Spanish, German or French Studies 2 (7.5 ECTS)

The 2nd semester of Spanish, German or French studies is built up around two dimensions – content and language.

Content

The course builds on the themes presented in the first semester course Globalisation Studies. The themes are presented in conjunction with perspectives and concepts rooted in the specific language area, so that students develop an understanding of different theoretical traditions, and enhance their nationally specific knowledge as well as their cultural sensitivity

Spanish Studies:
The 2nd semester of Spanish Studies builds on the knowledge acquired during the first semester, with a particular focus on culture and communication in Spain and Spanish America. Course topics include: culture in its national, regional and local expressions, the culture ‘industry’, and the role played by ICTs and the information society in cultural and political modernisation processes and governance.

German Studies:
The content dimension builds upon knowledge and understanding acquired in the 1st semester with a view to further exploring the interaction between the global and local contexts in German-speaking parts of the world. In the second semester, focus is on exploring, in a comparative perspective, some of the key institutions, moments and figures that can illuminate our understanding of how a particular context encounters globalization. Successive backward views in history will be introduced with a view to better comprehend present taken-for-granted values and practices. Topics include state and nation formation; political and economic institutions; the social system, culture in its national, regional and local expressions and the relationship between economic institutions and actors, and their implications for competitiveness.

French Studies:
The content dimension builds upon knowledge and understanding acquired in the 1st semester with a view to further exploring the interaction between the global and local contexts in French-speaking parts of the world. In the second semester, focus is on exploring, in a comparative perspective, some of the key institutions, moments and figures that can illuminate our understanding of how a particular context encounters globalisation. Successive backward views in history will be introduced with a view to better comprehend present taken-for-granted values and practices as well as cooperation and conflicts betweenselected Francophone parts of the world.Topics include state and nation formation; colonialism, political, economic and educational institutions; social security and religion.

Language

The language dimension is aimed at improving the students’ grammar skills, pronunciation and fluency as well as their listening and comprehension skills. Emphasis will also be placed on learning and exercising phrases needed in order to make presentations and participate in class discussions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Content:
* present a well-structured summary of text excerpts and establish links between the topics and concepts raised in the text and the region-specific political, economic and social features introduced in the course literature of the 1st and 2nd semester, and
* identify and describe key institutions, moments and figures in the regions studied.

Language:
* communicate in sufficiently coherent Spanish, German or French so that the responses are intelligible, using appropriate Spanish, German or French vocabulary, and
* speak in grammatically accurate and well-pronounced Spanish, German or French, that is, avoiding major grammatical, lexical, idiomatic or pronunciation errors that inhibit communication. At this stage, students should be able to show some degree of linguistic awareness by beginning to correct their errors in the exam situation.

ECTS
7,5