“Wall to Wall: Politics and Aesthetics in China and Germany”

This course focuses on the intersection of culture and politics in China and Germany in the modern era. How did (and how do) artists, writers, architects, musicians, actors, and other cultural figures face the challenges to the meaning and purpose of their art posed by politics and the state? How has the state and political actors who have supported and resisted state power used and abused the power and authority carried by stories, plays, paintings, and other works of cultural production? We will compare and contrast the experiences of modern German and Chinese artists with a view to understanding how individuals and movements dedicated to finding meaning and beauty in life grappled with the special circumstances that attend the rise of the modern state, the spread of nationalism, and the emergence of a global culture. This course is offered in conjunction with Dickinson’s “Artist in Asia” semester.

Requirements: Your final grade will depend on the following: 1. Quality of class participation (includes attendance, discussion, and special individual and group presentations) and 2. Five short papers (3 pages each) and one longer final paper (6-8 pages).

If you have a documented learning disability, please let us know so that necessary adjustments can be made.