to have at least B1-level proficiency in German. Throughout the course, students will develop specialist vocabulary and skills enabling them to write about and discuss literary works in German.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT333 German Literary History
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Martin Widmann
This course offers students a broad and comprehensive introduction to German literary history, tracing its development from the earliest written records in the German language to contemporary works. Through close readings of representative texts from key periods—including the Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Modernism—as well as movements such as Naturalism and Expressionism, we will examine how aesthetic forms and literary expression have evolved in response to shifting historical and cultural contexts. In addition to exploring the formation and transformation of literary traditions, we will reflect on how narratives of national literary history both shape and reflect ideas of national identity. Our survey will include works by canonized authors such as Lessing, Goethe, Kleist, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Rilke, Thomas Mann, Irmgard Keun, and Emine Sevgi Özdamar. To broaden the scope of inquiry, we will engage with voices historically excluded from the canon and engage with renegotiations of established narratives through seminal texts of literary theory like Deleuze/Guattari’s concept of “minor literature” or Hans Mayer’s Außenseiter. Guest speakers from the literary world will share contemporary perspectives on selected texts, fostering connections between historical inquiry and present-day literary discourse. In addition, museum visits or excursions will provide further opportunities to contextualize these texts within broader cultural and historical frameworks. Course materials and class discussions will be in both German and English. Students are expected to have at least B1-level proficiency in German. Throughout the course, students will develop specialist vocabulary and skills enabling them to write about and discuss literary works in German.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Catherine Toal
Irish literary prose has certain familiar themes—rural deprivation, political conflict, religious division, the dominance of the Catholic church, emigration. It has recognizable phases in its English-language traditions: the dominance of literature written by the Anglo-Irish landowning class in the eighteenth- and nineteenth centuries, the emergence of modernist experiments against the realist novel in the twentieth (by figures such as Joyce and Beckett) and later oscillations between varieties of realist craft and more radical narrative forms. This course looks at the modes of writing found in the classic Irish short story as well as the development of more ambiguous genres crossing boundaries between life-writing and fiction, poem and narrative. We address the main developments of Irish history, the central works of modern Irish literature, the notable recent renewal of the literary scene since 2015, and the connections between Irish writing and other traditions: European, Anglo-American and postcolonial. Along the way, we explore the current preoccupations in Irish writing, and how these resonate with or depart from past motifs. Writers discussed include Elizabeth Bowen, Frank O’Connor, Edna O’Brien, John McGahern, Eugene McCabe, Sean O’Reilly, Claire Keegan, Colin Barrett, Wendy Erskine, Louise Kennedy, Nicole Flattery.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
LT362 Premodern to Postcrash: Ireland in Short Fiction
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Catherine Toal
Irish literary prose has certain familiar themes—rural deprivation, political conflict, religious division, the dominance of the Catholic church, emigration. It has recognizable phases in its English-language traditions: the dominance of literature written by the Anglo-Irish landowning class in the eighteenth- and nineteenth centuries, the emergence of modernist experiments against the realist novel in the twentieth (by figures such as Joyce and Beckett) and later oscillations between varieties of realist craft and more radical narrative forms. This course looks at the modes of writing found in the classic Irish short story as well as the development of more ambiguous genres crossing boundaries between life-writing and fiction, poem and narrative. We address the main developments of Irish history, the central works of modern Irish literature, the notable recent renewal of the literary scene since 2015, and the connections between Irish writing and other traditions: European, Anglo-American and postcolonial. Along the way, we explore the current preoccupations in Irish writing, and how these resonate with or depart from past motifs. Writers discussed include Elizabeth Bowen, Frank O’Connor, Edna O’Brien, John McGahern, Eugene McCabe, Sean O’Reilly, Claire Keegan, Colin Barrett, Wendy Erskine, Louise Kennedy, Nicole Flattery.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Mathematics and Science Requirement
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
MA110 Mathematical Foundations
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
MA110 Mathematical Foundations
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
MA151 Introduction to Statistics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Mathematics and Science Requirement
Spring 2026
Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
MA151 Introduction to Statistics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PL115 Foundations of Political Theory
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): David Hayes
This course is an inquiry into the origin, nature, and purpose of play. Questions to be considered will include: How do we know when something is playful? Is play the opposite of what is serious? of what is boring? of what is work? Are there important differences between animal and human play? Between the play of children and adults? What is a game, and what is a sport? Do these have value beyond rest or pleasure? Would the best life be one spent “playing the finest games,” as a character in Plato’s Laws suggests? Or are there darker aspects to play that ought to make us cautious about it? Is there not only play but a “deep play” experience that the anthropologist Clifford Geertz found in the practice of Balinese cockfighting, for example? How might one distinguish such play from the increasing “gamification” of organizations, products, and services in the contemporary world? Is our increasingly “gameful world” a good thing? What are the connections between play and art, religion, mental health, love, and culture in general? What is the connection between education and play? (In Greek, “paidia” = play; “paideia” = education). In educating ourselves about play, are we also playing? Texts will include some of the major theoretical statements about play (Plato, Schiller, Huizinga, Winnicott), articles in contemporary sociology and philosophy, as well as expressions of play in literature, film, and visual art.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
PL141 Play
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): David Hayes
This course is an inquiry into the origin, nature, and purpose of play. Questions to be considered will include: How do we know when something is playful? Is play the opposite of what is serious? of what is boring? of what is work? Are there important differences between animal and human play? Between the play of children and adults? What is a game, and what is a sport? Do these have value beyond rest or pleasure? Would the best life be one spent “playing the finest games,” as a character in Plato’s Laws suggests? Or are there darker aspects to play that ought to make us cautious about it? Is there not only play but a “deep play” experience that the anthropologist Clifford Geertz found in the practice of Balinese cockfighting, for example? How might one distinguish such play from the increasing “gamification” of organizations, products, and services in the contemporary world? Is our increasingly “gameful world” a good thing? What are the connections between play and art, religion, mental health, love, and culture in general? What is the connection between education and play? (In Greek, “paidia” = play; “paideia” = education). In educating ourselves about play, are we also playing? Texts will include some of the major theoretical statements about play (Plato, Schiller, Huizinga, Winnicott), articles in contemporary sociology and philosophy, as well as expressions of play in literature, film, and visual art.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Tracy Colony
One of the most important philosophical movements of the 20th century is unquestionably Existentialism. The philosophy of existence developed by Jean-Paul Sartre can be seen as the clearest expression of this movement. In this course we will read selections from Sartre and other core representatives of French Existentialism. However, this reading will be prepared for by tracing through important philosophical lines of influence which the existentialists often acknowledged in the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. All texts will be read in translation, however, parallel readings in the original French or German will be supported and encouraged.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
PL208 Introduction to Existentialism
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Tracy Colony
One of the most important philosophical movements of the 20th century is unquestionably Existentialism. The philosophy of existence developed by Jean-Paul Sartre can be seen as the clearest expression of this movement. In this course we will read selections from Sartre and other core representatives of French Existentialism. However, this reading will be prepared for by tracing through important philosophical lines of influence which the existentialists often acknowledged in the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. All texts will be read in translation, however, parallel readings in the original French or German will be supported and encouraged.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Politics
Module: Elective
PL244 Resonance: Time, Attention, and the Arts of Connection
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1000-1300
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PL277 Medical Ethics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Mathematics and Science Requirement
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1000-1300
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Mathematics and Science Requirement
PL277 Medical Ethics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PL328 Communism in Theory, History and Film
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PL342 Democracy and the Ethics of War
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PL362 The Problem of the Philosophy of History
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS119 Nation-States and Democracy
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS146 Globalization and International Relations
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS179 Postcolonial Theory and Politics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS185 Introduction to Policy Analysis
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS252 Latin America: Colonial Legacies, Modernity, and Indigenous Politics
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS275 The Role of China and Russia in a Multipolar World: Developmental Strategies and Forms of Cooperation in the Global South
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS302 Global Institutions and the Global South
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS327 A Critical Appraisal of the Arab Spring: 2010-2023
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS363 States and War
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS390 German Foreign Policy and National Security Decision-Making
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PS393 Labor Movements and Public Policy
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PT140 Emancipation: Theory as Liberatory Practice
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PT149 Civic Engagement and Engaged Research: Berlin Lab
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PT325 The European Union: Institutions, Policies, and Procedures
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
PT355 International Organizations and Human Rights Advocacy
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Art and Aesthetics
Approaching Arts Through Theory, Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Approaching Arts Through Theory, Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Approaching Arts Through Theory, Artistic Practice
SC215 Reflecting Human-Environment Relations (Through Sound)
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SC255 Water Histories: Society, Conflict, and Power
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SC301 Performing Science and Medicine: The Lab, the Clinic and the Public Realm
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SE302 Open Source for Human Rights Research
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SO204 Urban Ethnography Workshop
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Art and Aesthetics, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Economics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SO275 Permutations of the Public
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem
Why do people vote the way they do? Why does violence erupt in some states while in other states it does not? Can development aid improve democratization and development? One way of answering these questions is through effective analysis of quantitative data. This course focuses on the different strategies of quantitative statistical analysis. We explore how to read, understand, and critically assess quantitative research. Students will engage in quantitative research design, testing hypotheses, unpacking causal mechanisms, and applying probability and regression analysis tools. Finally, students will learn how to present the interpreted data logically and systematically in research output. In this course, students will also learn the basics of R software to conduct statistical analysis. Towards the end of the course, we will also briefly explore social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as alternative quantitative social science methods.
Concentrations: Art and Aesthetics, Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Elective
SO324 Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem
Why do people vote the way they do? Why does violence erupt in some states while in other states it does not? Can development aid improve democratization and development? One way of answering these questions is through effective analysis of quantitative data. This course focuses on the different strategies of quantitative statistical analysis. We explore how to read, understand, and critically assess quantitative research. Students will engage in quantitative research design, testing hypotheses, unpacking causal mechanisms, and applying probability and regression analysis tools. Finally, students will learn how to present the interpreted data logically and systematically in research output. In this course, students will also learn the basics of R software to conduct statistical analysis. Towards the end of the course, we will also briefly explore social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as alternative quantitative social science methods.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
TH133 Elfriede Jelinek: A Study of Directing and Acting Postdramatic Texts
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Art and Aesthetics
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Module: Artistic Practice
TH215 Visibility, intervention, and collective empowerment: Contemporary approaches to Performance Making
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Art and Aesthetics
Exhibition Culture and Public Space, Media, Practices, and Techniques
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Exhibition Culture and Public Space, Media, Practices, and Techniques
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Concentration: Art and Aesthetics
Modules: Exhibition Culture and Public Space, Media, Practices, and Techniques
TH220 Making Theater in Berlin: A Collaboration with the Theater Ballhaus Ost
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Artistic Practice
Art History, Culture and Society
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
AH201 Made in Germany? Art and National Identity, 1800-2000
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Artistic Practice
Art, Institutions and Engagement, Theory, History, Art Forms
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Modules: Art, Institutions and Engagement, Theory, History, Art Forms
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Modules: Art, Institutions and Engagement, Theory, History, Art Forms
AH226 Private and Public: The Sammlung Hoffman and Berlin’s Contemporary Collections
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Artistic Practice
Cultures of Knowledge Production
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Cultures of Knowledge Production
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Cultures of Knowledge Production
AH265 The Art of Afro-Latin America
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katalin Makkai
“Aesthetics” and “aesthetic” are terms that are often taken for granted inside as well as outside academic discourse. We speak of aesthetic experiences and judgments and qualities, and we employ “aesthetics” to designate the study of such matters. Although their root is taken from the Greek, the now-familiar terms (in their now-familiar usages) are, however, comparatively new. They are commonly regarded as having been introduced into the philosophical lexicon in the eighteenth century—a few hundred years ago. This course studies some of the texts that were key to the discovery, or perhaps the invention, of the “aesthetic”. What work was the idea meant to do? How did its evolution retain or reconfigure its original senses and purposes? Is the idea of the aesthetic problematic, ideological, or chimerical? Do we need an idea of the aesthetic to think about art?
Concentrations: Artistic Practice, Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH302 Ideas of the Aesthetic
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katalin Makkai
“Aesthetics” and “aesthetic” are terms that are often taken for granted inside as well as outside academic discourse. We speak of aesthetic experiences and judgments and qualities, and we employ “aesthetics” to designate the study of such matters. Although their root is taken from the Greek, the now-familiar terms (in their now-familiar usages) are, however, comparatively new. They are commonly regarded as having been introduced into the philosophical lexicon in the eighteenth century—a few hundred years ago. This course studies some of the texts that were key to the discovery, or perhaps the invention, of the “aesthetic”. What work was the idea meant to do? How did its evolution retain or reconfigure its original senses and purposes? Is the idea of the aesthetic problematic, ideological, or chimerical? Do we need an idea of the aesthetic to think about art?
Artistic Practice
Art, Institutions and Engagement
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Institutions and Engagement
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Institutions and Engagement
AH318 Spaces of Appearance: Exhibitions as Counter-Public Spheres
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Artistic Practice
Art History, Culture and Society
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
AR204 Art and Interpretation
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Artistic Practice
Art, Science and Ecology
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Science and Ecology
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Science and Ecology
AR210 New Materialisms in Philosophy and Art
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
“Language matters. Discourse matters. Culture matters.
