German BA (Hons)

The module provides students with an introduction to key topics in German Studies. This module will cover history and political discourse after 1945, with a focus on German division after the Second World War and unification in 1990. The module also provides an introduction to key concepts in Film Studies using a selection of films that illuminate the historical developments studied. The module also introduces the important study skills that students will develop further throughout their studies.

This module, which is compulsory for students of 50% and 75%/100% German, introduces first year students to the study of the German language (covering aspects of historical development as well as sociolinguistics), and the study of German-language literature through short prose form.

The module is an introduction to linguistics, focusing on issues in theoretical and applied linguistics which are relevant for language learners. It aims to equip students with a better awareness of and explicit knowledge about language and language learning. The meta-awareness thus gained will assist in hypothesis testing and rule formation essential to the learning of language.

This module offers students of German the opportunity to develop their reading knowledge of a German text (chosen from a short list) and their research and study skills, under the guidance of an academic supervisor. Students will produce a portfolio of work based on their chosen text, including: an academic bibliography, a comprehension exercise based on secondary literature, a commentary and an essay of 2000 words. These assessments guide students through the process of researching around a topic, and will allow them to receive feedback on each aspect of research. Students will work under the guidance of an academic supervisor, meeting them at regular intervals to agree a plan of reading, to discuss progress and to prepare their assessed work. Students will submit a plan of their essay to their supervisor for feedback before completing the assignment. The module is required for students German as a major or single subject, and can be taken by students studying German ab initio, for whom the commentary exercise will compare the English-language translation of the text and the German original. Together with the module GRMN230, this forms part of a research pathway designed to develop research skills in preparation for the MODL307 dissertation in final year.

This compulsory language module for all students aiming for a qualification in German is designed for students who have an A-level in German, but it is also open to other students as an additional subject or as part of the Erasmus scheme. It aims to provide students with good competence in reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar through both lessons and independent project work. Students will be introduced to basic translation and interpreting skills during grammar lessons. Students may also benefit from extracurricular activities organised by a native speaker intern, the German Society and a conversation exchange organised through the Modern languages resource centre. It is also the preparation for the following year (GRMN207 and GRMN208).

This module is designed for students with A-level German or equivalent who have successfully completed GRMN105. In this module, skills acquired in semester one will be improved and enhanced in semester two. Students will read a book in German and discuss it in an oral exam. Students will also improve their knowledge of German grammar further and have access to the languages lab for listening comprehension. The module also prepares students for GRMN207 and GRMN208 in second year. Students may benefit from extracurricular activities organised by a native speaker intern, the German Society and a conversation exchange organised through our Modern languages resource centre. Students will continue practicing their basic translating and interpreting skills.

This is an accelerated beginners‘ module. You will study at A1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference (complete beginners).

This is an accelerated elementary German module. You will study at A2 level in the Common European Framework of Reference.

An intensive course for those who have not studied Spanish before. Through a variety of methods, students will be provided with basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking Spanish. Students are expected to reach a level equivalent to that of level A1.

This module is mapped against B1+ level in Spanish according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The aim of the module is to work towards the expansion of the student’s already existent knowledge of Spanish language. Furthermore, the module places special emphasis on conversational fluency, grammatical accuracy and vocabulary acquisition. Students will receive three contact hours a week divided into two hours of integrated skills language seminars plus a one hour lab session of practical skills (listening and conversation) per week. In addition, students are expected to undertake regular independent language learning for which they will provided with materials and guidance via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment: Canvas.​

This module offers absolute beginners a comprehensive overview of essential Chinese language functions and related cultural knowledge to develop basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking Chinese, and cultural sensitivity and awareness. You are expected to be active and engaged participants in the themed language classes. Computer, projector plus internet are used in on-campus class to enhance learning; Team, Zoom and other online tools are used in online classes to ensure the student learning experience under the circumstance of remote teaching/learning. Homework and self-study material is assigned weekly and is a must to achieve the expected learning outcome. Along with instructions in class, you will be given various teaching/self-learning material on Canvas ( The digital learning platform at University of Liverpool) to foster autonomy in learning the language and culture after class.

