Comparative Cultural Studies

A study of major texts (in English translation) of world literature written before 1900. Authors, texts and literatures studied will vary but may include The Bible, Dante, Omar Khayam, Lope de Vega, Goethe, Strindberg, Mickiewicz, and Dostoevsky. Conducted in English. Open to students of all years. No prerequisites. Students who have taken WLCS 1001 may not attain credit for CCS 1023.

Significant aspects of Russian culture from the 10th to the end of the 19th century. Topics include Russian Icon Painting and Architecture, Russian culture between Europe and Asia; Ivan the Terrible as cultural type; women in Russian culture; serfdom and slavery; Russia's contribution to the development of terrorism and revolution; the reforms of Peter the Great; Russian Orthodoxy, etc. Conducted in English. Open to students of all years. Students who have taken WLCS 1043, or RUSS 1043 may not attain credit for CCS 1043.

Offers insights on food as a window to German culture and explores the country’s food by region and through political, cultural, and historical lenses. Students study national cuisine through questions of tradition, adaptation, and the migration of cultures as well as hands-on cooking exercises. Topics include gastronomy and drink customs in everyday life, and on special occasions, food-related inventions, media representations, influences from other cuisines, organic foods, vegetarianism and veganism. 

This course introduces historical and theoretical contexts for the study of mass-mediated popular culture, from movies and TV to comic books and video games. It also explores the reciprocal relationship between creative expression and economic constraints, between the mainstream, sub-cultures, and counter-cultures, as well as familiar designations of "high-brow" and "low-brow." Using specific media case studies, students will engage with contemporary debates about the impact of representations, the role of ideology, the agency of the audience, the meaning of fandom, and the politics of taste. While learning to analyze and evaluate their relative merits, students will learn to step back and think critically about the larger implications and the cumulative effects of our constant exposure to popular culture texts. Students who have taken MAAC 2021 may not attain credit for CCS 2021.

An investigation of the development of Classical Ballet and Contemporary / Modern dance styles from Renaissance court dances to present day choreography. Emphasis will be on European and North American theatrical dance traditions. Types of dance explored may include court dances, classical ballet, modern and contemporary dance, jazz dance and improvisational dance. Students will examine the cultural connections among the art of dance, music, visual arts, history, literature and other fields. When possible, the class will be coordinated with dance performances at the Fredericton Playhouse and students may be expected to attend up to 2 such performances. The course will include both academic work and experiential dance/movement components. No previous dance background necessary. Students who have taken WLCS 2024 may not attain credit for CCS 2024.

This course is an investigation of the universal language of dance in both theory and practice. Topics will be chosen from a diversity of both folk dance traditions and classical theatrical dance traditions from around the world. These may include the fundamental components of dance technique, a variety of international folk-dance, social dance (tango and salsa, for example) East Indian classical dance forms, etc. When possible, the class will be coordinated with dance performances at the Fredericton Playhouse and students may be expected to attend up to 2 such performances. The course will include both academic work and experiential dance / movement components. No previous dance background necessary. Students who have taken WLCS 2025 may not attain credit for CCS 2025.

This course will explore the cultural impact of the selected Latin American personalities that have had a significant influence on the notions of identity in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela. We will study the personalities of Eva Peron, Pablo Escobar, Che Guevara, Frida Kahlo, Selena and Hugo Chavez through film, music, literature, print media, the Internet and television series. Students will also examine the impact of the public figures’ death both at the local and the international level. There are no prerequisites for this course. Student who have taken CCS 3555 may not obtain credit for CCS 2666.

A seminar with varying content addressing literary and cultural periods, genres or themes as expressed across cultural borders. Conducted in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3003 may not attain credit for CCS 3003.

Romanticism is the first literary movement that crosses all European borders--from Russia to England--and filters into the New World. This course studies the major concepts and themes of Romanticism, including Napoleonism, idealism, individualism, nationalism, irony, the poet as genius, etc., in the works of German, Russian, Polish, Spanish, Latin American, and other writers. Conducted in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3011 may not attain credit for CCS 3011.