There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
In this seminar we explore, re-think and revisit relationships between the human and nature. Recent attempts to do this have followed criticism of Western thinking (and acting) as being rooted deeply in a violent division: a sovereign human subject on the one hand with non-human, natural objects as merely passive material on the other. Alongside this critique, we want to read proposals for a different understanding of what human or nature could possibly mean – after all, climate change and the Anthropocene have fundamentally challenged a hierarchical idea of the relation between these two categories. Understanding matter and materialities as the non-human will be of crucial interest. With this aim in mind, we examine the perspectives of philosophy, science and arts. For example, Karen Barad proposes learning from quantum physics to overcome the idea of fixed oppositions defining subjects and objects. Instead, entanglements, intra-actions and diffractions should open up a relational space in which agency is situated. Ultimately, humans are not the only beings in the world who can act. We consider artistic and curatorial as well as theoretical approaches to the potential of matter (e.g. Pierre Huyghe in documenta13). We look at manifestations of the aesthetic which deal with what Jane Bennett calls vibrant matter. Further readings for our seminar will include texts by Donna Haraway, Nancy Tuana, Dipesh Chakrabarty, Rosi Braidotti and Bruno Latour.There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
AR335 Artificial Sex: Technology, Gender, and Sexuality
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA103 Found Fragments and Layered Lines: Mixed-Media Techniques for Drawing and Collage
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA106 Beginners Black and White Photography Class: The Slow Photo
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA108 Beginners in Digital Photography - Your own point of view
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA112 Marble Stone Sculpture
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA114 Beginning Painting
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
FA145 Foundations of Filmmaking: The Short Form
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
FA228 Exploring the Expanded Field of Sculpture
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice, Theory, History, Art Forms
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Modules: Advanced Artistic Practice, Theory, History, Art Forms
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Modules: Advanced Artistic Practice, Theory, History, Art Forms
FA295 Framing Otherly - Queer-Feminist Moving Image Practices
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
FA308 Advanced Photography - Finding the Stories
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
FA317 Advanced Painting: Illusionistic Surfaces
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
FA325 The Photo Zine: A Subversive Phenomenon
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Artistic Practice
Art History, Culture and Society
Spring 2026
Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art History, Culture and Society
FM212 Freud and Jung Go to the Movies: Psychoanalysis and Film
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Artistic Practice
Theory, History, Art Forms
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Theory, History, Art Forms
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Theory, History, Art Forms
FM302 Bad Dreams and Beautiful Nightmares: The Films of David Lynch
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Artistic Practice
Art, Science and Ecology
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Science and Ecology
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Art, Science and Ecology
SC215 Reflecting Human-Environment Relations (Through Sound)
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Artistic Practice
Cultures of Knowledge Production
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Cultures of Knowledge Production
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Cultures of Knowledge Production
SO275 Permutations of the Public
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
TH133 Elfriede Jelinek: A Study of Directing and Acting Postdramatic Texts
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Artistic Practice
Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Artistic Practice
TH215 Visibility, intervention, and collective empowerment: Contemporary approaches to Performance Making
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Artistic Practice
Advanced Artistic Practice
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, Study Abroad
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Concentration: Artistic Practice
Module: Advanced Artistic Practice
TH220 Making Theater in Berlin: A Collaboration with the Theater Ballhaus Ost
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Core
Medieval Literatures and Cultures
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Core
Concentration: Core
Module: Medieval Literatures and Cultures
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Giulia Clabassi, Sinem Kılıç, David Hayes, Geoff Lehman, Hans Stauffacher, Tracy Colony, Katalin Makkai
In this course, we trace the development of the concept of love from its roots in diverse intellectual traditions to its cultural prominence in the European Middle Ages. Perhaps in no other time or place has a single concept held as much cultural power. Yet the meaning of love was sharply contested: both the cloister and aristocratic court claimed love as its domain. Moreover, the secular and religious meanings of love were capable of a rich interplay. Focusing upon this interplay, the course traces the journey of a specific form of love (fin’amor or so-called “courtly love”) from Muslim-ruled, multicultural al-Andalus to Occitania (Provence) to Northern France in the 12th century. Although the Medieval world seems alien to us, and in many ways has come to stand for what we now reject, its images and ideals of love formed, as C.S. Lewis says, “the background of European literature for eight hundred years,” and still exert their influence on contemporary culture.
Concentration: Core
Module: Medieval Literatures and Cultures
IS104 Forms of Love
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Giulia Clabassi, Sinem Kılıç, David Hayes, Geoff Lehman, Hans Stauffacher, Tracy Colony, Katalin Makkai
In this course, we trace the development of the concept of love from its roots in diverse intellectual traditions to its cultural prominence in the European Middle Ages. Perhaps in no other time or place has a single concept held as much cultural power. Yet the meaning of love was sharply contested: both the cloister and aristocratic court claimed love as its domain. Moreover, the secular and religious meanings of love were capable of a rich interplay. Focusing upon this interplay, the course traces the journey of a specific form of love (fin’amor or so-called “courtly love”) from Muslim-ruled, multicultural al-Andalus to Occitania (Provence) to Northern France in the 12th century. Although the Medieval world seems alien to us, and in many ways has come to stand for what we now reject, its images and ideals of love formed, as C.S. Lewis says, “the background of European literature for eight hundred years,” and still exert their influence on contemporary culture.
Core
Senior Core Colloquium
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Core
Concentration: Core
Module: Senior Core Colloquium
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ulrike Wagner, Nina Tecklenburg
This seminar is a training in the methods of academic research. Focusing on representative contemporary research in the humanities and the social sciences, it supports students in proceeding with their own individual research projects by focusing on the essential elements of independent scholarly work: the choice of a topic or object of study; the outline of the main components of an article or scholarly paper; finding, gathering, collating and interpreting the sources needed for the project; correct citation, attribution, and bibliographical documentation, and lastly, the effective presentation of the final work, as well as peer review and constructive feedback. Including the participation of thesis supervisors and other faculty members, this course accompanies the first semester of preparation for the thesis project.
Concentration: Core
Module: Senior Core Colloquium
IS123 Academic Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ulrike Wagner, Nina Tecklenburg
This seminar is a training in the methods of academic research. Focusing on representative contemporary research in the humanities and the social sciences, it supports students in proceeding with their own individual research projects by focusing on the essential elements of independent scholarly work: the choice of a topic or object of study; the outline of the main components of an article or scholarly paper; finding, gathering, collating and interpreting the sources needed for the project; correct citation, attribution, and bibliographical documentation, and lastly, the effective presentation of the final work, as well as peer review and constructive feedback. Including the participation of thesis supervisors and other faculty members, this course accompanies the first semester of preparation for the thesis project.
Core
Early Modern Science
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530 or Tue & Fri 1400-1530
Programs: BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Core
Concentration: Core
Module: Early Modern Science
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530 or Tue & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Maria Avxentevskaya, Giulia Clabassi, Gilad Nir, Thomas Raysmith, Katalin Makkai
The course seeks to introduce the scientific advances of the early modern period (with particular focus on the seventeenth century): the developments that defined the principles, methods and frameworks of modern natural science as it exists today. We not only explore the philosophical basis and conclusions of this historical development, but its experimental procedures, and come to an understanding of their practical form and the meaning of their results. In the first section, we concentrate on the new understanding of space, matter and motion deriving from the cosmologies and mechanical theories of this era (the basis of modern physics). In the second, we consider the remarkable advances in the life sciences at this period (examining anatomical and medical texts), and finally, attend to the emergence of what came to be called "chemistry" out of the mystical practice of alchemy. Included in the course are visits to exhibitions and collections in Berlin, which will help us to reflect on the way in which scientific practices and their discoveries have been historicized, and why we ought to enhance our critical awareness of such historicizing.
Concentration: Core
Module: Early Modern Science
IS212 Early Modern Science
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530 or Tue & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Maria Avxentevskaya, Giulia Clabassi, Gilad Nir, Thomas Raysmith, Katalin Makkai
The course seeks to introduce the scientific advances of the early modern period (with particular focus on the seventeenth century): the developments that defined the principles, methods and frameworks of modern natural science as it exists today. We not only explore the philosophical basis and conclusions of this historical development, but its experimental procedures, and come to an understanding of their practical form and the meaning of their results. In the first section, we concentrate on the new understanding of space, matter and motion deriving from the cosmologies and mechanical theories of this era (the basis of modern physics). In the second, we consider the remarkable advances in the life sciences at this period (examining anatomical and medical texts), and finally, attend to the emergence of what came to be called "chemistry" out of the mystical practice of alchemy. Included in the course are visits to exhibitions and collections in Berlin, which will help us to reflect on the way in which scientific practices and their discoveries have been historicized, and why we ought to enhance our critical awareness of such historicizing.
Programs: BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Core
Concentration: Core
Module: Modernism
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215 or Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): James Harker, Laura Scuriatti, Gilad Nir
Modernism is generally thought of as a period characterized in literature and art by radical experimentation, by the invention and re-invention of new forms, and by an aesthetic that privileged the present, the modern, the new. As such, it also reacted to and reflected on the process of modernization and different notions of modernity. Modernism was, in fact, a complex constellation of phenomena that saw close interaction among the arts, literature, politics, philosophy, science and economics, and that questioned the most basic categories of aesthetic, political and philosophical thought. The course will focus on three related topics, which will be investigated in relation to each other through a variety of philosophical and theoretical texts, literature, artworks and architecture from across the globe: 1) theories of modernism, modernity and modernization; 2) the role played cities as increasingly dominant cultural centers, hegemonic forces and subject matter of modernist literature and the arts; 3) the increasing expansion of industry, colonization and global commerce, with a particular focus on literary responses to the perceived dehumanization brought about by technological advancement, bureaucracy and exploitation of the environment.
Concentration: Core
Module: Modernism
IS322 Modernism
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215 or Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): James Harker, Laura Scuriatti, Gilad Nir
Modernism is generally thought of as a period characterized in literature and art by radical experimentation, by the invention and re-invention of new forms, and by an aesthetic that privileged the present, the modern, the new. As such, it also reacted to and reflected on the process of modernization and different notions of modernity. Modernism was, in fact, a complex constellation of phenomena that saw close interaction among the arts, literature, politics, philosophy, science and economics, and that questioned the most basic categories of aesthetic, political and philosophical thought. The course will focus on three related topics, which will be investigated in relation to each other through a variety of philosophical and theoretical texts, literature, artworks and architecture from across the globe: 1) theories of modernism, modernity and modernization; 2) the role played cities as increasingly dominant cultural centers, hegemonic forces and subject matter of modernist literature and the arts; 3) the increasing expansion of industry, colonization and global commerce, with a particular focus on literary responses to the perceived dehumanization brought about by technological advancement, bureaucracy and exploitation of the environment.
Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Concentrations: Economics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH201 Made in Germany? Art and National Identity, 1800-2000
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH226 Private and Public: The Sammlung Hoffman and Berlin’s Contemporary Collections
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Dorothea von Hantelmann, Clara Meister
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into one of the most interesting and prestigious collections of contemporary art in Berlin: the Sammlung Hoffmann. Built by Erika Hoffmann and her late husband since the 1960s, she has made her collection public since the 90s, showing works by artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Marcel Broodthaers, Félix González-Torres, Isa Genzken, Wolfgang Tillmans, Miriam Cahn, Irving Penn, Jimmie Durham, and many more. The collection is today displayed in changing presentations within the living and working spaces of Erika Hoffmann in a converted factory building in Berlin-Mitte. The seminar is organized in collaboration with Clara Meister, the collection's director. Most sessions will take place on-site, where we will engage in in-depth discussions of selected artists directly in front of their works and have access to the extensive library of the collection. Among our topics will be themes from the current presentation—the simultaneous existence of contradictory currents such as powerlessness and anger, hope and confidence—explored through both subjective, private and collective social as well as political dimensions. Additional points of reflection will include broader aspects of collecting and collection-building: How does a private art collection emerge, and how can it gain and maintain a public dimension? Throughout the semester, we will also visit other art collections in Berlin, including the Boros Collection, the Haubrok Foundation, and the Feuerle Collection.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH265 The Art of Afro-Latin America
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cary Aileen García Yero
Since the early colonial times, art has been integral to the experiences of Afro-Latin Americans and to the development of their societies. Through the arts, Afro-Latin Americans have sustained kinship and created spaces of resistance against racism, reinterpreting the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning new futures. Their art has also been central to the development of Latin American national cultures and identities. Even though Afrodescendant artists bring a distinct voice to hemispheric debates over race and nation, their output has been, until very recently, largely overlooked by museums, curators, and scholars. This course introduces students to the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art, reflecting on the questions of what Afro-Latin American art is and what it does within Latin American societies. It also provides an overview of the main scholarly debates that have shaped the field. The course unpacks the tension over representation and authorship that grounds the concept of Afro-Latin American art; it studies the output created by Afro-Latin Americans, but it also focuses on artistic production that recreates African-related themes. These explorations are grounded on the analysis of primary sources, in particular visual sources, taking both a chronological and thematic approach that studies this artistic production within processes of colonialism, slavery, national formation, and diasporic exchange.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ying Sze Pek
This course explores how the history of photography in Germany was intertwined with the country’s encounter with modernity. Students will be introduced to canonical episodes and concepts from the history and theory of photography since the time of Germany’s unification in 1871. We cover topics such as photography and nationalism, Weimar-era photographic experimentation and the New Vision, photography and memory, photo-conceptualism, East German perspectives, and photography’s digital futures. Our course discusses the work of photographers and artists including Bernd and Hilla Becher, Sibylle Bergemann, Hannah Höch, Candida Höfer, László Moholy-Nagy, August Sander, and Tobias Zielony. We also engage black diasporic and postmigration perspectives to studying this material, addressing approaches and discourses that are urgent and emerging in the field of German cultural studies. Our investigations of photography and Germany thus account for the country’s intersectional histories of colonialism, fascism, socialism, and migration. Taking advantage of our location in Berlin, the class visits key photography institutions and collections in the city in selected weeks. For the course assignment, students will write a research paper and may choose to develop a research-based artwork or a piece of writing that incorporates their photographic works, such as a visual essay.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH284 Photography in Germany, 1871 to the Present
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ying Sze Pek
This course explores how the history of photography in Germany was intertwined with the country’s encounter with modernity. Students will be introduced to canonical episodes and concepts from the history and theory of photography since the time of Germany’s unification in 1871. We cover topics such as photography and nationalism, Weimar-era photographic experimentation and the New Vision, photography and memory, photo-conceptualism, East German perspectives, and photography’s digital futures. Our course discusses the work of photographers and artists including Bernd and Hilla Becher, Sibylle Bergemann, Hannah Höch, Candida Höfer, László Moholy-Nagy, August Sander, and Tobias Zielony. We also engage black diasporic and postmigration perspectives to studying this material, addressing approaches and discourses that are urgent and emerging in the field of German cultural studies. Our investigations of photography and Germany thus account for the country’s intersectional histories of colonialism, fascism, socialism, and migration. Taking advantage of our location in Berlin, the class visits key photography institutions and collections in the city in selected weeks. For the course assignment, students will write a research paper and may choose to develop a research-based artwork or a piece of writing that incorporates their photographic works, such as a visual essay.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AH318 Spaces of Appearance: Exhibitions as Counter-Public Spheres
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Elisa R. Linn
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The seminar addresses curatorial practices in relation to counter-public spheres and spaces of representation. It moves between curatorial theory and exhibition-making and unfolds around specific sites and types of material, archival and theoretical. We draw on Hannah Arendt’s idea of space as created through actions, as well as José Esteban Muñoz's concept of "disidentification," to explore the possibility of exhibitions and performances that are site-specific, rooted in everyday life, and challenging to the closed institutional frameworks that can constitute the dominant public sphere. Our key material frames of reference will be the collections of the Schwules Museum Berlin, and the site of which Bard College Berlin is part, a former embassy quarter of the now defunct German Democratic Republic. Other inspirations for our work include Echoes of the Brother Countries (2024), Simon Njami’s concept of Xenopolis, and interdisciplinary activist and artistic initiatives, including the GDR's Sonntags Club e.V. or Botschaft e.V.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AR204 Art and Interpretation
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Geoff Lehman
Describing a painting, the art historian Leo Steinberg wrote: “The picture conducts itself the way a vital presence behaves. It creates an encounter.” In this course, we will encounter works of art to explore the specific dialogue each creates with a viewer and the range of interpretive possibilities it offers. More specifically, the course will examine various interpretive approaches to art, including formal analysis, iconography, social and historical contextualism, aestheticism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis. Most importantly, we will engage interpretation in ways that are significant both within art historical discourse and in addressing larger questions of human experience and (self-)knowledge, considering the dialogue with the artwork in its affective (emotional) as well as its intellectual aspects. The course will be guided throughout by sustained discussion of a small number of individual artworks, with a focus on pictorial representation (painting, drawing, photography), although sculpture and installation art will also be considered. We will look at works from a range of different cultural traditions, and among the artists we will focus on are Xia Gui, Giorgione, Bruegel, Mirza Ali, Velázquez, Hokusai, Manet, Picasso, Man Ray, Martin, and Sherman. Readings will focus on texts in art history and theory but also include philosophical and psychoanalytic texts (Pater, Wölfflin, Freud, Merleau-Ponty, Barthes, Clark, and Krauss, among others). Visits to Berlin museums to experience works of art firsthand are an integral part of the course.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AR210 New Materialisms in Philosophy and Art
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nisaar Ulama
“Language matters. Discourse matters. Culture matters.