This module aims to develop students’ receptive skills in reading and listening as well as productive skills in writing and speaking at intermediate level; to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Chinese society, culture and customs.
Students are expected to be active and engaged participants in the themed language classes. Multi-media facilities plus internet are used in class to enhance learning. Homework is assigned each week. Along with face-to-face instructions in class, students will be given guidance on how to use the resources including online database, apps and blackboard to foster autonomy in learning the language and culture outside class.

This French language module is designed for first year undergraduate students . It is for absolute beginners or students with very limited knowledge of the language. No previous knowledge of French is required. Through a variety of methods students will develop a basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking French and an understanding of basic French grammar.
At the end of this 12 week- module students will be able to carry out simple everyday tasks in French. Students will be able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. They will be able to introduce themselves and others and ask and answer questions about personal details. They will be able to interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly. They will have a basic understanding of significant aspects of life and culture of the country and intercultural skills necessary for their language proficiency level. This module is mapped against A1 level in French according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This module is the compulsory language module for all students enrolled in degree programmes aiming for a qualification in French. It is the first stage of a four-year learning curve and is preparation for the following year (FREN207 and FREN208).

This module is mapped against B1+ level in French according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This module is an introductory module in Italian language and will cover grammar basic aspects like noun gender and number, articles, the present and perfect tense, modal verbs, prepositions and direct pronouns.

The topics covered will include: personal information; family; education and university life.

Beginners’ Basque 1+2 equips the students with the skills needed to start communicating in Basque. It covers basic grammar structures and vocabulary and lays a solid foundation for further study. The course includes as well an introduction to a variety of aspects of Basque culture.

The principal aim of this module is to achieve greater proficiency in written and speaking Catalan and to provide a solid grammatical foundation.

The student will also have the opportunity to achieve an extra qualification by taking the International Catalan Certificate issued by the Institut Ramon Llull and held at the University of Liverpool.

This introductory Portuguese language module offers absolute beginners a comprehensive overview of basic grammatical functions and linguistic skills that will provide students with basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking Portuguese at A1+/A2 level according the Common European Framework of Reference.

The aim of the course is to give you grounding in analytical skills, an appreciation of the significance of film as a medium, and an ability to write about film in an accessible and well informed way for different audiences and different purposes.

Furthermore, the course will introduce you to the basic components of the audiovisual ‘language’ which film uses to communicate with its audience, and to the methods that you should use when analysing how any one film uses this language. We will look at a wide variety of films selected for their particularly innovative or influential treatment of different aspects of this ‘language’.

This module explores contemporary issues and debates through considering global relationships in the past and how they have shaped the world in which we live. In light of the tremendous impact that modern imperialism and colonialism have had in shaping our world, the module focuses, in particular, on questions relating to race, empire and their legacies.

By exploring some of the ways in which historical investigation enriches urgent contemporary debates, the module aims to introduce students to a range of new ways of approaching the past, both in terms of subject matter and of approaches to history, and to broaden students’ historical understanding of both western and non-western
history (or what scholars refer to as the ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’) and the myriad connections between them.
In addition, therefore, to preparing students for the range of subject matter, geographical areas, and approaches that they will be able to study in the second and third years of their History degree programme, this module also aims to make them better global citizens.

This module will be compulsory for any student taking the BA in English with World Literature. It will be optional for students on English and English Literature, and for students taking Single Honours French (R120), German (R220), Italian (R300) and Hispanic Studies (RR45).

The module will introduce students to key concepts, theories, critics, and texts in the study of world literature through the lens of national literature(s) and translation, in order to provide a foundation for further study.

Students will gain awareness of basic concepts of world literature from different national literary traditions and will learn how to apply them to a range of short literary works from a range of genres both within and beyond the module.

SPAN134 is an elementary, intensive Spanish language and culture module. It aims at building language and intercultural skills, providing students with a solid understanding of the grammar, syntax, vocabulary and use of the Spanish language in context at an elementary level.