An exploration of Vienna through its musical heritage and contemporary musical culture. Composers such as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert all made their home in Vienna and wrote some of the most memorable and influential music known. Drawing on the city’s history, art and architecture over three centuries, we will examine Vienna’s role in the development of Classicism, Romanticism and Nationalism in music history. We will also consider the current music scene in Vienna as present in Jazz and pop festivals, street performances and events. The course will include concerts in historic halls, visits to museums/galleries, and walking tours in the Old City. Taught on location as part of the Travel Study program Vienna.

This course offers an in-depth study of the life and the dramatic works of 20th-Century German playwright Bertolt Brecht as well as an exploration of the mechanics of theatre itself. Students will be introduced to the concept of epic theatre, and to aspects of performance and audience studies. They will also discuss the dramatic texts. Readings may include The Threepenny Opera, Life of Galileo, The Good Person of Szechuan, Mother Courage and Her Children, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Texts are read in English translation. There will be opportunities to read out and, if desired, act out selected scenes. No previous experience with drama required. Conducted in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. Students with credit for GER/WLCS 4033 may not take this course for credit. Students who have taken WLCS 3024, or GER 3024 may not attain credit for CCS 3024.

Introduces students to some of the major figures and trends in twentieth-century German literature to the end of World War II. Examines different types of prose narratives, drama, and poetry in the context of the main intellectual, social, and political forces and concerns of the period. Conducted in English. Texts are read in English translation. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3045, or GER 3045 may not attain credit for CCS 3045.

An investigation of the themes of crime, murder, and justice in selected literary texts ranging from the late 18th to the 20th century. Prior and parallel to the emergence of the genre of crime fiction, authors have concerned themselves with the portrayal of crime, guilt, redemption, and forgiveness as expression of the ambivalence between man, woman and our world, the frailty of fortune and security, as well as the power of obsession and evil. We will closely read texts, discuss the ensuing moral, ethical, and philosophical questions, and explore how authors use crime fiction to either assert or question moral value systems. Emphasis will be placed on textual analysis and situating the texts in their literary historical context. Includes texts from various genres including film, and literary periods. Authors studied may include: Goethe, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Droste Hülshoff, Büchner, Kaiser, Brecht, Süskind, Arjouni, and Dürrenmatt. Conducted in English. Texts are read in English translation. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3054, or GER 3054 may not attain credit for CCS 3054.

Introduces students to some of the major figures and trends in twentieth-century German literature, covering the period from the end of World War II to Germany's reunification. Different types of prose narratives, drama, and poetry are examined and discussed in the context of the main intellectual, social, and political forces and concerns of the period. Conducted in English. Texts are read in English translation. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3055, or GER 3055 may not attain credit for CCS 3055.

A survey of German civilization from the time of early European tribal migrations to the rise of nationalism in the nineteenth century. Taking a sociohistorical perspective, students will be acquainted with a selection of key developments within the German-speaking cultures, including aspects of history, literature, music, architecture, and painting. Assigned readings, lectures, and slide shows aim at raising an awareness of the interrelationship between cultural heritage, historical and political developments, and artistic expression. Conducted in English. Open to students of all years. No prerequisites. Restriction: Credit may not be obtained for both CCS 1061 and CCS 3061. Students who have taken WLCS 3061, or GER 3061 may not attain credit for CCS 3061. 

A survey of selected readings of Latin American women writers from the Golden Age to the present. We examine works of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Gertrudis Gómez de la Avellaneda, Alfonsina Storni, Gabriela Mistral, Luisa Valenzuela, Isabel Allende, among others, from a socio-historical perspective. The course will explore the social conditions of the women in Latin America, issues of women's identity and gender construction. A multimedia approach will be used. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have completed at least 30 credit hours of university work. Students who have taken WLCS 3062, or SPAN 3062 may not attain credit for CCS 3062.