There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
In this seminar we explore, re-think and revisit relationships between the human and nature. Recent attempts to do this have followed criticism of Western thinking (and acting) as being rooted deeply in a violent division: a sovereign human subject on the one hand with non-human, natural objects as merely passive material on the other. Alongside this critique, we want to read proposals for a different understanding of what human or nature could possibly mean – after all, climate change and the Anthropocene have fundamentally challenged a hierarchical idea of the relation between these two categories. Understanding matter and materialities as the non-human will be of crucial interest. With this aim in mind, we examine the perspectives of philosophy, science and arts. For example, Karen Barad proposes learning from quantum physics to overcome the idea of fixed oppositions defining subjects and objects. Instead, entanglements, intra-actions and diffractions should open up a relational space in which agency is situated. Ultimately, humans are not the only beings in the world who can act. We consider artistic and curatorial as well as theoretical approaches to the potential of matter (e.g. Pierre Huyghe in documenta13). We look at manifestations of the aesthetic which deal with what Jane Bennett calls vibrant matter. Further readings for our seminar will include texts by Donna Haraway, Nancy Tuana, Dipesh Chakrabarty, Rosi Braidotti and Bruno Latour.There is an important sense in which the only thing that does not seem to matter anymore is matter.”
Karen Barad
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
AR335 Artificial Sex: Technology, Gender, and Sexuality
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS Credits, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Anan Fries
This practicing arts course invites students to develop their own artistic language at the intersection of digital art, performance and video to critically explore how recent technologies are reshaping sexuality and gender. Image- and video-generating large language models are currently flooding our devices with representations of hyper-sexualised bodies. Digital technologies have been used for abusive purposes, violating principles of consent and other legal rights and protections. At the same time, streaming platforms and social media have been essential tools for LGBTQIA+ communities to distribute information, find visibility, build networks and explore and perform identities. And AI companion chatbots are used by some to rehearse intimacy and explore new erotic imaginaries. In this practice-based course, we examine how digital culture and emerging technologies—such as biotechnological tools and artificial intelligence—are transforming traditional notions of gender, body and sexuality. We will critically engage with AI image generators, 3D scans, and artistically explore various subversive image-making and image-generating strategies. To support our work, we will study Hito Steyerl’s concept of the “Mean Image”, Elise Hu’s notion of the “Technological Gaze”, Luciana Parisi’s Abstract Sex, and the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Laboria Cuboniks. The goal of the course is for each student to conceptualise and create a short video essay that expresses their own critical perspective on the interdependencies of technology, gender, and sexuality.
Economics
Microeconomics
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Microeconomics
Level: Foundational
Day/Time:
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
Microeconomics is the study of how individual economic units (households and firms) interact to determine outcomes (allocation of goods and services) in a market setting. This course further develops principles and analytical methods introduced by the “Principles of Economics” and the “Mathematics for Economics” courses. The first part of the course deals with the consumer side. We will study the underlying assumptions about consumer preferences and behavior that lead to the creation of individual and market demands. The second part of the course deals with the theory of the firm (i.e., how production and costs create individual and market supply). The third part of the course deals with the market as a whole, combining consumer-based demand with producer-based supply. Here we also study issues related to the efficiency of markets and the workings of welfare economics. Finally, we will learn positive and normative characteristics of alternative market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly.
Prerequisites: Principles of Economics and Mathematics for Economics.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Microeconomics
EC210 Microeconomics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time:
Tue & Thur 1045-1215 or Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
Microeconomics is the study of how individual economic units (households and firms) interact to determine outcomes (allocation of goods and services) in a market setting. This course further develops principles and analytical methods introduced by the “Principles of Economics” and the “Mathematics for Economics” courses. The first part of the course deals with the consumer side. We will study the underlying assumptions about consumer preferences and behavior that lead to the creation of individual and market demands. The second part of the course deals with the theory of the firm (i.e., how production and costs create individual and market supply). The third part of the course deals with the market as a whole, combining consumer-based demand with producer-based supply. Here we also study issues related to the efficiency of markets and the workings of welfare economics. Finally, we will learn positive and normative characteristics of alternative market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly.
Prerequisites: Principles of Economics and Mathematics for Economics.
Economics
Macroeconomics
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Macroeconomics
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of an economy as a whole. In this course, the functioning of the aggregate economy is introduced and analyzed starting from basic aggregate data measurement and concepts. It provides an overview of macroeconomic issues: the determination of output, employment, unemployment, interest rate, and inflation. The course also evaluates the scope for policy intervention to improve macroeconomic performance. In the first part, we study the traditional short run model, including goods market and financial markets. In the second part, we will extend it to include medium run developments, such as labor market and inflation dynamics. In the third part, we take a long run perspective and study factors influencing the long run growth potential of a country.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Macroeconomics
EC211 Macroeconomics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030 or Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of an economy as a whole. In this course, the functioning of the aggregate economy is introduced and analyzed starting from basic aggregate data measurement and concepts. It provides an overview of macroeconomic issues: the determination of output, employment, unemployment, interest rate, and inflation. The course also evaluates the scope for policy intervention to improve macroeconomic performance. In the first part, we study the traditional short run model, including goods market and financial markets. In the second part, we will extend it to include medium run developments, such as labor market and inflation dynamics. In the third part, we take a long run perspective and study factors influencing the long run growth potential of a country.
Economics
Global Economic Systems
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Global Economic Systems
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The course Industry Networks and Economic Development explores the impact of industry networks on countries' GDP and their development opportunities. The curriculum is divided into two parts to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of network theory and its practical applications. In the first part of the class, students will delve into the fundamental concepts and principles of graph theory. We study key network measures and strategies for handling bipartite networks. The course places a strong emphasis on the visualization of networks. Part 1 includes a short primer in programming using Python and Gephi. In the second part, we will use the statistics package Stata. No prior knowledge of Python, Gephi, or Stata is required. The faculty will try to organize complimentary copies of Stata. Building on the foundation laid in part one, we focus on practical applications of network theory in economic contexts. Students will explore the historical and contemporary use of input-output tables, understand the role of the Product Space in measuring countries’ development opportunities, and analyze and apply productivity networks.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Global Economic Systems
EC250 Industry Networks and Economic Development
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The course Industry Networks and Economic Development explores the impact of industry networks on countries' GDP and their development opportunities. The curriculum is divided into two parts to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of network theory and its practical applications. In the first part of the class, students will delve into the fundamental concepts and principles of graph theory. We study key network measures and strategies for handling bipartite networks. The course places a strong emphasis on the visualization of networks. Part 1 includes a short primer in programming using Python and Gephi. In the second part, we will use the statistics package Stata. No prior knowledge of Python, Gephi, or Stata is required. The faculty will try to organize complimentary copies of Stata. Building on the foundation laid in part one, we focus on practical applications of network theory in economic contexts. Students will explore the historical and contemporary use of input-output tables, understand the role of the Product Space in measuring countries’ development opportunities, and analyze and apply productivity networks.
Economics
Behavioral Economics, Choice, Resources, and Development
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Modules: Behavioral Economics, Choice, Resources, and Development
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
The course centers on the economic analysis of environmental issues. We will start by addressing market failures related to the environment and to the management of natural resources. Throughout the course we will discuss both global and local environmental issues (e.g., global and local resources held in common, energy production, climate change, water pollution, overfishing, etc.). Our goal will be to review and critique the policy instruments provided by economics and management science to overcome market failures. We also confront the practical issues affecting the application of these instruments, including the question of how monetary values can be assigned to environmental goods.
Concentration: Economics
Modules: Behavioral Economics, Choice, Resources, and Development
EC313 Environmental Economics
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Israel Waichman
The course centers on the economic analysis of environmental issues. We will start by addressing market failures related to the environment and to the management of natural resources. Throughout the course we will discuss both global and local environmental issues (e.g., global and local resources held in common, energy production, climate change, water pollution, overfishing, etc.). Our goal will be to review and critique the policy instruments provided by economics and management science to overcome market failures. We also confront the practical issues affecting the application of these instruments, including the question of how monetary values can be assigned to environmental goods.
Economics
Ethics and Economic Analysis
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Ethics and Economic Analysis
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
This course offers an introduction to the theoretical, methodological and ethical foundation of economics. The first part examines the foundations of rational-choice theory. We assess its underlying axioms and principles from a normative and a descriptive perspective. We examine the interpretation of economic models and the metaphysical underpinnings of economics. The second part focuses on methods employed by economists in testing theories and establishing facts, laws and causal relations. We examine how and under which conditions theses methods work, and what kind of question they can answer. In the third part we examine the ethical foundations of welfare economics. Topics will include the moral limits of markets, theories of well-being, inequality and distributive justice, and the evaluation of economic outcomes and policies.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Ethics and Economic Analysis
EC318 Philosophy of Economics
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Stephan Müller
This course offers an introduction to the theoretical, methodological and ethical foundation of economics. The first part examines the foundations of rational-choice theory. We assess its underlying axioms and principles from a normative and a descriptive perspective. We examine the interpretation of economic models and the metaphysical underpinnings of economics. The second part focuses on methods employed by economists in testing theories and establishing facts, laws and causal relations. We examine how and under which conditions theses methods work, and what kind of question they can answer. In the third part we examine the ethical foundations of welfare economics. Topics will include the moral limits of markets, theories of well-being, inequality and distributive justice, and the evaluation of economic outcomes and policies.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA103 Found Fragments and Layered Lines: Mixed-Media Techniques for Drawing and Collage
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This studio art course explores contemporary and historical approaches to drawing and collage. Suitable for all levels of artistic ability, the goal is to enhance aesthetic comprehension and personal expression through the creation of mixed-media drawings and collages. We begin by transcribing embodied experience into visual compositions, attending to our visual perception to strengthen the coordination of mind, eyes, and hands. Course activities will ask students to: make analytical drawings of figures and/or object arrangements, develop conceptual methods of composing, make abstractions from nature by working outdoors, gather materials from Berlin’s famous Flohmärkte (flea markets) to use in collages and assemblages, work collaboratively on large-scale drawings, and experiment with innovative combinations of text and imagery. A core theme will be exploring the potential to generate new and surprising content from the juxtaposition of found printed fragments and hand-drawn lines. Of special interest for our class discussions will be works created by current and historical Berliners, such as Dada artist Hannah Höch. The majority of classes are studio work sessions. There will also be several group critiques, weekly slideshow presentations, and contemporary art gallery visits. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition in the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin. Students are expected to be self-motivated, open to exploring new ways of working, and comfortable sharing their artworks in class.
Studio work is the priority, so this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Prospective students should email their questions to the professor directly at: [email protected]
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA106 Beginners Black and White Photography Class: The Slow Photo
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The Slow Photo is an introduction to Black and White photography. The class will focus on learning how to use a manual camera and finding one’s way in an analogue darkroom. Students will be exposed to the rich photographic history of Berlin through presentations, discussions and a historical walk through parts of the city. The historical component of the class will cover works by Berlin-based photographers from Helga Paris to Michael Schmidt. Assignments throughout the semester will mirror various photo styles used in the historical examples discussed, from Portraiture to Street Photography. Camera techniques and Black and White printing will be the fundamental basis of the class. Students will leave the class understanding the time commitment and concentration it takes to produce beautiful Black and White analog images.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA108 Beginners in Digital Photography - Your own point of view
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course offers an introduction to digital photography with a focus on artistic expression. It is designed for those who wish to learn digital photography at a basic level — covering the fundamentals of the camera, including exposure, composition, and lighting — while also developing their photographic work into a personal project. The course includes in-class critiques and discussions on the choice of method, technique, subject matter, and presentation. Parts of the course will involve reviewing work of both contemporary and historical photographers, alongside introductions to the technical and theoretical tools you will need for your own practice. There will be opportunities to explore both documentary approaches and staged photography. Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of assignments that will serve as the basis for developing their own photo series. We will ask questions such as: What is my unique way of looking at the world? What is my own point of view?
It is an advantage if you can use your own camera in this course, but a limited number of cameras are also available to borrow from BCB for shorter periods of time.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA112 Marble Stone Sculpture
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 1000-1300 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphael Beil, Tobia Silvotti
This seminar introduces students to basic techniques of working stone by hand, using simple, traditional tools such as hammers and various chisels. The aim is to create our own marble sculpture. Along the way, we learn how to handle the necessary tools, from the first rough work, to the differentiation and finally the partial grinding and polishing of the marble. We learn the basics of three-dimensional form, proportion and structure. In order to create our own work of art, we also discuss the possible sources of creativity, and ways of accessing inspiration and the imagination to create a very individual sculpture. The seminar will conclude with a presentation of all sculptures and joint analysis of the different artistic languages present in the works. The workshops will be accompanied by lectures on the works and public sculpture projects of Raphael Beil and other contemporary sculptors. Weather permitting, our workshops will take place in a sheltered beautiful garden in Reinickendorf on the grounds of Monopol. Tools, possibly light machinery and work tables as well as work protection will be provided. No previous experience is necessary to participate in the course.