This module is mapped against B2- level in Spanish according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This is a first year advanced language course taught in the second semester where students attend seminars and practical sessions in small groups and focus on spoken and written Spanish. The aim is to work towards the expansion of the student’s already existent knowledge of Spanish language. Furthermore, the module places special emphasis on conversational fluency, grammatical accuracy and vocabulary acquisition. Students will receive three contact hours a week divided into two hours of integrated skills language seminars plus a one hour lab session of practical skills (listening and conversation) per week. In addition, students are expected to undertake regular independent language learning for which they will provided with materials and guidance via Canvas.

This module is the following module of CHIN112. It offers beginners a comprehensive overview of essential Chinese language functions and related cultural knowledge to develop basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking Chinese, and cultural sensitivity and awareness. You are expected to be active and engaged participants in the themed language classes. Computer, projector plus internet are used in on-campus class to enhance learning; Team, Zoom and other online tools are used in online classes to ensure the student learning experience under the circumstance of remote teaching/learning. Homework and self-study material is assigned weekly and is a must to achieve the expected learning outcome. Along with instructions in class, you will be given various teaching/self-learning material on Canvas ( The digital learning platform at University of Liverpool) to foster autonomy in learning the language and culture after class.

This module aims to further develop students’ receptive skills in reading and listening as well as productive skills in writing and speaking at post-intermediate level; To further deepen student understanding and appreciation of Chinese society, culture and customs.

Students are expected to be active and engaged participants in the themed language classes. Homework is assigned each week. Under our guidance and supervision, students will also be prepared for year or semester abroad in China (optional for students on Chinese 25%; compulsory for students on Chinese Studies 50%)

This module is mapped against A2 level in French according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).It is for students who have achieved a GCSE at foundation level or who have reached an A1 proficiency level in the Common European Framework. Through a variety of methods students will continue to develop basic competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking French and an understanding of basic French grammar. At the end of this 12 week- module students will be more confident to carry out all everyday tasks, they will start to be able to express their opinions about current affairs and function in many professional contexts. They will have an increased understanding of life and culture of the country and the intercultural skills necessary for their language proficiency level.

This module is a compulsory language module for all students enrolled in degree programmes aiming for a qualification in French. It is the first stage of a four-year learning curve and is thus preparation for the following year (FREN207 and FREN208).

This language module is intensive and aims to develop all the necessary skills to communicate confidently in spoken and written Italian within a range of topics, such as Italian culture and society, fashion and the "Made in Italy" industry, work and the business environment.

This module is mapped against A2 level in Italian according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This intermediate language module builds on the existing Italian language skills developed in semester one. The focus is on all areas of language competence (grammar, written, listening and oral).

This module is mapped against B2- level in Italian according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Elementary Basque 3+4 takes the students up to the A2 Breakthrough level of the CEFRL by widening the range of grammar structures and vocabulary to be acquired and so enhancing their receptive and productive skills. The course materials keep introducing the students to a wide variety of aspects of Basque culture.

This module is mapped against A2 level in Catalan according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This is an introductory intensive module which aims to provide students with a working knowledge of modern Catalan, written and spoken, roughly at A-level standard. The student will also have the opportunity to achieve an extra qualification by taking the International Catalan Certificate issued by the Institut Ramon Llull and held at the University of Liverpool.

This module is mapped against A2 level in Portuguese according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

This module is a continuation of PORT112 and improves upon the linguistic skills acquired in that module. It offers beginners of Portuguese a comprehensive overview of basic grammatical functions and linguistic skills that will provide students with a sound competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking Portuguese.

The aim of this course is to introduce you to key theoretical and conceptual debates within Film Studies. It will develop your ability to apply these concepts to close readings of film texts and, in doing so, enhance your skills of critical analysis and independent thinking.

This module provides students with an introduction to modern continental European history.   It broadens their understanding by first considering factors of a general importance in the development of modern Europe, and then looking at particular events and countries.   In this way, students will be given a grasp both of broad themes in European history – such as demographics, political units, ideologies and social change – and of the specific way history unfolded in certain times and places.

