UofT Berlin / Summer 2016 / Erol Boran
MAPPING THE CITY: BERLIN BETWEEN EAST AND WEST
COURSE
This is a course in Berlin and about Berlin, which demands and inspires active engagement with
the city. Its purpose is to expose students to the diversity and richness of Berlin today while
informing them about the range of cultural influences that have shaped the city over time.
Both geographically and culturally, Berlin is a city situated between East and West. This division
was most visible after World War II, when a wall literally split the city into two. Yet long before
the Berlin Wall was erected, Berlin’s metropolitan character was shaped by migration from
Eastern Europe. Since reunification, the presence of Berlin’s Turkish community, along with
other migrant groups, has left a major imprint on the city.
This course will explore the East-West duality that has defined Berlin since the late nineteenth
century through literature, film, and popular culture. The course is structured thematically into
three sections: 1. The Haul to the West: Jewish Berlin / 2. A Tale of Two Cities: Divided Berlin /
3. Between Orient and Occident: Turkish Berlin. Each of these areas will be addressed in one
session per week; the fourth one is a Mapping Berlin session. The course proceeds somewhat
chronologically, covering Weimar Berlin (week 1), Third-Reich Berlin (week 2), Post-War Berlin
(week 3) and Present-Day Berlin (week 4).
The course goal is to provide entry points to this multi-faceted metropolis that inspire you to
discover your own versions of Berlin. The readings, which deal with key sites and events in the
city’s history, will inspire students to venture out and explore their urban surroundings. Visits to
various neighborhoods, museums, and historical landmarks throughout the city will bring the
readings and class discussions to life. The course outcome will be personalized maps of Berlin.
UofT Berlin / Summer 2016 / Erol Boran
EVALUATION
Class Participation
20%
3 Critical Reflections
40%
Course Project / Presentation
40%
DESCRIPTION OF TASKS
Participation includes preparation (films, reading, excursions), intellectual curiosity (research,
interaction with surrounding) and active participation (class discussion, partner work).
Written Assignments: Three brief essays (#1: 500-600 words / #2: 500-600 words #3: 10001200 words) that critically reflect on course materials & excursions, including some research.
Course Project: Groups of 3-4 students focus on contemporary aspects of Berlin related to the
class topic. In week 4 there will be in-class presentations of the projects involving various
kinds of personalized Berlin maps (geographical, temporal, artistic, …)
INSTRUCTOR
Erol Boran is a Professor of German at the University of Toronto. His main interests are
minority studies and transnational literatures. In his dissertation he dealt with Turkish-German
theatre and political cabaret in contemporary Germany and specifically in Berlin. He has been
offering summer courses in Berlin for the past ten years, both for the Freie Universität Berlin
and for the University of Toronto.