Please note there is a fee of €40 for participation in this course to cover material expenses.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA114 Beginning Painting
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Katy Kirbach
This studio arts painting course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of painting, emphasizing materials and process-oriented learning. Painting provides a direct means of “seeing” by engaging all the senses of the individual artist in the activity of making images. Expression and discovery through a studio course serve to heighten visual awareness, and observe and understand space. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with various painting materials and techniques, including acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, among others. This class will provide in-depth painting instructions and cover topics such as color theory, composition, brushwork, etc. Alongside this hands-on approach, the course incorporates a variety of references to art history, exploring the works of a number of artists, including their mode of perception, background, and historical context. These insights will open a space through which a deeper understanding of the art form is gained, and students can incorporate such a new perspective into their work. The concrete framework for this course includes individual and group discussions, as well as practical exercises in the form of short workshops and exhibition discussions linked to excursions.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA145 Foundations of Filmmaking: The Short Form
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Janina Schabig
This hands-on course explores the technical foundations of filmmaking. You will be introduced to different kinds of cameras, learn all about your camera and how to use its manual settings, work with natural and studio lighting, record and design your own sound and navigate through the basics of editing in Adobe Premiere. Class sessions combine brief lectures, screenings, discussion, and practical exercises, encouraging you to develop both a critical eye and a personal voice in filmmaking. By the end of the course, you will have produced a series of short works, and built the skills to begin translating your ideas into moving images.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA228 Exploring the Expanded Field of Sculpture
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Raphaela Vogel
In this studio art course, taught by internationally acclaimed artist Raphaela Vogel, students will explore and experiment with an expanded notion of sculpture that considers a variety of media and materials, including collage, painting, video, and sound, as part of a sculptural practice. The first part of the seminar will be dedicated to model building, sketch-making as well as to learning about materials and exploring their different relations to form, time and space. Alongside practical assignments, our discussions will address various theoretical and art historical dimensions of sculpture. Based on readings such as Lessing’s canonical essay Laokoon and Rosalind Krauss's influential essay Sculpture in the Expanded Field we will situate our practice within a broader art historical context and, in particular, reflect on the temporality of sculpture in comparison to other art forms, such as moving images or music. Reading excerpts of Arnold Hauser’s The Social History of Art our discussions will also extend to the wider social and economic frameworks of art, to the nature of artistic labor and its relation to other forms of labor and production in society. Throughout the semester, students will engage in the creation of individual sculptural elements that we, towards the end of the semester, will combine into a collaborative final project, presented at Open Studios.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA295 Framing Otherly - Queer-Feminist Moving Image Practices
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Angela Anderson
What role has moving image technology played in the historical articulation of queer-feminist subjectivities and politics? In the current moment of conservative backlash against the achievements of queer and feminist movements globally, can the moving image continue to be a site of counter-politics? What strategies can be borrowed from the past and re-worked for our present moment, and what needs to be re-invented? These critical questions will frame and guide this theory and practice-based course which will give students an overview of queer-feminist moving image work from the early days of cinema until today. In this class we will watch and discuss iconic works of queer-feminist film and video art together (including for example the work of Barbara Hammer, Vaginal Davis, Martha Rosler, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Russopoulos, Chantal Akerman, and Howardena Pindell) as well as more recent queer-feminist political actions that relied on their recording and distribution for impact (Pussy Riot, La Tesis). We will also read seminal texts in queer-feminist film theory (including from Kaja Silverman, Laura Mulvey, Linda Williams, and Bell Hooks), complemented by artist talks. Through practical exercises in listening, writing, re-enactment and filming, students will create their own queer-feminist moving image works over the course of the semester. While experience in working with audio-visual media is helpful for this course, it is not a requirement. Students should however come with a desire to experiment with form and expand their technical know-how in the field of the moving image.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA308 Advanced Photography - Finding the Stories
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Carla Åhlander
This course integrates practical image-making with photographic analysis to explore the relationship between narrative and photography. It is a critique-based class aimed at developing awareness of what constitutes a narrative and how the meaning of a photograph is constructed.
In addition to producing their own narrative photo series, participants will develop their ability to look at, read, and discuss photographs critically. We will address issues such as subjectivity and objectivity, the private and the public, as well as technical considerations like lighting conditions. The course will also include collaborative exercises between students. Together, we will explore a range of aesthetic, practical and conceptual questions, asking for example, "What is my attitude toward the subject?" or "Where does this narrative begin or end?”
During class there will be short photographic assignments to be completed and presented within the same session. For this, everyone must bring their own digital camera (a phone camera is sufficient).
Students will also receive assignments to complete between classes and present in the following session. From approximately the middle of the semester, each student will develop an independent, larger, self-directed project. For this final project, each student must have access to their own digital camera. They will also produce a written text reflecting on the process and the concepts behind their work.
The semester will conclude with a group exhibition or an alternative form of presentation.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA317 Advanced Painting: Illusionistic Surfaces
Spring 2026Day/Time: Fridays 0930-1245 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): John Kleckner
This advanced studio course is designed to cultivate technical and conceptual abilities within the field of contemporary painting. A central focus of this course will be ideas, issues, and techniques relating to realistic depiction, illusionistic space, and mimetic representation in paint. Students will develop and pursue individual projects while discussing and reflecting on the power and politics of the gaze, the frame, vantage points, and linear perspective. Students will explore mimesis as visual metaphor and experience the differences between painting from photographic references, direct observation, and imagination. Artworks will primarily be made with oil and acrylic paints, but experimentation with other materials is encouraged and supported. Weekly sessions will include slideshow presentations, readings, and discussions. The majority of class time will be spent painting.
Class size is limited to ensure each student has adequate studio space and additional time with the instructor for individual feedback and support. Evaluations and critiques will occur at midterm and at the end of term. The semester culminates in the “Open Studios'' exhibition at the BCB arts building at Monopol Berlin.
Studio work is the priority; this course will require a significant amount of time working outside of class sessions. Previous experience with painting required. Prospective students should email inquiries to the instructor directly at: [email protected]
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FA325 The Photo Zine: A Subversive Phenomenon
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): April Gertler
The concept of a “Zine” (pronounced ‘zeen') refers to small-circulation (typically an edition of 100 or less), self-published works of original or appropriated images and texts, often reproduced using a copy machine / printer / duplicator. Zines, or ‘fanzines' can be traced back to the 1940s. They emerged from science fiction literature initially, created by fans who generated small self-published magazines about the stories they loved. Zines famously played a significant role in the punk movement of the 1970s and continue to be found in many subcultures. They often embrace a "do-it-yourself" ethos, challenging established norms of professional design and publishing. Zines offer an alternative, confident, and self-aware mode of expression. Photography is an essential component of most Zines. The Zine functions as a space for visual storytelling, but can also be used to create a preview of an ongoing photographic project. Historically, the kind of photography used in Zines is highly diverse, ranging from personal photographs made specifically for the Zine, to found images from any source. This class will work with printers, copy machines and a RISO duplicator to create Photo Zines and explore the joys of the limited-edition Photo Zine and how it can become an important mode of self-expression. We will work with image and text, using found images and also found text to creating photographs and text specific to the formats we will explore. The class will visit Schikkimikki - a Zine library that has Zines from all over the world in their collection. At the end of this class, each student will leave the class with a small library consisting of their own Photo Zines and those made by the other students in the class.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Politics
Module: Elective
FM212 Freud and Jung Go to the Movies: Psychoanalysis and Film
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
FM302 Bad Dreams and Beautiful Nightmares: The Films of David Lynch
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900 (Lecture) and Mondays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
David Lynch (1946 – 2025) was one of the last true American auteur filmmakers, an explorer of the dark side of our dreams, of postmodern visual culture and of surrealist worlds that are "wild at heart … and weird on top". We will visit the strange and yet immersive cinematic universe of Lynch, beginning with his early short films – Six Men Getting Sick (1967), The Alphabet (1968) and The Grandmother (1970) – to his last feature film, the experimental, multifaceted conundrum Inland Empire (2006). Other films that constitute Lynch's memorable work of dreamlike and mysterious representations of the uncanny and the sublime, oneiric visions and disturbing echoes of human anxieties and desires are Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild At Heart (1990), Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Drive (2001).
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Mathematics
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Mathematics
MA110 Mathematical Foundations
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg
This course focuses on the (basic) tools important for the study of political science and economics: analytic geometry, functions of a single variable, and calculus. The course will also be of interest for any student with a general interest in mathematics, or who does not intend advanced specialization in economics. This course is highly recommended for students who want to specialize in Economics, but do not have a strong background in mathematics. After successfully completing this course they will have to take (the more advanced) Mathematics for Economics course in the fall semester.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Economics
Module: Statistics
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentration: Economics
Module: Statistics
MA151 Introduction to Statistics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Wed 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Eife
The goal of this course is to introduce students to quantitative methods in economics and politics. The course covers the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing. To facilitate students’ ability to understand and critically engage with these methods, examples of quantitative social science research are discussed throughout the course. Classes are complemented with exercises to build students’ skills in applying the learned methods independently. Many of these exercises use data from public opinion surveys, which cover a wide range of social, economic, and political topics. Working with this survey data, students will also have the opportunity to explore research questions of their own. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and engage with the majority of modern quantitative research. They also will be well prepared to pursue a variety of more advanced quantitative research courses.
This course also fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
SC215 Reflecting Human-Environment Relations (Through Sound)
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715 (Monopol)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Francisca Rocha Gonçalves
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
In light of the serious impact of human activities on the environment, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and noise pollution, we must rethink our relationship with the natural world. A significant barrier to this reimagining is the long-lasting division between ‘culture’ and ‘nature’ in Western thought. Through a cross-disciplinary approach that includes acoustic ecology, the arts, environmental artistic activism, and natural history, this foundational course reflects on recent and ongoing efforts to dismantle such a divide, providing students with a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. Students will critically examine the reasons behind the societal separation of nature and culture and how this division has shaped our environmental perceptions and actions. They will develop a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex ecological issues. Approaches include investigating how soundscapes and acoustic ecology can challenge conventional boundaries of the nature-culture divide, reflecting on the potential of creative expression to re-connect culture and nature, examining the role of environmental artistic activism in addressing noise pollution and ecosystem impact, and engaging in hands-on practical activities and fieldwork to connect theory with real-world experiences. Alongside the practical activities, students will engage with critical theoretical readings by thinkers such as Bruno Latour, Donna Haraway, and Jane Bennett, as well as composers and sound ecologists such as Murray Schafer and Hildegard Westerkamp. These readings will offer insights into the historical separation of nature and culture, the contemporary efforts to overcome this divide, the broader implications of the Anthropocene, and how artists work to create awareness of the environmental crisis.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
TH133 Elfriede Jelinek: A Study of Directing and Acting Postdramatic Texts
Spring 2026Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Julia Hart
No female playwright has so strongly influenced the contemporary theatre in Germany as the Austrian Nobel Laureate Elfriede Jelinek. In the fall of 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Faust prize for her relentless, searing observations and analysis of social phenomena. She focuses on three targets in her playwriting: capitalist consumer society, the remnants of Austria’s fascist past in public and private life, and the systematic exploitation and oppression of women in a capitalist-patriarchal society. Her work is highly controversial. How has Elfriede Jelinek’s writing affected theatre-making in Germany? How can her writing be considered postdramatic? Theatre scholar Karen Jürs-Mundby writes that Jelinek and other postdramatic playwrights “produce what could be called ‘open’ or ‘writerly’ texts for performance, in the sense that they require the spectators to become active co-writers of the performance text. The spectators are no longer just filling in the predictable gaps in a dramatic narrative but are asked to become active witnesses who reflect on their own meaning-making.” Language is not necessarily the speech of characters- if there are definable characters at all! In this seminar, we will read, discuss, and rehearse scenes from the most recent plays of Elfriede Jelinek available in English translation as directors, actors, and dramaturges. This course will explore concrete methods of directing and acting when working with postdramatic theatre texts. We will also attend performances of Jelinek’s plays at theaters in Berlin and discuss the new documentary film “Elfriede Jelinek - Language Unleashed” directed by Claudia Müller.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
TH215 Visibility, intervention, and collective empowerment: Contemporary approaches to Performance Making
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Azadeh Ganjeh
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course investigates contemporary methods of performance-making in theatre and global performance art, with a focus on inclusive narrative strategies that foregrounds co-creation, care, and cultural critique. The course combines theory and practice through readings, embodied exercises, and group experiments. Central themes include: co-creation with communities as a dramaturgical strategy, performing care and consent, decolonizing narratives and challenging representational hierarchies, creating spaces of appearance and aesthetic resistance. We will discuss and reflect on approaches used by artists and collectives such as She She Pop, Tania Bruguera, Tania El Khoury, La Pocha Nostra, Rabih Mroué, and Forensic Architecture. Through collaborative creation, students will develop works using personal and everyday material, devising techniques, and interdisciplinary methodologies—including task-based creation, co-narration, and score-making. The course welcomes students from all backgrounds, with or without prior performance experience.
Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Wednesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Electives, Study Abroad
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Concentrations: Economics, Ethics and Politics, Literature and Rhetoric, Politics
Module: Elective
TH220 Making Theater in Berlin: A Collaboration with the Theater Ballhaus Ost
Spring 2026Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nina Tecklenburg
This course offers an intensive study and practical exploration of how performing arts are produced in Berlin. Our semester-long case study will be Ballhaus Ost, a theater venue located in Prenzlauer Berg. As one of most vibrant places for bold and innovative independent performing arts in the city, Ballhaus Ost offers a rich program that includes emerging performing artists as well as established, award-winning theater makers such as Monster Truck, Christoph Winkler, or Bard alumna Marie Schleef. In this course, Ballhaus Ost serves as an exemplary theater institution that we will study and explore practically: How do people work in a theater? What departments are needed to make a theater piece? How does one curate a meaningful program? What is the relationship between artists and the institution? Between the institution and cultural policy? Together with the Ballhaus Ost team, we will delve into the work of various departments such as curation and programming, lighting design, communications and fundraising, and, above all, artistic creation: In workshops with artists commissioned by Ballhaus Ost, we will explore their artistic approaches, concerns and working methods. In the second half of the course, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they have learned and develop their own short performances, which will be presented on the stage of Ballhaus Ost. The aim of this course is to gain hands-on experience in creating performing arts within a professional setting and working inside a theater institution, while situating the practices and artworks developed at Ballhaus Ost within the broader context of Berlin’s vibrant theater culture and the globalized theater industry. Classes will be taught alternately at BCB and in the rehearsal spaces and on the stage of Ballhaus Ost.
Note: This advanced course is also open to foundational level students.
Ethics and Politics
Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
AH201 Made in Germany? Art and National Identity, 1800-2000
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aya Soika
Questions of belonging and national identity constitute a particularly complex issue in German art and culture. In the early 1800s, painters such as Caspar David Friedrich looked back to the Gothic period and promoted the ideal of the Holy Roman Empire. His work was part of attempts to create a kind of German national unity in the aftermath of the French invasions undertaken by Napoleon I. With the development of Germany into an industrial powerhouse and a unified national-imperial state from the 1870s onwards, artists felt the need to explore new ways of seeing. At the same time, they continued to struggle with questions of identity: was it ‘appropriate’ to look for aesthetic inspiration to Paris, to the ‘enemy nation’ defeated in 1871? And how did the so-called ‘Expressionists’ position themselves within the European art scene? Debates over art’s social and political relevance intensified in the early decades of the twentieth century, and were taken up again with new fervor after the First World War. The legendary ‘Weimar years’ – which only lasted from 1919 until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – saw the emergence of Berlin Dada, New Objectivity and the Bauhaus. The Nazi dictatorship followed a cultural agenda shaped by racial ideology. After its collapse in the wake of war and genocide, the relationship between art and its societal meaning became even more contested. Theodor Adorno proclaimed that it was barbaric to write poetry after Auschwitz. Collective memories of the German past, and the Cold War conflict between capitalist democracy and socialist dictatorship, continued to influence artistic production. This class offers an introduction to Germany’s difficult history through the examination of artistic positions from Romanticism over pre-World War one Expressionism, the Weimar Years, and Nazi Cultural Politics to the memorial discourses in the post-reunification period of the 1990s. Field trips to museums are an integral part of the course.
