Applied Cultural Studies (engl.)

In addition to a lecture on the framework conditions and developments of complex societal systems from the perspective of comparative cultural studies, this seminar—which focuses on the Anglo-American and the Asian cultural area—delves deeper into and applies the course content.

The examination of cultural areas provides knowledge of the history, politics, and culture, as well as the various social, aesthetic, media-related, political, and economic manifestations of the cultural area under consideration. As part of the advanced section, analytical tools for researching the respective cultural area are taught and applied.

Attendance at the kickoff session on September 28, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. is mandatory. The seminar, which runs throughout the semester, will then take place on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The specific dates will be announced at the kickoff session.

50% of your exam grade for the module “Economics, Media, and Politics in Specific Cultural Areas” (GCBC) or 100% of your grade, if you take the course as part of the Studium Generale consists of a group presentation in January 2027.

Depending on the size of the student group this course will either be held as a lecture course or (more likely) a seminar. Methods will include teacher instruction, group work, and individual study.

In your presentation, you should examine the local manifestation of a global phenomenon as it pertains specifically to the cultural region in question. The background here is the concept of “glocalization,” which was popularized by the British sociologist Roland Robertson and is reflected, for example, in the slogan “think globally, act locally.” Frame topics will be announced in the first session.

Then narrow down the topic further so that it can be meaningfully addressed in a presentation of approximately 20–25 minutes (in English) and includes political, social, economic, media-related, cultural, OR other systemic aspects of your target culture. The challenge lies in limiting yourself to a relevant and well-defined research question, not in covering as many aspects as possible.

Will be updated annually and announced in the first seminar session.