This module will be compulsory for any student taking the BA in English with World Literature. It will be optional for students on English and English Literature, and for students taking Single Honours French, German, Hispanic Studies and Italian.

This module will follow on from Introduction to World Literature 1: From the National to the Global (Semester 1) by deepening students’ understanding of concepts and theories of world literature, and applying these to a range of longer literary texts across all major genres including the novel, poetry, drama, short story both originally in English and in English translation.

It will be delivered via a lecture and tutorial each week and assessed via 80% assessed summative coursework essay of 2500-3000 words and 20% creative-critical project (1000-1500 words).
Formative work will support the assessments.

The module provides students of Single Honours and 75 per cent languages to develop a research project relating to the language are they are studying. The module allows students to develop further interests relating typically to a first- or second-year module they have studied or to the research areas of staff in the relevant languages (e.g. in literary and cultural studies, film studies, linguistics).

The module develops important research and study skills and will benefit students across their work as well as prepare them to undertake a dissertation in Final Year. The module is required for Single Honours/100 per cent students in German and Italian. The module comprises a total of six supervised hours (three collective supervisions taken by the module convenor, and three individual supervisions with their project supervisor). It is optional for Single Honours/100 per cent students in French and for 75 per cent students in French, German and Italian.

This required module is mapped against B1 level in German according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and is designed for students who have successfully completed the beginners’ modules GRMN112 and GRMN134 and plan to go abroad in their third year. In four weekly taught hours it aims to provide students with good competence in reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar through both lessons and independent study. For their independent project, students can choose from a range of tasks to improve specific language skills such as listening, speaking or reading, about which they have to deliver a written report. Students will be introduced to first translation skills in dedicated lessons. Students may also benefit from extracurricular activities organised by a native speaker intern or Language Advisor in the Language Lounge, the Modern Languages Society and a conversation exchange organised through our Language Lounge or via our online exchange scheme EUniTa.

This module is for students who have successfully completed GRMN105 and GRMN106 at level B2 as specified in the Common European Framework of Reference. In this module, students will be introduced to Austrian and Swiss history, culture and language in one hour per week while also preparing students for their year abroad and its different pathways. Listening and speaking skills will be practiced in one hour per week. Audio and video listening skills will be improved through both class exercises and independent study, and students will prepare oral debates and presentations. Students will be introduced to research skills in preparation of their year abroad and write longer essays in German. In their third hour, students will also be introduced to general translation skills from German into English and English into German in a variety of genres and continue practicing advanced grammar skills. They will be introduced to basic interpreting skills in the languages lab.

This German language module is designed for students at ex-beginner’s level who have successfully completed GRMN256 and plan to go abroad. In four weekly taught hours, it aims to enhance further skills acquired in semester one through both lessons and independent project work. Students may benefit from extracurricular activities organised by a native speaker intern, the German Society and a conversation exchange organised through our languages centre. Students will also continue practicing basic translating and interpreting skills.

This module is for students of German at an advanced level who successfully completed GRMN207. In this module, students will tackle topics of the history and culture of Germany in one hour per week, and receive detailed practical information for their year abroad and continue to practice listening, speaking and presentation skills in one hour per week. Students will continue to practice general translation skills from German into English in a variety of genres and English into German at a basic level, continue basic interpreting skills and continue practicing advanced grammar skills. In preparation for their year abroad, students will be prepared for the various pathways to cope with work placements, assistantships and studentships.

Situated between the end of World War One and the Nazi takeover of power, the Weimar Republic witnessed a ‘crisis of classical modernity’; the period retains a reputation for modernity and decadence. Against a background of political and economic experimentation and uncertainty, it saw a growth in advertising, shopping, urban life and transport, fashion and film. Taught in a mixture of lectures and seminars, this module focuses on cultural representations of the period, through the study of two films: Berlin: Sinfonie der Großstadt (Berlin: Symphony of the Metropolis, 1927) and Marlene Dietrich’s first major feature, Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel, 1931); and two literary texts: Erich Kästner, Emil und die Detektive (Emil and the Detectives, 1928), and Irmgard Keun, Das kunstseidene Mädchen (The Artificial Silk Girl, 1932). Through close reading and thematic analysis, we will consider how they depict and define the modern metropolis; changing ideas about class and gender; and new forms of working life, entertainment and leisure.

