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Travel Literature about Germany


Faculty Mentor: Karin Baumgartner
Title: Professor
College: Humanities
School / Department: Languages & Literature

Project description

This is an ongoing research project evaluating travel literature written about Germany in the 19th century. I want to find out how travel guides contributed to the German sense of identity. How did travel guides describe Germany and how did Germans accept, embrace, or reject these descriptions? Travel guides are particularly important because they describe real sights and real territory and they map imaginary space onto real space. We will find out how Prussia, Hannover, Bavaria etc. became one unified nation.

Student Role: Students will read 19th century travel books and look for evidence (with a list). Students will work with Digital Humanities Tool to present their information.
Student Benefits: Benefits are 1) working closely on a literary research project, 2) studying how people used to travel, 3) being a co-author on an article, 4) learn digital humanities tools.
Project Duration: Project is ongoing. Students are expected to work about 5-10 hours/week.
Opportunity Type: Volunteer; Earn independent study credit; Prepare a UROP proposal; Write an Honors Thesis
Is this a paid opportunity: No
Minimum Requirements: Preferred are literature students. German language skills preferred; English and French language skills also welcome. Students must be meticulous note-takers and like to read