At the end of this course, students will be able to analyse various and unknown literary texts from the perspective of the debates held in class on the subject of travel literature and with reference to the theoretical notions developed throughout the course. The course will use articles and theoretical references to deal with works of German-language literature and to identify the various treatments of the same subject, the evolution of ideas as well as the aesthetic choices of the authors. The course also aims at the acquisition of the B2/C1 language level according to the CEFR criteria (for students whose mother tongue is not German).
• Analysis of texts from different periods on a specific theme in order to understand and describe the evolution of ideas and aesthetic choices
• Through oral presentations by students, development of oral and written skills in German
• Deepening of research and scientific writing skills through analysis and discussion of scientific articles
• This course aims at the acquisition of level B2/C1 according to the CEFR*. For native speakers of German, it will aim to develop their writing and stylistic skills.
*https://www.coe.int/fr/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages
Writing about walking. Travel writing from the past and present
Our world is characterised by numerous paradoxes, including one concerning speed. Whilst technology promises to speed up our tasks and enables us to travel from one place to another very quickly, the discerning observer will also note trends that seek to return to a slower pace and a focus on detail. Contemporary accounts of walking or travelling on foot bear witness to this shift.
As part of this course, we shall attempt to analyse several contemporary texts on walking by situating them within the long tradition of travelling on foot. We shall study texts by men as well as women; texts considered ‘classics’, as well as ‘popular’ or lesser-known works. A careful reading of these texts will provide a better understanding of the various reasons that lead men and women to travel on foot – and to put pen to paper. We will discuss history, memory, the relationship between nature and culture, and writing.
Students will also actively participate in a conference day on this topic, to be held in Namur on Thursday 25 March 2027. This activity aims to familiarise students with research in the field of literature, as well as with various organisational and communication tasks.
The exercises will help the students to prepare the content of the course and their oral presentation.
Klassiker der deutschsprachigen Literatur. Überblick und Neuentdeckungen [LALLB204]
An interactive course which aims at the exchange of ideas and discussion between students. The course is accompanied by compulsory exercises that help the student to prepare for the lecture and the oral presentation.
Participation in any activity organised by the department as part of this course is considered compulsory.
• Each student will prepare a oral presentation on a work from a list that will be distributed in the first class. This presentation will count for 30% of the final grade. In this work, the use of AI will be approached at the level of the production of written texts which will serve as a basis for the oral presentation.
• The assessment in June will consist of a written exam which will count for 50% of the final grade and an oral exam which will count for 20% of the final grade. In this written and oral exam, the student will be asked answer general and specific questions related to the texts treated in the course. The use of AI will not be accepted in this phase of the evaluation.
• Access to the written and oral examination is conditional on the preparation of the presentation during the year.
A list of books and texts will be provided to students at the first session of the course. The books will be ordered from the Point Virgule bookshop.
Students will also receive a list of suggested books for their presentations.
PowerPoint presentations and supplementary materials will be made available to students via WebCampus.
Selected reference works:
Handbuch Literatur und Reise, hg. von Hansjörg Bay, Laura Beck, Christof Hamann u. Julian Osthues, Stuttgart: Metzler 2024.
Reisekultur. Von der Pilgerfahrt zum modernen Tourismus, hg. von Hermann Bausinger, Klaus Beyrer u. Gottfried Korff, München: Beck 1991.
Solnit, Rebecca: Wanderlust. Eine Geschichte des Gehens, übersetzt von Daniel Fastner, Berlin: Matthes & Seitz 2019.
Lubkowitz, Anneke: Rebellinnen zu Fuss. Auf den Spuren von elf literarischen Wanderinnen, Zürich: Kein & Aber 2025.
| Training | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English | 3 | 7 | Yes |