The establishment of the UfA studios near Berlin in 1917 turned the German film industry, for at least a decade, into the major European film industry and into Hollywood’s main competitor in the world. Even through periods of crisis and turmoil, the German industry has remained an important site of creativity and German films have continued to garner international acclaim. This module provides an introduction to key movements in German national cinema, from Expressionist film, with its characteristic ghosts and shadows, through the ‘new wave’ of the New German Cinema to the present. From Lang to Fassbinder, Herzog and Wenders, it also offers an opportunity to study key films by some of the most influential directors to have emerged from the German speaking world. From Weimar film to Fassbinder’s appropriation of the melodrama of Douglas Sirk and Wenders’ turn to the ‘road movie’, the rivalry and dialogue with Hollywood also provides an important thematic strand that runs through the module.

The modern city and the cinema developed together, and as they developed they referred to each other: cities have always been a prime space for film, while many urban theorists have found it useful to think of cities as cinematic spaces. The module introduces you to cinematic ways of representing the city, through the study of a number of representative films that deal with some major global metropolis.You will have the opportunity to produce your own short smartphone film of the city of Liverpool as part of a small-scale group project. This will allow you to put your ideas into practice and to reflect on the filmmaking process. No prior knowledge of practical filmmaking is required to enrol in this module but you are expected to be willing to familiarise yourself with the process of shooting and editing of a smartphone film.

In this module, we will get you to think critically about the city in which you live and study, and consider how multilingual Liverpool actually is.

We will think about how people who manage the space in Liverpool make it more or less multilingual, and why they might do that. We think about issues of identity, authenticity, and translation. We also go out into Liverpool to undertake fieldtrips to learn about multilingualism on the streets!

This module explores the ways in which films circulate and make meaning (in sites beyond Hollywood and outside the mainstream distribution channels associated with European and US films). It responds to the ways in which we understand film today and explores theories and histories that reflect the ways in which films inform, represent and participate in cultures.

Using some of the most controversial films ever made as case studies, this module examines the relationship between film, political authority and public morality. The module examines films from the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, the German Democratic Republic, France, Italy, Spain and China. All films are shown with English subtitles and the modules is suitable for all students in HSS interested in film, propaganda and censorship.

This module offers an in-depth examination of key themes in the cultural, social and political history of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1949-1990, as well as questions of memory after 1990. It explores key milestones in the history and politics of the GDR (e.g. the uprisings of 17 June 1953, the building of the Berlin Wall and the demonstrations of 1989), as well as central themes within society and culture, such as gender, youth and cultural policy. Each theme will be examined through a range of texts, films and other primary and secondary resources, to develop a detailed knowledge and understanding of the meaning and significance of life and culture in the GDR and its relevance for contemporary eastern Germany.

This team-taught module invites students to an expansive, yet focused investigation of public spaces – real and digital – across Belgium, Germany, Colombia, China, United States, and Italy: we start with an introduction that familiarises the students with key concepts and questions of public space and its embodiments through, for instance, monuments, statues, and museums, drawing from theories of ‘the everyday’ (i.e. Michel de Certeau, David Harvey Edward Soja, Henri Lefebvre, etc.) and Memory Studies (i.e.Michael Rothberg’s multidirectional memory). The Introduction invites students to understand political change and protest movements in public spaces within a global context. Each week then focuses on a different case study, a statue, a museum, their digital representations, a neighbourhood, etc., such as the Berlin Wall Memorial and Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. To ensure coherence across these vastly different geographical and historical contexts, the sessions will be structured around a set of recurring key themes and questions (heritage, memory, justice, everyday use and creative transformation) to draw students’ attention to global connections and local specificities.