Addresses questions on a selection of literary and film responses to the Holocaust in various cultures and genres. Includes the perspectives of Jewish and non-Jewish survivors, children of survivors and others more removed. Particular attention is paid to the ethical and aesthetic challenges the Holocaust poses. Topics include: victims and oppressors, and the role of stereotypes in their depictions; the possibilities and limitations of language to express unimaginable horrors; and the role and appropriateness of literature as medium to respond to the historical, cultural, and psychological complexities of the Holocaust. Texts are read in English translation. No prerequisites. Students who have taken WLCS 3063, or GER 3063 may not attain credit for CCS 3063.

The Holocaust was a powerfully defining experience, historically and culturally, for most of the nations and peoples of Eastern Europe. This course examines key aspects of its impact and repercussions, how it has been represented and responded to, primarily in Literature, Memoir, and Film, but also in other cultural areas such as memorial construction and music. The complex notions of victim, perpetrator, bystander, survivor, trauma, martyrdom, memory and identity receive their most expressive and compelling formulations precisely in these kinds of texts. The geographic focus of the course is on Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia, but reference will also be made to other areas such as Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. Authors, directors, etc., to be studied may include Borowski, Grynberg, Szymborska, Fink, Gross, Wajda, Polanski (Poland); Meras (Lithuania); Grossman, Yevtushenko, Shostakovich (Russia and Ukraine); Kertesz (Hungary); Hrebejk (Czech); etc. The course and all readings are in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3064, or GER 3064 may not attain credit for CCS 3064.

Why have people in so many times and places enjoyed spooky stories? What, if any, value can we assign to tales of horror and the supernatural? Do ghost stories and monster movies differ across nations and cultures? Questions like these will guide our global study of gothic, horror and supernatural texts chosen from a wide array of media, from literature and cinema, to television, comic books, and video games. Topics may include visual culture and the sublime, Freud's notion of “the uncanny,” Jungian archetypes, gender identity, conceptions of ritual and myth, the modern and the postmodern, subcultures, folklore, religion and secularization. This course is open to students who have completed at least 45 credit hours at university level. Attendance at additional scheduled film screenings outside of lectures will be required. Students who have already completed MM 3065 for credit may not enrol in MAAC 3065. Students who have taken WLCS 3065 may not attain credit for CCS 3065.

Beginning with the earliest silent movies and concluding with National Socialist propaganda films, this course offers an introduction to a prolific and important era in German film history: the Weimar Republic and pre-WWII period, 1918-1939. Our discussions will situate the films within larger political and cultural discourses. Emphasis will be placed on such topics as the cinematic response to the trauma of WWI; German national identity; expressionism and modernity; the politics of gender and sexuality; the impact of sound on film aesthetics; the relationship between cinema and other media; the ethics of film production. Films to be studied include features by directors such as Lang, Lubitsch, Murnau, Pabst, Riefenstahl, Sagan, von Sternberg and Wiene. In English. NOTE: Students can obtain credit for only one of GER 3066, WLCS 3066, CCS 3066, FILM 3066, and MAAC 3066.

Significant aspects of German culture from the beginning of the industrial revolution to the end of the 20th century. Topics will vary, but may include: German Impressionism and Expressionism, Early German Film, the Women's Movement, Early German Homosexual Rights Movement, Weimar Culture, Nazi Art, Literature after 1945, Divided and Re-unified Germany, New German Film, and others. Conducted in English. Open to students of all years. No prerequisites. Restriction: Credit may not be obtained for both CCS 1071 and CCS 3071. Students who have taken WLCS 3071, or GER 3071 may not attain credit for CCS 3071.