Ethics and Politics
Global Social Theory, Law, Politics, and Society
Spring 2026
Mondays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Modules: Global Social Theory, Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Modules: Global Social Theory, Law, Politics, and Society
HI250 The Postcolonial Transition in Africa
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Ethics and Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Modules: Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Modules: Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Movements and Thinkers
HI315 Cultural Memory and Historical Politics in East-Central Europe
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Ethics and Politics
History of Political Thought
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: History of Political Thought
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: History of Political Thought
PL115 Foundations of Political Theory
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): David Hayes
This course is an inquiry into the origin, nature, and purpose of play. Questions to be considered will include: How do we know when something is playful? Is play the opposite of what is serious? of what is boring? of what is work? Are there important differences between animal and human play? Between the play of children and adults? What is a game, and what is a sport? Do these have value beyond rest or pleasure? Would the best life be one spent “playing the finest games,” as a character in Plato’s Laws suggests? Or are there darker aspects to play that ought to make us cautious about it? Is there not only play but a “deep play” experience that the anthropologist Clifford Geertz found in the practice of Balinese cockfighting, for example? How might one distinguish such play from the increasing “gamification” of organizations, products, and services in the contemporary world? Is our increasingly “gameful world” a good thing? What are the connections between play and art, religion, mental health, love, and culture in general? What is the connection between education and play? (In Greek, “paidia” = play; “paideia” = education). In educating ourselves about play, are we also playing? Texts will include some of the major theoretical statements about play (Plato, Schiller, Huizinga, Winnicott), articles in contemporary sociology and philosophy, as well as expressions of play in literature, film, and visual art.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
PL141 Play
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): David Hayes
This course is an inquiry into the origin, nature, and purpose of play. Questions to be considered will include: How do we know when something is playful? Is play the opposite of what is serious? of what is boring? of what is work? Are there important differences between animal and human play? Between the play of children and adults? What is a game, and what is a sport? Do these have value beyond rest or pleasure? Would the best life be one spent “playing the finest games,” as a character in Plato’s Laws suggests? Or are there darker aspects to play that ought to make us cautious about it? Is there not only play but a “deep play” experience that the anthropologist Clifford Geertz found in the practice of Balinese cockfighting, for example? How might one distinguish such play from the increasing “gamification” of organizations, products, and services in the contemporary world? Is our increasingly “gameful world” a good thing? What are the connections between play and art, religion, mental health, love, and culture in general? What is the connection between education and play? (In Greek, “paidia” = play; “paideia” = education). In educating ourselves about play, are we also playing? Texts will include some of the major theoretical statements about play (Plato, Schiller, Huizinga, Winnicott), articles in contemporary sociology and philosophy, as well as expressions of play in literature, film, and visual art.
Ethics and Politics
Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Tracy Colony
One of the most important philosophical movements of the 20th century is unquestionably Existentialism. The philosophy of existence developed by Jean-Paul Sartre can be seen as the clearest expression of this movement. In this course we will read selections from Sartre and other core representatives of French Existentialism. However, this reading will be prepared for by tracing through important philosophical lines of influence which the existentialists often acknowledged in the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. All texts will be read in translation, however, parallel readings in the original French or German will be supported and encouraged.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
PL208 Introduction to Existentialism
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Tracy Colony
One of the most important philosophical movements of the 20th century is unquestionably Existentialism. The philosophy of existence developed by Jean-Paul Sartre can be seen as the clearest expression of this movement. In this course we will read selections from Sartre and other core representatives of French Existentialism. However, this reading will be prepared for by tracing through important philosophical lines of influence which the existentialists often acknowledged in the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. All texts will be read in translation, however, parallel readings in the original French or German will be supported and encouraged.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
PL244 Resonance: Time, Attention, and the Arts of Connection
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Ethics and Politics
Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1000-1300
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
PL277 Medical Ethics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
PL328 Communism in Theory, History and Film
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
PL342 Democracy and the Ethics of War
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Fridays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
PL362 The Problem of the Philosophy of History
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Ethics and Politics
Political Systems and Structures
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
PS119 Nation-States and Democracy
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Ethics and Politics
Political Systems and Structures
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
PS146 Globalization and International Relations
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Ethics and Politics
Political Systems and Structures
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
PS179 Postcolonial Theory and Politics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Ethics and Politics
Political Systems and Structures
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
PS185 Introduction to Policy Analysis
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Ethics and Politics
Political Systems and Structures
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Political Systems and Structures
PS252 Latin America: Colonial Legacies, Modernity, and Indigenous Politics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Ethics and Politics
Law, Politics, and Society
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
PS275 The Role of China and Russia in a Multipolar World: Developmental Strategies and Forms of Cooperation in the Global South
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Ethics and Politics
Global Social Theory
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Global Social Theory
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Global Social Theory
PS302 Global Institutions and the Global South
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
PS327 A Critical Appraisal of the Arab Spring: 2010-2023
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
PS363 States and War
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Ethics and Politics
Law, Politics, and Society
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
PS390 German Foreign Policy and National Security Decision-Making
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Ethics and Politics
Law, Politics, and Society
Spring 2026
Mondays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
PS393 Labor Movements and Public Policy
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Ethics and Politics
History of Political Thought
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: History of Political Thought
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: History of Political Thought
PT140 Emancipation: Theory as Liberatory Practice
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Ethics and Politics
Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
PT149 Civic Engagement and Engaged Research: Berlin Lab
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Ethics and Politics
Law, Politics, and Society
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Law, Politics, and Society
PT325 The European Union: Institutions, Policies, and Procedures
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Ethics and Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Spring 2026
Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
PT355 International Organizations and Human Rights Advocacy
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Ethics and Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
SC255 Water Histories: Society, Conflict, and Power
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
SC301 Performing Science and Medicine: The Lab, the Clinic and the Public Realm
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Ethics and Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
SE302 Open Source for Human Rights Research
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Ethics and Politics
Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Methods in Social and Historical Studies
SO204 Urban Ethnography Workshop
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Ethics and Politics
Movements and Thinkers
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Concentration: Ethics and Politics
Module: Movements and Thinkers
SO275 Permutations of the Public
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Literature and Rhetoric
Critical and Cultural Theory
Spring 2026
Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Critical and Cultural Theory
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Critical and Cultural Theory
FM212 Freud and Jung Go to the Movies: Psychoanalysis and Film
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Thur 1400-1530 (Lecture) and Tuesdays 1930-2200 (Film Screening)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Matthias Hurst
In this introductory course, basic concepts and structures of psychoanalysis – as theorized by Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung – will be explored in relation to their significance for film and film interpretation. Contemporary with the rise of cinema, psychoanalysis has been both a method of understanding film, and itself a subject of film representation. It has provided a model for cinematic form, through the idea of the dream as an articulation of repressed desire, and the unconscious as the source of the power and vividness of visual images. It has also inspired feminist film theory like Laura Mulvey‘s concept of the “male gaze“ that has become one of the cornerstones of modern film criticism. Films we will watch and discuss include Freud (1962, John Huston), Il portiere di notte (1974, Liliana Cavani), Riddles of the Sphinx (1977, Laura Mulvey), Equus (1977, Sidney Lumet), The Company of Wolves (1984, Neil Jordan), Malina (1991, Werner Schroeter), When Night Is Falling (1995, Patricia Rozema), Marseille (2004, Angela Schanelec), A Dangerous Mind (2011, David Cronenberg), Enemy (2013, Denis Villeneuve) and Un divan à Tunis (2019, Manele Labidi).
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Written Arts
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Rebecca Rukeyser
This class introduces creative writing theory and methodology through the study of, and work within, the genre of fiction. We'll examine the formal and structural components necessary to crafting fiction before tackling craft elements of tone, character building, point of view, temporality, dialogue, and scene. We'll read widely, spending equal time with both canonical writers (e.g. James Baldwin, Katherine Mansfield, Yasunari Kawabata, J.G. Ballard) and contemporary writers (e.g. Carmen Maria Machado, Etgar Keret, Mariana Enriquez, Helen Oyeyemi). This class's assignments include: discussing the distinctive qualities and the malleability of various genres, completing generative writing assignments, and an overview of the process of workshopping written pieces. Students will complete a portfolio of revised short pieces based on in-class prompts as well as a 1,000-5,000-word short story.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Written Arts
LT142 Writing Fiction
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wednesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Rebecca Rukeyser
This class introduces creative writing theory and methodology through the study of, and work within, the genre of fiction. We'll examine the formal and structural components necessary to crafting fiction before tackling craft elements of tone, character building, point of view, temporality, dialogue, and scene. We'll read widely, spending equal time with both canonical writers (e.g. James Baldwin, Katherine Mansfield, Yasunari Kawabata, J.G. Ballard) and contemporary writers (e.g. Carmen Maria Machado, Etgar Keret, Mariana Enriquez, Helen Oyeyemi). This class's assignments include: discussing the distinctive qualities and the malleability of various genres, completing generative writing assignments, and an overview of the process of workshopping written pieces. Students will complete a portfolio of revised short pieces based on in-class prompts as well as a 1,000-5,000-word short story.
Literature and Rhetoric
Literary History
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Literary History
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boneace Chagara
The eastern part of sub-Saharan Africa— spanning East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia)—is a vibrant literary landscape. This seminar explores the richness and complexity of contemporary Eastern African literatures through fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction and digital texts of the 21st Century. The seminar will be structured thematically and historically, encouraging students to trace aesthetic, formal, as well as political continuities and ruptures in Eastern African writing over the past two decades. We will start our inquiry by mapping the shifting terrain of contemporary Eastern African writing, highlighting its historical and geographical contexts. We will then explore how this writing addresses layered textures of everyday life amid shifting political, cultural, and ecological landscapes. We will address themes like the afterlives of empire, urbanization, migration, diasporic subjectivity, the politics of gender and sexuality, among others. Drawing on African philosophical thought and postcolonial literary theory, our approach will emphasize close reading and contextual analysis while paying close attention to form, language, and aesthetics. Students will critically reflect on literature’s power to unsettle dominant narratives and imagine alternative lived realities. We shall engage with exemplary texts from Eastern African authors— including Nuruddin Farah and Abdourahman Waberi (Somalia/Djibouti), Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda), Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia), Jennifer Nansubuga and Doreen Baingana (Uganda), Mukoma wa Ngugi, Makena Onjerika, Yvonne Adhiambo and Billy Kahora (Kenya), Haji Gora Haji, Adam Shafi and Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania/Zanzibar)— as well as selections from Kwani?, Jalada Africa, and Bahati Books. Supplemental readings from critical theorists and scholars like Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo and Paul Gilroy will aid our textual and contextual readings.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Literary History
LT204 Contemporary Currents in East African Literature
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boneace Chagara
The eastern part of sub-Saharan Africa— spanning East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia)—is a vibrant literary landscape. This seminar explores the richness and complexity of contemporary Eastern African literatures through fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction and digital texts of the 21st Century. The seminar will be structured thematically and historically, encouraging students to trace aesthetic, formal, as well as political continuities and ruptures in Eastern African writing over the past two decades. We will start our inquiry by mapping the shifting terrain of contemporary Eastern African writing, highlighting its historical and geographical contexts. We will then explore how this writing addresses layered textures of everyday life amid shifting political, cultural, and ecological landscapes. We will address themes like the afterlives of empire, urbanization, migration, diasporic subjectivity, the politics of gender and sexuality, among others. Drawing on African philosophical thought and postcolonial literary theory, our approach will emphasize close reading and contextual analysis while paying close attention to form, language, and aesthetics. Students will critically reflect on literature’s power to unsettle dominant narratives and imagine alternative lived realities. We shall engage with exemplary texts from Eastern African authors— including Nuruddin Farah and Abdourahman Waberi (Somalia/Djibouti), Scholastique Mukasonga (Rwanda), Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia), Jennifer Nansubuga and Doreen Baingana (Uganda), Mukoma wa Ngugi, Makena Onjerika, Yvonne Adhiambo and Billy Kahora (Kenya), Haji Gora Haji, Adam Shafi and Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania/Zanzibar)— as well as selections from Kwani?, Jalada Africa, and Bahati Books. Supplemental readings from critical theorists and scholars like Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo and Paul Gilroy will aid our textual and contextual readings.