This second-year optional module will introduce students to the theory and practice of language teaching. Subject specific lectures will provide an overview of the evolution of teaching methodologies and approaches throughout history and up until the latest developments in the field, such as gamification or the flipped classroom approach. They will also guide students on applying these theories to different teaching contexts, taking into account variables such as language level, students’ profile, motivation, or the cognitive implications of second language learning. School placements and/or supervisions will provide the opportunity to apply the theory to an actual teaching context and to develop a teaching project.

This module provides students with an introduction to modern continental European history.   It broadens their understanding by first considering factors of a general importance in the development of modern Europe, and then looking at particular events and countries.   In this way, students will be given a grasp both of broad themes in European history – such as demographics, political units, ideologies and social change – and of the specific way history unfolded in certain times and places.

This final year module is a module for very advanced students who are approaching a near native-speaker level of German at level C1/C2 as specified in the Common European Framework of Reference. Students will learn to write in a variety of genres in German. Students will further improve their interpreting skills in class. Listening skills will be practiced both in class and in their own time. Students will be introduced to debate and present a topic and use various oral skills, often inspired by a previous listening exercise.

This is the second module which makes up the final-year programme in the German language. Like GRMN311, it focuses on improving communication skills in written and spoken German. Further writing genres as well as listening skills will be practiced during Textarbeit, and more debating skills will as well as employability skills and presenting will be practiced during the oral class and assessed in an oral exam. The third hour is dedicated to translating.

This module gives students the opportunity to carry out independent research in an area of interest to them. The topic should be related to one of the research specialisms of members of staff in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures. Students are expected to take the initiative in planning, researching and writing the dissertation. Supervision and guidance will be provided from a member of staff in the Department.

With films such as Nigendwo in Afrika (Nowhere in Africa, 2001), Good Bye, Lenin! (2003) and Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others, 2005), German film has once more been greeted with international acclaim. However, in contrast to the ‘art house’ film-making of the New German Cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, today’s ‘post-Wall’ German cinema is resolutely commercial, employing genres and forms familiar to international audiences. This module offers an examination of key developments in German film since the 1990s. It traces the rise and international success of a German variant of the ‘heritage’ film in which the trauma of German history in the twentieth century – through the Third Reich, German division and the urban terrorism of the 1970s – is reimagined and mined as the source cinematic narratives. The module also explores a return to an ‘art-house’ film-making preoccupied with questions of realism and representation in the work of Andreas Dresen and the so-called Berlin School of film makers. All films are available with subtitles and the module is suitable both for students of German and students without German who are interested in film and its relation to society.

This module will introduce students to approaches to memory and to a body of textual, visual, material representation of terror that has become a key focus for critical analysis in recent cultural studies. It will provide a context in which students can engage in systematic comparisons between European, Latin American and East Asian experiences and representations of social and political trauma. It will also encourage students to reflect systematically on the political and ethical implications of literary, material, digital and cinematic representations of traumatic histories. You will have the opportunity to study in depth and compare examples of representation through different media and across different national and linguistic boundaries. Lectures provide background both to the main theoretical approaches, and to specific representations. In weekly seminars, you will work on the case studies covered in class, and on related materials. Assessment is on the basis of a poster and an essay.

This module introduces students to the theory and practice of translation at an advanced level. Students will develop an understanding of theoretical issues surrounding translation, applying this knowledge both to their own translations and to existing texts; gain insight into the professional practice of translation; and enhance their advanced language skills in both their target language(s) and English across a range of different text styles.

This module is offered to students of Chinese, French, German and Spanish. Students studying two languages may, subject to the agreement of the relevant tutors, choose to follow seminars in both languages. Please contact the module convenor in advance to make arrangements if you would like to take up this option.

Students wishing to take this module should normally have achieved an average of 60% or above in their second year language modules. MODL311 is a prerequisite for MODL312: students will normally be required to achieve 60% or above in MODL311 in order to progress into MODL312. Students are not required to take both modules in the same language.