This course covers recent German cinema and media with a focus on acclaimed productions by new directors for film, television, and streaming platforms. The creative work of women directors, and themes of gender, subjectivity, and intimacy are especially highlighted. Other topics include: The Berlin School and its visual and narrative style, the continued preoccupation of filmmakers with the nation’s past, comedy and satire in Germany, and the influence of the 1970s (the feminist film movement, the New German Cinema, etc.) on the new generation. Prerequisites: Open to students who have completed at least 30ch of university courses or by permission of the instructor. NOTE: Students can obtain credit for only one of GER 3072, WLCS 3072, CCS 3072, CCS 3074, FILM 3072, and MAAC 3072.

Focuses on the first half-century of filmmaking in Canada and the nation's long struggle to develop and sustain a functioning film industry in the shadow of Hollywood. Readings and screenings trace the history of the movies in Canada from the silent era to the 1970s. Issues raised may include Canadian/American relations, national and regional identities, tensions between art and entertainment, media and cultural policy, representation of race, class, gender, and relation of Canadian film to other media (TV, radio, video) and other arts (painting, music, literature) in Canada. Open to students who have completed 45 credit hours, or with permission of the instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3082 may not attain credit for CCS 3082.

This course will provide students with a background in Latin American cinema, emphasizing the most productive centres such as Mexico (Paul Leduc, María Novaro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Guillermo Del Toro), Cuba (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Sara Gómez, Fernando Pérez), Brazil (Walter Salles, Hector Babenco) and Argentina (María Luisa Bemberg, Fernando Solanas, Eliseo Subiela, Lucrecia Martel). Equal emphasis will be placed both on cinematographic and thematic analysis of the cinema, and, when appropriate, cultural and historic context will be provided. Films will be screened previous to class (most often with subtitles) and will be analyzed and discussed in class. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students taking this course to fulfill a Major or Honours requirement in Spanish will submit required work in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 3455, or SPAN 3455 may not attain credit for CCS 3455.

This course will provide the students with a background in Spanish cinema, emphasizing the most productive eras such as the Surrealist Movement and the Movida of the 1980s. Films to be studied include those of directors such as Luis Buñuel, Pedro Almodóvar, Alejandro Amenabar, Elías Querejeta, Mario Camus, Bigas Luna, Carlos Saura, Victor Erice, Laura Mañá, and Iciar Bollaín. Equal emphasis will be placed both on cinematographic and thematic analysis of the cinema, and, when appropriate, cultural and historic context will be provided. Films will be screened previous to class (most often with subtitles) and will be analyzed and discussed in class. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students taking this course to fulfill a Major or Honours requirement in Spanish will submit required work in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 3456, or SPAN 3456 may not attain credit for CCS 3456.

Paris has played a key role in French literature. The city has inspired numerous poets and novelists and it has been described by countless others. Students will read and study a number of works that highlight Paris and the provincial capital of Poitiers. There will be visits to museums, residences, cafés and cultural sites where the authors lived and wrote and where their novels take place. Normally taught on location in France. NOTE: Classes will be conducted in French. Students who register in CCS 3594 can choose to read the novels in translation and submit their assignments in English. Students who have taken WLCS 3594 may not attain credit for CCS 3594.

Examines the religious, philosophical and ethical justifications from the perspectives of different religious traditions of non-violence as a tool for social change in the contemporary world. We will study the concepts and theories of non-violence that may include selected writings of L.N. Tolstoy (Russia), M. Gandhi (India) and R. Menchu (Guatemala) within their cultural, social, historical and religious traditions. This course is offered in English.

This course will examine some of the ways in which cultural (national, regional, ethnic, class, etc.) identity is and has been expressed through music, as well as the origins, persistence, and dispersion of some of the resultant forms and genres. This will also permit us to interrogate the stability and/or fluidity of various notions of identity. Critical and theoretical readings will be employed to explore the identity of cultural groups and musical forms ranging from Tango to Blues, Opera to protest song, Flamenco to Hip Hop, from Hawaii to Russia, Canada to South Africa. The course will normally be team-taught; no previous musical background required.  Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 3794, or MUS 3794 may not attain credit for CCS 3794.

