230304 Words as Weapons, Sounds as Signals: War and Conflict in U.S. American Poetry and Song (S) (WiSe 2015/2016)

The history of the United States as a nation state begun with an armed conflict, and ever since the country has participated in a host of national and international wars as well as witnessed a series of socio-political conflicts. All of these incidences have inspired poets and/or songwriters to voice their experiences, concerns, and reflections in lyric verse, with or without musical accompaniment. In the seminar we will look at a variety of U.S. American poems and songs dealing with war(s) and conflict(s) in or with participation of the United States from the Revolutionary War to the present. The seminar will combine the study of theoretical texts on poetry and song with close readings of selected poems and songs.

LEARNING GOALS AND METHODOLOGY:
On the thematic level, the seminar will provide students with an overview of U.S. American poetry and song dealing with war(s) and conflict(s). On the methodological level, students will exercise skills in analyzing texts and presenting their results orally and in writing. Work in class will focus heavily on work in (small) groups (exercises, discussions, formal and informal presentations).

Bibliography

A Stud IP page with the required reading material will be made available to participants by the beginning of the term.