The module will typically provide an introduction to the history of slavery in the Francophone and Hispanic Worlds, situating the phenomenon of modern slavery within an understanding of historical slavery. Students will then study a range of representations of slavery that have arisen in response to historical slavery. These will typically range from first person slave accounts from the early modern period which provide an individual perspective on the history of slavery; literary and filmic representations of slavery and cultural responses to slavery, particularly in the heritage industries through the practice of Dark Tourism. The module will typically include a visit to the International Slavery Museum in the Albert Dock, Liverpool.

The concept of transnational cinema is an important and exciting framework through which the interconnections between film cultures and filmmakers can be explored. While the nation was the dominant model through which film was viewed for many decades, recent criticism has acknowledged that in a globalized world, looking at how film crosses geographical, linguistic, industrial and cultural borders is more important than ever. Transnational cinema also addresses a particular set of themes, centered around pressing global concerns: climate change, terrorism, migration and border crossing, diasporic identities, postcolonialism, memory and loss, and changing models of gender and sexuality in an interconnected world. This module invites students to consider these themes in films from multiple geographical locations, encompassing Mexico/Spain, US/Pakistan, UK/India, Korea/UK, and Iran/France, among other.
In class, we will always pay attention to how these films cross borders: in terms of cast and crew, themes, production, distribution and aesthetics.

This module aims to investigate the German language in its social context, examining its different varieties in the recent past and today. We will discuss the role of such language varieties in defining and constituting individual and group identity.

Fiction is a place where unreal things can happen…

This module looks at the genre of the fantastic, the cross-over between real and unreal, and marvellous in some of the best known works of German-language literature: the Grimms’ fairytales; ‘Blond Eckbert’, a ‘fairytale’ invented by Ludwig Tieck; and ETA Hoffmann’s Der Sandmann (The Sandman), a text dealing with madness and magic. We will also look at some modern versions of classic fairytales.

Close reading of the set texts will be paired with a range of critical analysis including contemporary approaches including disability studies and queer readings, as well as established frameworks by theorists such as Propp, Bettelheim, Bottigheimer and feminist critics (Warner, Tatar). The module will also introduce key theories with a particular emphasis on Todorov’s theory of the fantastic and Freud’s theory of Das Unheimliche (‘the Uncanny’).

This module gives students the opportunity to produce an extended translation of a previously untranslated text. Students will also formulate a translation brief/pitch, which their translation will seek to fulfil. This is an independent project in which student take the initiative in planning, researching and writing. Expert supervision and guidance is provided by members of staff in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures. As well as translating their text, students also produce a self-reflective commentary explaining and justifying the overall translation strategy. If you enjoy the challenge of translation and the creative possibilities offered by language, and if you are particularly suited to independent research, then this is the module for you.

MODL311 is a pre-requisite for MODL312: students will normally be required to achieve 60% or above in MODL311 in order to progress into MODL312. Students are not required to take both modules in the same language.

This module explores the relationship between comics, memory and history. Some of the most engaging comics of our times represent marginalised histories of individuals and communities, and whole genres of comics today are committed to drawing attention and striving against historical and contemporary systems of oppression. Over the last decades, comics have started documenting forgotten histories, conveying testimonies and enabling forms of self representation and transcultural belonging. Yet this medium has a long and complex history of depicting race and ethnicity, reinforcing discrimination and marginalisation and popularising colonial stereotypes. This module engages with such history, and with authors who are redrawing it.
This module develops a language-sensitive approach to comics and graphic novels beyond the Anglosphere; the syllabus introduces the students to a series of linguistic and cultural contexts in which comics have been developed and translated since the 20th century.

A large proportion of films are based on written texts and this module will introduce you to a range of cinematic adaptations of literary works from across Modern Languages. Using adaptation theory to inform your analysis, you will have the opportunity to study excerpts from texts and consider the issues that arise from their adaptation as films. How does cinema convey a sense of the past or modify literary works from a different time period? How does it represent the gender roles which can be a central preoccupation of literature? How does film transcend language boundaries to bring modern-language texts to new audiences? On this module you will have the opportunity to explore these areas whilst also developing skills in film analysis, journalistic writing and academic writing.