Tracing the influences of women involved in music in a range of settings in the western world, this course presents the variety of ways that women have influenced, created and performed music through the ages. Feminist perspectives will be explored through an examination of the roles of selected individuals whether they were composers, performers or patrons. As such the course will include such individuals as Nannerl Mozart, Nadazhda von Meck, and Alma Mahler, as well as composers Clara Schumann, and Fanny Mendelssohn, who were performers in their own right. Students who have taken WLCS 3799, or MUS 3799 may not attain credit for CCS 3799.

A survey of major developments in 20th-century theatre. Plays will be studied with attention to their often controversial engagements with social and political issues, moral debates, and theatrical conventions, as well as their connections to movements such as realism, modernism, expressionism, and absurdism. Students who have taken WLCS 3877 may not attain credit for CCS 3877.

A chronological examination of the forces that have shaped the diverse Latin American cultures. This course studies major historical periods and their characteristics, from Pre-Hispanic Cultures, through the Conquest and the Colonization, the Independence movement, the formative period of the new nations to the present. The cultural aspects to be analyzed and discussed include: Catholicism and religious syncretism, the cultural legacy of colonial life, the struggles for independence, literary expression and the role of women. The use of videos, music, the Internet and literary texts, will provide a multimedia approach to Latin American cultures. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students who take this course to fulfill a Major or Honours requirement in Spanish will submit required work in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 3904, or SPAN 3904 may not attain credit for CCS 3904.

For seven centuries (711 A.D. - 1492), part of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) fell under Muslim rule. Al-Andalus with its cultural diversity, unique architecture (Alhambra in Granada), art and intellectual activity became 'the ornament of the world.' There arose a contested state of coexistence (termed convivencia by Spanish historians) amongst Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures. These three distinctive intellectual and religious communities bore witness to significant cultural achievements until the downfall of Al-Andalus. In this course, students will explore the multi-cultural world of Muslim Spain through the analysis of selected texts from literature and philosophy. The diversity of the artistic expression through dance, music, and architecture in all three cultures will also be studied. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students who take this course is to fulfill a Major or Honours requirement in Spanish will submit required work in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 3909, or SPAN 3909 may not attain credit for CCS 3909.

Studies selected works of some major Spanish American writers. The course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students who take this course to fulfill a Major or Honours requirement in Spanish will submit required work in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 3974, or SPAN 3974 may not attain credit for CCS 3974.

Seminar focusing on theoretical approaches to the study of popular culture. Topics and theories covered may rotate from year to year.

This course is designed to explore the contributions of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American women artists through literary and visual arts. We will examine themes of cultural and political identity, sexual repression, class issues and racism through the various genres including literature, film, dance and music. This course will be offered in English and is open to students who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at university level. Students who take this course to fulfill Major/Honours requirements will write papers in Spanish. Students who have taken WLCS 4062, or SPAN 4062 may not attain credit for CCS 4062.

A study of selected texts by European (primarily German, Russian, Polish, and Spanish), Caribbean and Latin American women writers of the twentieth century. Through textual analysis, the course examines the conditions of women in diverse cultures as well as aspects of the cultural construction of female identity. Conducted in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 4063 may not attain credit for CCS 4063.

An interdisciplinary seminar examining some aspect of the interactions of literature--whether a single text or a body of texts by one or more authors--with other cultural texts. Conducted in English. Open to students who have completed at least 30 ch of university courses or by permission of instructor. Students who have taken WLCS 4083 may not attain credit for CCS 4083.

A reading and research course open to students qualifying for Honours in World Literature and Cultural Studies. To enrol in this course students must first identify two professors from different specializations to supervise their project, and then have the project and supervisors approved by the Department. The project will lead to the writing of an Honours Thesis, normally 40-60 pages in length. Students who have taken WLCS 5000 may not attain credit for CCS 5000.