Literature and Rhetoric
Producing Literature
Spring 2026
Fridays 1230-1545
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Producing Literature
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1230-1545
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clare Wigfall
With over nineteen years experience of teaching creative writing, British author Clare Wigfall has developed a method that aims to break down the barriers that inhibit so that the creative process can come naturally. Under her gentle guidance, you will develop a body of new work, learning craft organically through practice and exposure to great writing. The carefully-structured workshops are a springboard, designed to stimulate ideas and encourage experimentation; one or two might even move off campus – how might a museum prove a source of inspiration, for example? A park? The city we live in? Focus will be given to new genres you might not yet have considered, such as fantasy or historical fiction, or how you might weave myths and legends into your work. Also explored will be the subject of how our own experience can shape our fiction, while also considering the issue of how writing fiction can give us scope to imagine places and experiences we’ve never lived in our own lives. You have already begun to develop a voice that is uniquely your own, and will take this further now with opportunities to share your work with a group of fellow writers who you can trust to give you invaluable critique. Alongside this, the reading element of this course will be key; from writers such as Annie Proulx to Carmen Maria Machado, or Katherine Mansfield to George Saunders, the selected reading will cast the net wide to throw you into the literary sea, also introducing you to writing about writing from authors such as Zadie Smith and Alexander Chee. With a proven track record of inspiring her students to produce award-winning, publishable writing, Clare will offer the opportunity to talk about how to submit work to literary journals, or space can be found to give focus to a subject uniquely inspiring to the group. Plus, there will of course be a chance to share new work with the world at the end-of-semester reading, always a well-attended event. Open to students who have already taken a foundational fiction workshop, as well as new students with some writing experience under their belt, you are very welcome to make contact with Clare before registration to introduce yourself and ask any questions.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Producing Literature
LT212 Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1230-1545
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clare Wigfall
With over nineteen years experience of teaching creative writing, British author Clare Wigfall has developed a method that aims to break down the barriers that inhibit so that the creative process can come naturally. Under her gentle guidance, you will develop a body of new work, learning craft organically through practice and exposure to great writing. The carefully-structured workshops are a springboard, designed to stimulate ideas and encourage experimentation; one or two might even move off campus – how might a museum prove a source of inspiration, for example? A park? The city we live in? Focus will be given to new genres you might not yet have considered, such as fantasy or historical fiction, or how you might weave myths and legends into your work. Also explored will be the subject of how our own experience can shape our fiction, while also considering the issue of how writing fiction can give us scope to imagine places and experiences we’ve never lived in our own lives. You have already begun to develop a voice that is uniquely your own, and will take this further now with opportunities to share your work with a group of fellow writers who you can trust to give you invaluable critique. Alongside this, the reading element of this course will be key; from writers such as Annie Proulx to Carmen Maria Machado, or Katherine Mansfield to George Saunders, the selected reading will cast the net wide to throw you into the literary sea, also introducing you to writing about writing from authors such as Zadie Smith and Alexander Chee. With a proven track record of inspiring her students to produce award-winning, publishable writing, Clare will offer the opportunity to talk about how to submit work to literary journals, or space can be found to give focus to a subject uniquely inspiring to the group. Plus, there will of course be a chance to share new work with the world at the end-of-semester reading, always a well-attended event. Open to students who have already taken a foundational fiction workshop, as well as new students with some writing experience under their belt, you are very welcome to make contact with Clare before registration to introduce yourself and ask any questions.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Close Reading
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Laura Scuriatti
As he got older, the notoriously misanthropic English novelist Kingsley Amis insisted that he would not read anything that did not begin with the words "a shot rang out." What is it about the detective fiction form that exercises a grip on readers, even when all aesthetic interest or ornament has fallen away? This fundamentally compelling quality has allowed detective fiction to nestle at the heart of even the most intricate and complex literary performances (think of Shakespeare's Hamlet), or alternatively, to explore issues of identity and social codes that might be deemed too challenging outside of an entertaining, plot-driven mode. The figure of the detective (usually an exceptional character of some kind) has become a cultural icon. Focusing on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century works, we will examine the basic components of the genre, its cultural history (including the advent of professional women detectives), and the connection between detective stories, urban modernity and new epistemologies (for example: criminology and psychoanalysis). Our discussion will be informed by the literary theories have drawn inspiration from the enigmas of detective fiction. The course includes work by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy L. Sayers, Walter Benjamin, Jorge Luis Borges, Gertrude Stein, Ernst Bloch, Tzvetan Todorov, Gerard Génette, Sara Lodge.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Close Reading
LT217 Detective Fiction
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Laura Scuriatti
As he got older, the notoriously misanthropic English novelist Kingsley Amis insisted that he would not read anything that did not begin with the words "a shot rang out." What is it about the detective fiction form that exercises a grip on readers, even when all aesthetic interest or ornament has fallen away? This fundamentally compelling quality has allowed detective fiction to nestle at the heart of even the most intricate and complex literary performances (think of Shakespeare's Hamlet), or alternatively, to explore issues of identity and social codes that might be deemed too challenging outside of an entertaining, plot-driven mode. The figure of the detective (usually an exceptional character of some kind) has become a cultural icon. Focusing on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century works, we will examine the basic components of the genre, its cultural history (including the advent of professional women detectives), and the connection between detective stories, urban modernity and new epistemologies (for example: criminology and psychoanalysis). Our discussion will be informed by the literary theories have drawn inspiration from the enigmas of detective fiction. The course includes work by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy L. Sayers, Walter Benjamin, Jorge Luis Borges, Gertrude Stein, Ernst Bloch, Tzvetan Todorov, Gerard Génette, Sara Lodge.
Literature and Rhetoric
Close Reading, Literary History
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Modules: Close Reading, Literary History
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jeffrey Champlin
This course examines the claim of the prophetic word to call down a higher power that shakes moral and political complacency. Moving from ancient and medieval religious texts to romantic poetry and modernist literature, we look at how prophecy both draws on and interrupts key genres and institutions. Some key questions: How might studying prophetic pronouncements open creative approaches to the future? How do they relate to enlightenment theories of historical progress? Can they help us critique our current cultural fascination with dystopia? What new forms does prophecy take in a supposedly secular age? We will be particularly interested in the role of the minority voice and the relation between the call to action and the new audiences and actors that respond to it. Readings include: texts from the Vedic and Abrahamic traditions, Aeschylus, Hildegard of Bingen, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Joachim of Fiore, William Blake, Heinrich von Kleist, Percy Shelley, William Butler Yeats, James Baldwin, Etel Adnan, and Miranda Mellis
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Modules: Close Reading, Literary History
LT227 Prophecy: Literature and Divine Intervention
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jeffrey Champlin
This course examines the claim of the prophetic word to call down a higher power that shakes moral and political complacency. Moving from ancient and medieval religious texts to romantic poetry and modernist literature, we look at how prophecy both draws on and interrupts key genres and institutions. Some key questions: How might studying prophetic pronouncements open creative approaches to the future? How do they relate to enlightenment theories of historical progress? Can they help us critique our current cultural fascination with dystopia? What new forms does prophecy take in a supposedly secular age? We will be particularly interested in the role of the minority voice and the relation between the call to action and the new audiences and actors that respond to it. Readings include: texts from the Vedic and Abrahamic traditions, Aeschylus, Hildegard of Bingen, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Joachim of Fiore, William Blake, Heinrich von Kleist, Percy Shelley, William Butler Yeats, James Baldwin, Etel Adnan, and Miranda Mellis
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Written Arts
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Joshua Yaffa
What happens when we flip the usual adage of “Write what you know” on its head? In this course, students will seek to imagine, understand, and describe those people and places that are far different from their own—and discover the possibilities of reading and writing outside of the familiar or comfortable. In this course, students will read a range of non-fiction literature—on life in far-flung foreign locales, hardship and deprivation in the American inner city, among other selections—in which authors have purposely put themselves in unknown or unfamiliar situations, to varying results. Some encounters produce insight and empathy; others reveal how broad the gap in experience can be. Can the act of reporting and writing bridge this divide, or does it remain impassible? Led by Joshua Yaffa, writer for The New Yorker and Bard College Berlin’s writer-in-residence, students will consider their own relationship to foreign, strange, unfamiliar, and even challenging settings and subjects. The course will center on a close reading of a selection of non-fiction and journalistic texts; students will then embark on reporting and writing assignments of their own.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Written Arts
LT230 Write What You Don't Know
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. Credits
Professor(s): Joshua Yaffa
What happens when we flip the usual adage of “Write what you know” on its head? In this course, students will seek to imagine, understand, and describe those people and places that are far different from their own—and discover the possibilities of reading and writing outside of the familiar or comfortable. In this course, students will read a range of non-fiction literature—on life in far-flung foreign locales, hardship and deprivation in the American inner city, among other selections—in which authors have purposely put themselves in unknown or unfamiliar situations, to varying results. Some encounters produce insight and empathy; others reveal how broad the gap in experience can be. Can the act of reporting and writing bridge this divide, or does it remain impassible? Led by Joshua Yaffa, writer for The New Yorker and Bard College Berlin’s writer-in-residence, students will consider their own relationship to foreign, strange, unfamiliar, and even challenging settings and subjects. The course will center on a close reading of a selection of non-fiction and journalistic texts; students will then embark on reporting and writing assignments of their own.
Literature and Rhetoric
Writer and World
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Writer and World
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Saskia Vogel
Translation is more than a creative literary practice, it is also a way of seeing and engaging with the world around. How do we make sense of ourselves in ever-shifting personal, technological, and political contexts? Taking Europe as a geographical starting point, this course uses this question as an entry point to explore contemporary European literatures, with a focus on writers who don’t fit neatly into categories and whose work offers an expanded and complex view of 20th- and 21st-century Europe. We’ll look at the work of writers living in Europe, including Sulaiman Addonia (UK/Belgium), Balsam Karam (Sweden), Ágota Kristóf (Hungary/Switzerland), Niviaq Korneliussen (Greenland), among others, as a springboard for conversation on themes of migration, class, identity and language. Engagement with the assigned readings will be interwoven with discussions and exercises around the creative practice of literary translation, with the aim of illuminating the practice of translation itself (for the student curious about the role and work of a literary translator) and how the notion of translation can help us make sense of life today: ourselves and another, generational divides, the social contract, technological developments, and more.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Writer and World
LT255 Living in Translation: Contemporary European Literatures
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Saskia Vogel
Translation is more than a creative literary practice, it is also a way of seeing and engaging with the world around. How do we make sense of ourselves in ever-shifting personal, technological, and political contexts? Taking Europe as a geographical starting point, this course uses this question as an entry point to explore contemporary European literatures, with a focus on writers who don’t fit neatly into categories and whose work offers an expanded and complex view of 20th- and 21st-century Europe. We’ll look at the work of writers living in Europe, including Sulaiman Addonia (UK/Belgium), Balsam Karam (Sweden), Ágota Kristóf (Hungary/Switzerland), Niviaq Korneliussen (Greenland), among others, as a springboard for conversation on themes of migration, class, identity and language. Engagement with the assigned readings will be interwoven with discussions and exercises around the creative practice of literary translation, with the aim of illuminating the practice of translation itself (for the student curious about the role and work of a literary translator) and how the notion of translation can help us make sense of life today: ourselves and another, generational divides, the social contract, technological developments, and more.
Literature and Rhetoric
Theories of Literature and Culture
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Theories of Literature and Culture
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clio Nicastro
The body has always attracted the interest of thinkers and researchers from different disciplines, from philosophy to critical theory to neuroscience. The crucial challenge is to overcome the dichotomy between mind and body, reason and feeling, that has affected Western culture especially from Descartes on. What does it mean to think through the body and what are its ‘dialectics’ (Lisa Yun Lee)? Is there such a thing as a ‘natural’ body or are bodies always constructed by class, race, gender, and our personal stories? This course introduces the main theories of literature and culture by looking at the body as an object of the “medical gaze” (Barbara Duden, Michel Foucault) and of political/gender persecutions (Silvia Federici) as well as a site of both active and passive resistance and expression. The experience of the body is often at the limit of the expressible and challenges the artistic and verbal forms we have available to articulate and give meaning to it. Furthermore, we will look at efforts to find a language to speak for/through the body, its desires, and its idiosyncrasies (Dodie Bellamy, Audre Lorde). What kinds of stories are mapped and inscribed in our physical bodies (Paul B. Preciado, Roxane Gay)? Does the body forget? And how are our bodies influenced by their narratives and representations?
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Theories of Literature and Culture
LT268 Theories of the Body
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Clio Nicastro
The body has always attracted the interest of thinkers and researchers from different disciplines, from philosophy to critical theory to neuroscience. The crucial challenge is to overcome the dichotomy between mind and body, reason and feeling, that has affected Western culture especially from Descartes on. What does it mean to think through the body and what are its ‘dialectics’ (Lisa Yun Lee)? Is there such a thing as a ‘natural’ body or are bodies always constructed by class, race, gender, and our personal stories? This course introduces the main theories of literature and culture by looking at the body as an object of the “medical gaze” (Barbara Duden, Michel Foucault) and of political/gender persecutions (Silvia Federici) as well as a site of both active and passive resistance and expression. The experience of the body is often at the limit of the expressible and challenges the artistic and verbal forms we have available to articulate and give meaning to it. Furthermore, we will look at efforts to find a language to speak for/through the body, its desires, and its idiosyncrasies (Dodie Bellamy, Audre Lorde). What kinds of stories are mapped and inscribed in our physical bodies (Paul B. Preciado, Roxane Gay)? Does the body forget? And how are our bodies influenced by their narratives and representations?
Literature and Rhetoric
Literary Movements and Forms
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Literary Movements and Forms
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Martin Widmann
This course offers students a broad and comprehensive introduction to German literary history, tracing its development from the earliest written records in the German language to contemporary works. Through close readings of representative texts from key periods—including the Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Modernism—as well as movements such as Naturalism and Expressionism, we will examine how aesthetic forms and literary expression have evolved in response to shifting historical and cultural contexts. In addition to exploring the formation and transformation of literary traditions, we will reflect on how narratives of national literary history both shape and reflect ideas of national identity. Our survey will include works by canonized authors such as Lessing, Goethe, Kleist, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Rilke, Thomas Mann, Irmgard Keun, and Emine Sevgi Özdamar. To broaden the scope of inquiry, we will engage with voices historically excluded from the canon and engage with renegotiations of established narratives through seminal texts of literary theory like Deleuze/Guattari’s concept of “minor literature” or Hans Mayer’s Außenseiter. Guest speakers from the literary world will share contemporary perspectives on selected texts, fostering connections between historical inquiry and present-day literary discourse. In addition, museum visits or excursions will provide further opportunities to contextualize these texts within broader cultural and historical frameworks. Course materials and class discussions will be in both German and English. Students are expected to have at least B1-level proficiency in German. Throughout the course, students will develop specialist vocabulary and skills enabling them to write about and discuss literary works in German.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Literary Movements and Forms
LT333 German Literary History
Spring 2026Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Martin Widmann
This course offers students a broad and comprehensive introduction to German literary history, tracing its development from the earliest written records in the German language to contemporary works. Through close readings of representative texts from key periods—including the Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Modernism—as well as movements such as Naturalism and Expressionism, we will examine how aesthetic forms and literary expression have evolved in response to shifting historical and cultural contexts. In addition to exploring the formation and transformation of literary traditions, we will reflect on how narratives of national literary history both shape and reflect ideas of national identity. Our survey will include works by canonized authors such as Lessing, Goethe, Kleist, Heine, Droste-Hülshoff, Rilke, Thomas Mann, Irmgard Keun, and Emine Sevgi Özdamar. To broaden the scope of inquiry, we will engage with voices historically excluded from the canon and engage with renegotiations of established narratives through seminal texts of literary theory like Deleuze/Guattari’s concept of “minor literature” or Hans Mayer’s Außenseiter. Guest speakers from the literary world will share contemporary perspectives on selected texts, fostering connections between historical inquiry and present-day literary discourse. In addition, museum visits or excursions will provide further opportunities to contextualize these texts within broader cultural and historical frameworks. Course materials and class discussions will be in both German and English. Students are expected to have at least B1-level proficiency in German. Throughout the course, students will develop specialist vocabulary and skills enabling them to write about and discuss literary works in German.
Literature and Rhetoric
Literary Movements and Forms, Writer and World
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Modules: Literary Movements and Forms, Writer and World
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Catherine Toal
Irish literary prose has certain familiar themes—rural deprivation, political conflict, religious division, the dominance of the Catholic church, emigration. It has recognizable phases in its English-language traditions: the dominance of literature written by the Anglo-Irish landowning class in the eighteenth- and nineteenth centuries, the emergence of modernist experiments against the realist novel in the twentieth (by figures such as Joyce and Beckett) and later oscillations between varieties of realist craft and more radical narrative forms. This course looks at the modes of writing found in the classic Irish short story as well as the development of more ambiguous genres crossing boundaries between life-writing and fiction, poem and narrative. We address the main developments of Irish history, the central works of modern Irish literature, the notable recent renewal of the literary scene since 2015, and the connections between Irish writing and other traditions: European, Anglo-American and postcolonial. Along the way, we explore the current preoccupations in Irish writing, and how these resonate with or depart from past motifs. Writers discussed include Elizabeth Bowen, Frank O’Connor, Edna O’Brien, John McGahern, Eugene McCabe, Sean O’Reilly, Claire Keegan, Colin Barrett, Wendy Erskine, Louise Kennedy, Nicole Flattery.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Modules: Literary Movements and Forms, Writer and World
LT362 Premodern to Postcrash: Ireland in Short Fiction
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Catherine Toal
Irish literary prose has certain familiar themes—rural deprivation, political conflict, religious division, the dominance of the Catholic church, emigration. It has recognizable phases in its English-language traditions: the dominance of literature written by the Anglo-Irish landowning class in the eighteenth- and nineteenth centuries, the emergence of modernist experiments against the realist novel in the twentieth (by figures such as Joyce and Beckett) and later oscillations between varieties of realist craft and more radical narrative forms. This course looks at the modes of writing found in the classic Irish short story as well as the development of more ambiguous genres crossing boundaries between life-writing and fiction, poem and narrative. We address the main developments of Irish history, the central works of modern Irish literature, the notable recent renewal of the literary scene since 2015, and the connections between Irish writing and other traditions: European, Anglo-American and postcolonial. Along the way, we explore the current preoccupations in Irish writing, and how these resonate with or depart from past motifs. Writers discussed include Elizabeth Bowen, Frank O’Connor, Edna O’Brien, John McGahern, Eugene McCabe, Sean O’Reilly, Claire Keegan, Colin Barrett, Wendy Erskine, Louise Kennedy, Nicole Flattery.
