Lehrende/r: Dr. Martina Kohl
Veranstaltungsart: Übung
Anzeige im Stundenplan: 05.866.521
Semesterwochenstunden: 2
Unterrichtssprache: Englisch
Min. | Max. Teilnehmerzahl: - | 10
Anmeldegruppe: AS 521
Prioritätsschema: Senatsrichtlinie Zulassung gemäß Richtlinie über den Zugang zu teilnahmebeschränkten Lehrveranstaltungen vom 07. März 2007. Nähere Informationen hierzu entnehmen Sie bitte www.info.jogustine.uni-mainz.de/senatsrichtlinie
Inhalt: A critical attitude towards the U.S. remains widespread among intellectuals and especially the young who have not experienced the strong engagement of the U.S. in Germany during the Cold War years. At the same time, there is a great fascination with everything “American.” Though Europe and the U.S. share common democratic values and engage in close exchange on every level, cultural misunderstandings persist. In an intensive workshop-type setting, we will reflect upon the (internal and external) image of the U.S. as a nation in the past and today. We will explore how Cold War public diplomacy and the emergence of American Studies programs greatly influenced the image of the United States in the western part of Germany. We will pursue questions such as: How do we explain cultural commonalities and differences to each other and what tools do we employ? What are contested issues that need to be explored? Who is engaged in the transnational and intercultural exchange of ideas and to what purpose? Based on this analysis, we will develop a program and media strategy to educate the wider public about issues relating to the transatlantic partnership.
Zusätzliche Informationen: Course structure: The intensive one-week course structure will alternate between presentations delivered by experts and practitioners, discussions, brief research sessions followed by student input, group work, student presentations and the production of a portfolio. Part I – Input: will concentrate on the history of U.S. Public Diplomacy from the Cold War until today. Who and what shapes the depiction of a nation abroad and what strategies are employed to “tell America’s story”? How have modernism and popular culture been used as a soft power tool? How have state and non-state actors shaped the narrative of German-American relations? What are shared interests and issues of dissent? Part II – Workshop: will focus on strategic communication to further German-American relations. Specifically, students will explore how cultural, educational and political institutions (e.g. German-American Institutes and American Studies Departments) shape German-American relations today. Students will develop a Public Diplomacy strategy to reach a (peer) audience. The groups will focus on potential public programs as well as a media strategy. Questions to pursue might be: What themes are being discussed with a wider, predominantly peer audience? What themes should be added to already existing programs and outreach? How to raise the institutional profile? What (social) media and media content are needed to spread message and expertise? What partnerships might be beneficial to expand outreach and secure project funding? Part III – Output: will focus on student presentations followed by a discussion of the respective Public Diplomacy strategies with practitioners. Results will be collected in a portfolio and submitted to the institutions covered in the seminar. Course Requirements By signing up for this week-long intensive class, students make a commitment to • attend class regularly and punctually • come prepared to each meeting (reading materials will be forwarded prior to the first meeting) • contribute to class discussions actively • prepare and deliver a presentation on a specific aspect of the Public Diplomacy strategy (communications/media/social media; outreach programs; partnerships; finances) • contribute to the Public Diplomacy strategy documentation by putting together a portfolio which includes various student developed products (e.g. specific program ideas, website and social media input, promotional videos, budget plans, time lines, etc.). You are encouraged to think creatively in this class!
