In 2009/2010, we have set up five research groups. The research groups should be(come) a venue where like-minded people meet, work together, discuss interesting aspects of their respective research fields.
Germany 25
This group will consider selected aspects and facets of contemporary German society and culture, Germany's recent history, and its immediate future. The group will be thinking of a medium-term project in the context of the upcoming 25th anniversary of united Germany. Possible topics are: Stasi in East Germany, literature of the Berlin Republic, modern German film, ...
Diane Bielicki (German, Brock), Gary Bruce (History, Waterloo), Iris Bruce (German, McMaster), Myriam Fleischer (PhD German, Waterloo), Tanja Scherer (PhD German, Waterloo), Sebastian Siebel-Achenbach (History, Waterloo), James Skidmore (German, Waterloo)
German-Canadian Studies
This group investigates historical, cultural, and linguistic phenomena and processes in German-Canadian communities. A particular focus is given to research about the German-Canadian community in Waterloo Region and to work with relevant materials in the Porter Library's Special Collections. An indicative set of topics and foci is: English German bilingualism, German Canadiana in Ontario Bibliography, Russian Mennonites, history of the local German community.
Helena Calogeridis (Library, Waterloo), Jane Forgay (Library, Waterloo), David G. John (German, Waterloo), Grit Liebscher (German, Waterloo), Nikolai Penner (German, McMaster), Mat Schulze (German, Waterloo), Sebastian Siebel-Achenbach (History, Waterloo)
Environment
With the growing awareness of climate change and the leading role that Germany is taking in implementing new green technologies, the question arises as to how German Studies can contribute to current ecological debates. Topics for a working group on the environment can include but are not limited to: German writers and ecology from Goethe to the present, Romantic organicist notions of "Lebenskraft," the history and philosophy of the natural sciences and alternative medicine from 1800 to today, the history and permeations of the concept of "Umwelt," critiques of modernity, industrialization, and technology, the "Lebensreformbewegung" and "Wandervogelbewegung," the relation between nature and nation, ecofeminism, trash aesthetics, the Greens in German politics from the 1980s to today.
Karin Barton (German, Laurier) Iris Bruce (German, McMaster), Belinda Kleinhans (PhD German, Waterloo), Alice Kuzniar (German, Waterloo), Jean Wilson (McMaster)
Austrian Studies
This group will conduct research on the culture, history, and civilization of Austria. A medium-term project is the organization of the annual conference of the Modern Austrian Literature and Culture Association in Waterloo in 2013.
Michael Boehringer (German, Waterloo), Belinda Kleinhans (PhD German, Waterloo), Paul Malone (German, Waterloo), Paola Mayer (German, Guelph), Jean Wilson (McMaster)
Applied Linguistics
This group will conduct research on language learning and teaching. It will focus on areas such as second language acquisition, language pedagogy and didactics, Deutsch als Fremdsprache. A short-term project is the organization and running of the upcoming conference 'Transitions and Traditions: German Curricula' in Waterloo in August 2010.
Allison Cattell (PhD German, Waterloo), Alicia Christie (MA German, Waterloo), Christine Kampen-Robinson (MA German, Waterloo), Grit Liebscher (German, Waterloo), Nikolai Penner (German, McMaster), Jillian Randall (MA German, Waterloo), Barbara Schmenk (German, Waterloo), Kyle Scholz (MA German, Waterloo), Mat Schulze (German, Waterloo), Alexandra Zimmermann (German, Laurier)