Literature and Rhetoric
Theories of Literature and Culture
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Theories of Literature and Culture
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Concentration: Literature and Rhetoric
Module: Theories of Literature and Culture
PL244 Resonance: Time, Attention, and the Arts of Connection
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Manuel Gebhardt
How do we cultivate a life that is meaningful rather than merely busy? This seminar introduces the contemporary German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, best known for his account of social acceleration (why life feels ever faster) and resonance (what makes life feel alive and connected). Resonance arises when we enter into a reciprocal, responsive contact with the world—whether with people, nature, art, music, work, or ideas. It is the opposite of alienation, where the world remains silent or is treated merely as a resource. For Rosa, it is not material possessions or mere productivity, but this living, reciprocal responsiveness that is essential to a fulfilled life. Building on this account, we use resonance as a cross-disciplinary lens on time, attention, and the arts of connection across art, work, education, and technology. We pair accessible selections from Rosa with readings in philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, and creative nonfiction, and we practice what we study through weekly “resonance labs” – brief field exercises such as sound-mapping, slow looking, micro-craft, and attention walks. Students learn to analyze sites of alienation and to articulate conditions for more resonant spaces in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and the arts. Assignments include short reflection notes, one seminar facilitation, a midterm essay, and a final research or creative project with critical commentary.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Module: German Language
GM101 German Beginner A1
Spring 2026Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Module: German Language
GM101 German Beginner A2
Spring 2026Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Module: German Language
GM101 German Beginner B1
Spring 2026Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Module: German Language
GM101 German Beginner B2
Spring 2026Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Module: German Language
GM101 German Beginner C1/C2
Spring 2026Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Artistic Practice and Society, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, German Studies, Study Abroad
Module: German Language
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ulrike Wagner
.
Module: German Language
GM150 German Conversation
Spring 2026Day/Time: Mon & Wed 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ulrike Wagner
.
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Mondays 1000-1315
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
HI250 The Postcolonial Transition in Africa
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1000-1315
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Romain Tiquet
This seminar explores the complex history of Africa’s transition from empire to nation during the twentieth century, introducing students to key themes and debates in African history. The course traces how the postcolonial transition unfolded in different contexts—from the rise of powerful anti-colonial movements after the First World War to the emergence of a constellation of sovereign nation-states between the late 1940s and the 1960s. These developments are situated within their broader historical contexts: the crises of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the onset of the Cold War. Reflecting the heterogeneity of decolonisation processes, our discussions will address topics such as: the nature of colonial rule and the meaning of decolonisation; the formation of postcolonial states and the emergence of new forms of citizenship; the social and economic transformations across African societies during this period; and the challenges of writing a social history of these regions. Our work will be grounded in a wide range of readings, including historical surveys, academic articles, and primary sources. We will also reflect on methodological questions, critical historiography, and the use and status of archival material.
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
HI315 Cultural Memory and Historical Politics in East-Central Europe
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ostap Sereda
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
The course will start by exploring the main conceptual frameworks in the field of memory studies and then re-examine them by discussing selected cases of cultural memory, the politics of history, and commemorative practices in the region of East Central Europe (broadly defined) after WWII, with a focus on the period after 1989/91. We will study the role of the state, academia, public intellectuals, and new mnemonic actors in the reshaping of collective memory through commemorative practices, school education, museums and monument culture, the tourism industry, the symbolic markers of urban landscapes, and the media. We will also analyze the various political and legislative actions of historical politics in the region and the historiographic and public discussions relevant to these measures.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PL115 Foundations of Political Theory
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan
This course provides a broad survey of the main intellectual traditions of modern political thought. Our exploration of political theory will proceed from the close reading and analysis of seminal texts that are presented both conceptually and, for the most part, chronologically. The primary focus will be placed on examining the historical antecedents of some of the foundational concepts and practices that distinguish our political behavior and institutions today. While taking account of the historical complexities and stylistic conventions of each text, the course will highlight the recurrent themes that animate these influential writings and continue to shape our contemporary understanding of politics. In particular, the lectures and discussions will be geared towards tracing the conceptual underpinnings of current forms of political organization, such as republicanism, liberal democracy, the modern state, and nationalism, and their effects on the concerns of law, justice, and morality. Some of the critical issues to be discussed include the divergent views of human nature and ideal society, the structure of authority and sovereignty, the rise of political morality, the defense of liberty, equality and justice, and the models of democratic practice.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Modules: Elective, Moral and Political Thought
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Concentration: Politics
Modules: Elective, Moral and Political Thought
PL277 Medical Ethics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Thursdays 1000-1300
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sinem Derya Kılıç
The decisions taken in medical treatment are often the subject of complex philosophical and moral debate, drawing on concepts and principles that long predate new technological developments. This course addresses the ethical basis of medical research and practice, including distinct ideas of autonomy, health, well-being, and disease. We cover some of the most prominent and fraught issues that have arisen in the legal regulation of medical care, such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, cultural and historical differences surrounding questions of reproduction, and issues of information-flow, informed consent, privacy, truth-telling and confidentiality, as well as questions of medical racism, social justice and rights to healthcare, human research, genetic enhancement, and the ethical dilemmas that arise during global pandemics as we experience them today.
This course fulfills the mathematics and science requirement for humanities students.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PL328 Communism in Theory, History and Film
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow, Denis Skopin
What is communism? What was everyday life like in so-called communist countries, and what were the cultural horizons of their citizens? What impact did communism have (and is it still having) on today’s European societies? Noting the long genealogy of communist ideals reaching back to Plato’s Republic, we will study the nature of Soviet-type communist society by exploring its ideological foundations, tumultuous history, and cultural output. Our goal will be to understand the communist project without denigrating it, but also without ignoring the monumental violence perpetrated in its name, and the challenges it faced as an economic system. We’ll begin by probing the social and political theory of revolutionary Marxism, and its contested reception by the main architects of 20th-century communist regimes. We’ll then examine how this theory was applied in historical practice to various aspects – economic, institutional, cultural and political – of social life under what was then termed “really existing socialism.” Taking the USSR and DDR as examples, we’ll familiarize ourselves with their specific contexts, and draw on film as an artistic reflection of the self-understanding, normative horizon, and daily life of socialist culture. In addition to readings and film screenings, students will visit exhibitions and museums devoted to the communist past, as well as sites in Berlin whose history relates to this period.
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
PL342 Democracy and the Ethics of War
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Erica Benner
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
Are democracies more peaceful and virtuous than other forms of government? Some friends of democracy say yes: self-governing citizens are less likely to rush into wars than autocratic or oligarchic leaders, and more likely to respect human rights and the rule of law when their states resort to force. Others point out dangerous gaps between ideal democratic principles and unjust or warlike realities.
This course examines the recurring tensions between democracy, ethics, and war. With readings from history, philosophy, political and international relations theory, and literature, we’ll consider several broad frameworks for understanding these tensions: international ‘realism’, the dynamics of democratic competition and communications, gender roles, imperialist mindsets, and the political economics of liberal democracies. Then we’ll take a closer look at cases where direct or indirect involvement in wars has created complex ethical challenges for democracies. We will ask: Are some forms of democracy more war-prone than others? How can leaders and citizens maintain ethical standards – and robust democratic institutions – under pressure from the conflicts that lead to wars? How might individual democracies and the international system be reformed to disincentivise violence and regulate the deeper causes of war?
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PL362 The Problem of the Philosophy of History
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Thomas Raysmith
G. W. F. Hegel articulated the following problem for those who assert that philosophy has a history. Philosophy is often claimed to discover unchanging truths. Yet history delivers an array of discordant systems. It would thus seem that there is no history of philosophy but only a history of conflicting opinions. In this course, we will study various conceptions of philosophy advanced by thinkers past and present who have attempted to support either the position that philosophy has a history or the position that it does not. We will consider the ways in which philosophy has been distinguished from other disciplines, the question of whether there are any common and perennial philosophical topics, and the methodologies proposed for conducting research in the history of philosophy. We will also analyse and challenge traditional narratives of the history of philosophy in light of critiques of sexism, Eurocentrism, colonialism, etc. This course is an investigation into how we do and should tell and research the history of human thought.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Comparative Politics
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Comparative Politics
PS119 Nation-States and Democracy
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Riaz Partha Khan, Boris Vormann, Aysuda Kölemen
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Why and how do political systems differ from one another? Which processes have led to the formation of distinct political regimes? And how do these historical variations affect politics today? In addressing these questions in a wide set of contexts, this course provides an introduction to key theoretical approaches and concepts in the comparative study of politics. The focus will be on core topics in political development such as state and nation-building, the role of the state in the economy, its relationship to civil society and processes of democratization. We will also look at different types of political regimes, electoral and party systems—and the ways in which they affect the structure, functioning, and social role of political institutions. We explore these topics from a comparative perspective in combining theoretical texts with case studies. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand important topics in domestic politics, grasp the diversity of political systems and regimes, and analyze current political developments.
Politics
International Studies and Globalization
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: International Studies and Globalization
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Concentration: Politics
Module: International Studies and Globalization
PS146 Globalization and International Relations
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem, Aaron Allen
The discipline of International Relations is devoted to the study of relations between states and societies in the international order. This international order is highly unequal. Some states and societies tend to benefit from the international order, while others are under constant pressure to adapt, and consequently find themselves in numerous relationships of dependency from which they can break free only with difficulty. At the same time, these societies, located in the so-called Global South, are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. In this seminar, we first address the historical emergence of the current international order, and reflect on how the discipline of International Relations considers this order. In the second section of the course, we will familiarize ourselves with the conceptual tools for analyzing the interplay of coloniality, political economy, and climate crisis. In the third section, we discuss current geopolitical challenges and the role of states and international organizations in addressing these.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PS179 Postcolonial Theory and Politics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aysuda Kölemen
How do the forms of knowledge produced by nineteenth-century European imperialism continue to influence the manner in which formerly colonized countries and regions are perceived and understood today? This course examines the ways in which the discipline of political science has been shaped by an historical power imbalance between Europe and the 'Global South,' and explores how postcolonial theory--the study of the conditions and process of decolonization--can be applied to that field. We consider issues such as the material and cultural impact of colonialism; movements for national liberation; efforts at nation-building, in order to critically examine the modes in which scholarly knowledge about non-Western history, politics and society have been constructed and reproduced. In the second part of the course, we contextualize postcolonial theory by surveying selected contexts and exploring the relationship between the political and the postcolonial. Our inquiry will be structured thematically, addressing--along with colonialism and decolonization--topics such as the nature of the authoritarian state, varieties of nationalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, cultural politics, the relationship between the military and the state, development and humanitarian aid, forms of war, revolution, and the phenomenon of enforced population displacement.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Policy Analysis
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Policy Analysis
PS185 Introduction to Policy Analysis
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1545-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to policy analysis and policy making. Public policies are courses of action undertaken by governments to solve societal problems by changing behavior. They include laws, regulations, incentives, and providing services, goods and information. It is important to remember that policies not only include what governments choose to do but also what they choose not to do. Policies by individual governments, groups of governments and intergovernmental organizations can impact outcomes for people, communities, industries, and the environment in different parts of the world. As an introductory course, during the first part of the course, we will spend time learning about and discussing what characterizes and defines a public policy, and how such policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. During the second half, we will apply these foundational concepts by examining and discussing real-world policy case studies addressing current policy problems within a domestic and global context. With this course, students will gain an understanding of a holistic approach to public policy and policy analysis. Students will also learn how to communicate about policy problems, options and recommendations verbally, visually, and in writing.
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PS252 Latin America: Colonial Legacies, Modernity, and Indigenous Politics
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Jorge Vega
This course offers a historically grounded and interdisciplinary survey of Latin America’s political transformations, with a special focus on how colonial legacies have shaped modern institutions and continue to influence Indigenous life and politics. Drawing from history, political science, and cultural studies, this course will trace the region’s trajectory from the colonial era through independence movements to the present day. Students will also analyze the complex dynamics between states, social movements, and Indigenous communities, examining how these relationships have evolved under various development models and modernization projects.
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Thursdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PS275 The Role of China and Russia in a Multipolar World: Developmental Strategies and Forms of Cooperation in the Global South
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Felix Jaitner
In recent years, the strong influence of western powers in Africa has dwindled. At the same time, China and Russia have increasingly shown the ambition to exert their influence in the Global South. Increased economic activity (especially in the extractive sector), and military support (arms exports and the private security company ‘Wagner’) underscore these ambitions. Another example for increased South-South cooperation is the expansion of the BRICS. At the same time, tensions between the USA and China are intensifying, which is reflected above all in sanctions in the technology sector (chips) or stricter trade tariffs. Meanwhile, the Russian government grounds its active foreign policy in Africa on the idea that it is an anti-Western global power and former supporter of anti-colonial movements. This raises the question of how far the relations between China, Russia and African countries differ from those of traditional Western colonial powers. Can the relations of both countries with Africa be described as South-South relations? Does the political and economic trajectory of these relations alter the self-determination of the continent or does it rather reinforce asymmetries similar to Western countries?
The seminar examines the emergence of the multipolar world order and attempts to analyze the dynamics and conflicts that shape it, with particular attention to how these developments affect the global South.
Politics
Public Policy
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Public Policy
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Public Policy
PS302 Global Institutions and the Global South
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Gale Raj
This course focuses on examining global public policies and their impacts on lower-income countries located in the Global South. We understand ‘global’ public policy to mean policies which have a direct or indirect cross-border or transnational effect. This includes policies developed and enforced at the national level which ‘reach’ countries in the Global South, as well as policies established at the intergovernmental or international level which set out rules for many countries. The aim of the course is for students to understand which questions to ask and generally to critically examine the analytical tools available to assess global policy impacts on economies, communities, and the environment in the Global South. An important aspect of our discussions will be understanding the ways in which different policymaking institutions function and the influence different actors (and their politics) have on the policymaking process and outcomes. The specific global policies and issues covered in the course are climate change, intellectual property rights rules (and their impact on vaccines), international trade, international labor standards, migration, and foreign aid.
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
PS327 A Critical Appraisal of the Arab Spring: 2010-2023
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Usahma Darrah
This course deals with the mass protests that swept across the Arab World in the 2010s as part of a global series of democracy movements. To study this phenomenon, we will look at the historical emergence of modern Arab states within regional systems that share a common language, culture and public space. Students will learn to contextualize the broader Arab region using analytical tools such as the concepts of state formation, the role of geopolitical alignments, the workings of political economy and the social contract, the phenomenon of the rentier state, and the dynamics of the deep state. In examining the protest movements and violence in key Arab countries, students will develop answers to the following questions: How did Arab civil society try to bring about dignity and democracy? How was the counter-revolutionary repression by some Arab states supported by Iran and Russia? What challenges did the upheaval and protracted conflicts in the MENA and Gulf regions present for Western interests and policies? How has US policy, in particular, affected the perceptions and posture of key Arab actors in relationship to the West? Where does the Arab Spring represent a turning point toward a democratic trajectory, and where did it lead to failed statehood? Does the migration fallout from the Arab Spring mark the end of liberal politics in the EU?
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
PS363 States and War
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Wed & Fri 1045-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Boris Vormann
This course explores the bellicist tradition of state formation — the theory that war and preparation for war drive the emergence of centralized, capable states. We begin with its roots in early modern European political thought and trace its development through the work of Charles Tilly and others. A central focus is the American case, which complicates the bellicist model: Is the U.S. an exceptional state built more through law, administration, and internal conflict than through classic geopolitical struggle? In the final weeks, we examine global divergences — how regions such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia followed distinct paths to statehood, and how feminist and postcolonial critiques challenge the coercion-centered narrative. Students will gain a strong theoretical foundation, engage with comparative historical cases, and grapple with enduring debates about how modern states are made.
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
PS390 German Foreign Policy and National Security Decision-Making
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Aaron Allen
This multidisciplinary course explores the structural evolution of the Federal Republic of Germany’s role in the world since the end of World War II to the current Zeitenwende. Through an interactive approach, students will be able to contextualize contemporary German foreign policy challenges from their geographic, material, and ideational roots. Furthermore, course activities and assignments are tailored to assist students in becoming foreign policy practitioners fully capable of applying national security decision theories. The curriculum threads together historical cases, international relations scholarship, and security studies in order to provide a holistic understanding of all the constituent parts influencing Germany’s external posture. Why is contemporary Germany often referred to as a reluctant leader? What are the unique attributes of German-style foreign policy currently being developed? A critical appraisal of topics such as the institutions shaping elite policy-making, the legacy of the Cold War and reunification, relations with the European Union, and the triangulation between the great powers of the United States, Russia and China offers students the necessary tools to answer these core questions. A complementary emphasis on professional development will allow participants to garner practical skills through simulations, seminar debates, and presentations.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Public Policy
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Public Policy
PS393 Labor Movements and Public Policy
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Dave Braneck
This course will look at the labor movement in the United States, using organized labor as a lens through which to analyze the convergence of the state, shifting institutional frameworks, and social movements. Students will be able to assess the role of organized labor within US politics generally, grappling with the opportunities and limits of labor as a means for enacting change, as well as how labor fits into, shapes, and is affected by institutional arrangements. A historic perspective will be taken in order to mark developments within the state and how this context has affected and been affected by organized labor. Students will be tasked with employing and sharpening existing understanding of state and policy structures while gaining critical knowledge and analytical skills that they will be able to apply to analysis of the state and other actors.
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PT140 Emancipation: Theory as Liberatory Practice
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Hans Stauffacher
"Emancipation" originally had a passive, purely descriptive meaning, referring in Roman law to the release of a son from paternal authority. In the Enlightenment, it became a spur to intellectual responsibility and reflection, denoting the emergence from "self-incurred immaturity" (Kant), as well as a political clarion-cry, heralding the self-determination and empowerment of individuals, suppressed social classes, and even of all humanity. Its status as a fundamental ideal of modernity developed further through its application to the condition of groups disenfranchised by property-relations defended on the basis of religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual hierarchies, or by territorial forms of administrative and economic subordination (colonialism, imperialism). Precisely because it is so inextricably interwoven with Enlightenment however, the ideal of emancipation has been radically undermined by "post-metaphysical thinking," which is skeptical about the inherent value, identity, or existence of the essence to be emancipated. In this seminar, we will address the history of the theory of emancipation and its expansion beyond the category of person it originally addressed, as well as examining contemporary critiques. Our question will be: is it possible that these critiques renew and revivify rather than dismantle the notion of emancipation as a political resource?
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
PT149 Civic Engagement and Engaged Research: Berlin Lab
Spring 2026Level: Foundational
Day/Time: Mon & Wed 0900-1030
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Ewa Atanassow
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This is an GHEA21 Network Collaborative Course (NCC)
Over the semester we will explore historical, philosophical and practical elements of civic engagement while also investigating the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century. Together, students will address issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, particularly in relation to the liberal democratic order (and its rupture). The class reflects a balance between theory and practice, exploring notions of civic life while supporting students to be active and thoughtful participants in the communities in which they are situated. More specifically, we will begin to map the local community engagement landscape in Berlin (with all its fault lines) and connect this into theories of civil society and histories of citizen activism in Europe and globally. This work will feed into engaged student research, participation in local and global initiatives, hand-on project development trainings, and the crafting by each student of a project proposal aimed at improving their local communities (however defined). The course will feature seminar discussions, workshops on interviewing and organizing, and field trips to relevant sites, as well as guest lectures by scholars, activists, members of local NGOs, government officials and foundation representatives.
Politics
Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Spring 2026
Tuesdays 0900-1215
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Advanced Topics in Global and Comparative Politics
PT325 The European Union: Institutions, Policies, and Procedures
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tuesdays 0900-1215
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert
The institutions and political processes of the European Union (EU), namely the concept of supranationality, offer a unique construct of international collaboration that was developed with clear goals by founding members. Developing from the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, the Union has gone on to evolve principles of membership and cooperation that go far beyond economic interests and imperatives. These are embodied in Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified in 2009, which upholds a commitment to human rights, solidarity and equality. But the EU has faced and continues to face immense challenges: Brexit, the financial crisis of 2008, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of populist movements, and most recently, the current US government’s apparent decoupling from European security and defense interests. In this course, we will introduce the essential structure and decision-making mechanisms of the European Union: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. We will also compare these institutions’ supranational characteristics with those of the nation-state and of international organizations with a focus on governance structures in the EU. Major cases tried in the European Court of Justice and key legal principles that have shaped the Union’s political advancements will be interpreted. Furthermore, we will discuss some of the European Union’s policies and current political developments, among them the European electoral-law reform, the reform of the judicial system in Poland and the rule-of-law mechanism, as well gender equality. Students will engage with original EU policy documents to acquire the skills of analyzing and interpreting them. At the end of the seminar, students will have a solid knowledge about the functioning of the Union’s institutions, and the evaluation of legal texts, treaty provisions, and policy approaches, enabling a clearer assessment of the future of the European project in a time of crisis, as well as a more astute understanding of broader political processes.
Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Spring 2026
Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
PT355 International Organizations and Human Rights Advocacy
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1100-1300 (Online)
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Berit Ebert, Danyah Jaber (Al-Quds Bard), Kamila Mateeva (AUCA)
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This seminar exposes students to the practical work of human rights actors in the context of securing and advocating for human rights through inter- and supranational organizations. It is divided into two sections. We begin by giving students a general overview of the role of key players in creating and implementing human rights. We then delve into the processes, institutions and material factors that influence inter- and supranational behaviors vis-a-vis human rights obligations. Lectures look in-depth at the role of individuals and collectives of peoples in campaigning for human rights and addressing violations. This will culminate in analysis of cases that have been key in shaping the international human rights regime. The second part of the course familiarizes students with the practical capacities required to run human rights advocacy campaigns. Through guest lecturers, students will be introduced to insight and expertise on lobbying; campaigning; and research, monitoring, and reporting, including a two-day training with Amnesty International in Berlin. Finally, students will develop human rights-based approaches and strategies to create their own advocacy campaign. At the end of the semester, all students of the seminar will meet in Berlin and visit organizations such as the representative office of the European Union and meet with experts from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Berlin office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Public Policy
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Modules: Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Public Policy
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Concentration: Politics
Modules: Civic Engagement and Social Justice, Public Policy
SC255 Water Histories: Society, Conflict, and Power
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Sam Hege
Concerns about water access and safety are intensifying, driven by rising sea levels, droughts, and aging infrastructure. In this course, we will critically examine contemporary water crises within their historical context. By studying a variety of water formations—such as rivers, oceans, aquifers, and wetlands—we will explore how water shapes both the history of colonialism and its enduring legacies. Topics we will cover include floods, hurricanes, maritime transportation, hydroelectricity, and irrigation agriculture. We will also pose key questions, such as: How can one care for a river? Can water be owned? What unseen labor, basic infrastructure, and resources are needed to make water flow? Throughout the course, we will draw on case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, encouraging students to synthesize a wide range of materials and develop analytical skills through comparative frameworks. While using transnational case studies means that there will not be neat and linear narratives to draw from, students will be challenged to think critically about the history of water through a more diverse set of perspectives and experiences.
Politics
Elective
Spring 2026
Fridays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
SC301 Performing Science and Medicine: The Lab, the Clinic and the Public Realm
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Fridays 1400-1715
Professor(s): Sasha Bergstrom-Katz, Michele Luchetti
Suitable for multi-disciplinary artists and humanities students alike, this course addresses the relationship between science, medicine, and society through a discussion of critical texts and creative activities inspired by art, performance, and theater. It uses works of theater and contemporary art alongside critical texts from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science and medicine to develop a conversation about the ways in which performances of science in the laboratory, the clinic and in the public sphere communicate key concepts and practices. These include ideas of objectivity, rationality, trust, power, as well as modes of faith and healing. The increasing complexity of science and its interactions with the social realm call for an expansion of traditional humanistic methodologies to encompass approaches that foster personal engagement, curiosity, creativity, and active criticism. For this reason, the course integrates seminar-style discussions of core historical, philosophical, and sociological topics on science and society with practical sessions that rely on arts-based activities to stimulate a creative first-person engagement with these topics. Further, it contributes to a timely study of the relationship between art and science. The overarching goal of the course is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at providing participants with key skills to critically engage and discuss issues related to science and society; on the other hand, it exposes them to a vast array of arts-based activities through writing, performance and art-making workshops during which they can act on their critical engagement and exercise a number of skills that are widely transferable within and outside of academia and art. Divided into three sections: Performing Experiments, Performing Medicine, and Public Performances, the course aims at a new understanding of the relation between science and medicine.
Politics
Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Spring 2026
Thursdays 1545-1900
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Human Rights, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Civic Engagement and Social Justice
SE302 Open Source for Human Rights Research
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Thursdays 1545-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Fred Abrahams, Marija Ristic
Fulfills GHEA21 Human Rights Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving field of open source investigations, including the tools and techniques to document and expose human rights violations. Beginning with a survey of the field, including the origins and developments of open source research, the course offers hand-on training in the skills needed to discover, preserve, verify and present evidence of abuse, with a continued focus on ethical considerations, digital security and the well-being of researchers. Using investigations from human rights groups, media, and courts, the course will critically assess the impact and limitations of open source research in advancing accountability, rule of law and social change. Guest speakers from Berlin and elsewhere will share their insights and experiences.
Politics
Qualitative Methods in Social Sciences
Spring 2026
Mondays 1400-1715
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Qualitative Methods in Social Sciences
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Qualitative Methods in Social Sciences
SO204 Urban Ethnography Workshop
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Mondays 1400-1715
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Agata Lisiak
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
This course introduces students to key qualitative methods in urban ethnography, with an emphasis on participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Each weekly seminar combines theoretical discussion with a hands-on workshop, offering students opportunities to experiment with a range of methodological and analytical tools. Following an initial exploration of the ethical and political considerations of urban research, students will practice field note–taking, design and peer-review interview guides, conduct interviews, analyze data using thematic coding, and write up their findings. Throughout the semester, students will also discuss different examples of ethnographic writing, engaging critically with questions of voice, positionality, and representation.
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Certificate in Civic Engagement, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Elective
SO275 Permutations of the Public
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1730-1900
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Cynthia Browne
Fulfills Civic Engagement Certificate requirement
Public, as a noun or adjective, traverses multiple disciplines and discourses. As a Euro-American concept that received its most explicit theorization and historicization in the wake of the Enlightenment, it has become a central category in understanding the political dimensions of cultural transformations across a wide array of domains. This course examines its significance for understanding how power, freedom, and authority become enacted and reconfigured in modern states. The course combines reading and discussion of the concept’s foundational formulations by key political philosophers (Juergen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Warner, Kluge and Negt) with its analytical use in historical and ethnographic scholarship, as well as its significance in contemporary art practices. This reach, which also incorporates studies from the Global South, draws attention to how specific instances of the public sphere, such as da’wa publics in Cairo, circulating imagery in post-Suharto Indonesia, decollagist practices in post-WWII France, hydraulic publics in Mumbai, and parallel public spheres in the former Soviet Union have challenged, revised, and expanded classical conceptualizations of this space.
Politics
Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
Spring 2026
Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Programs: Academy Year, BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought, Study Abroad
Concentration: Politics
Module: Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem
Why do people vote the way they do? Why does violence erupt in some states while in other states it does not? Can development aid improve democratization and development? One way of answering these questions is through effective analysis of quantitative data. This course focuses on the different strategies of quantitative statistical analysis. We explore how to read, understand, and critically assess quantitative research. Students will engage in quantitative research design, testing hypotheses, unpacking causal mechanisms, and applying probability and regression analysis tools. Finally, students will learn how to present the interpreted data logically and systematically in research output. In this course, students will also learn the basics of R software to conduct statistical analysis. Towards the end of the course, we will also briefly explore social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as alternative quantitative social science methods.
Concentration: Politics
Module: Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
SO324 Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences
Spring 2026Level: Advanced
Day/Time: Tue & Thur 1400-1530
Credits: 8 ECTS, 4 U.S. credits
Professor(s): Nassim Abi Ghanem
Why do people vote the way they do? Why does violence erupt in some states while in other states it does not? Can development aid improve democratization and development? One way of answering these questions is through effective analysis of quantitative data. This course focuses on the different strategies of quantitative statistical analysis. We explore how to read, understand, and critically assess quantitative research. Students will engage in quantitative research design, testing hypotheses, unpacking causal mechanisms, and applying probability and regression analysis tools. Finally, students will learn how to present the interpreted data logically and systematically in research output. In this course, students will also learn the basics of R software to conduct statistical analysis. Towards the end of the course, we will also briefly explore social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) as alternative quantitative social science methods.
To view courses offered prior to Spring 2023, please visit the course archive.