Hosted by the Department of Germanic & Slavic Studies, the two-day conference entitled The Meaning of Culture: German Studies in the 21st Century, to be held March 28-29, will bring both emerging and eminent German scholars from around the United States to Georgia’s flagship university in order to review the state of German Studies in theoretical and practical terms and suggest paths for the field’s future development.

As its title suggests, this conference will focus on the concept of culture in relation to the field of German Studies. Surprisingly little room has been given to the discussion of this concept, considering the role it played in the development of German Studies over the last twenty-five years and the - sometimes radical - reconfiguration of departments and curricula. While culture is a concept notoriously difficult to define and while it is neither possible nor desirable to develop a narrow definition of the concept, the broad reflection on what we mean when we speak of culture in the context of German Studies seems pivotal for the field’s future development. All of our practices include implicit or explicit definitions of the notion, delineating areas of inquiry and defining subjects of study, and theoretically to articulate the boundaries we set and show their practical consequences is the primary purpose of the conference.

The title of the conference, “The Meaning of Culture,” contains multiple references. Firstly, it can be understood as referring to the meaning of culture in principle, i.e., the systematic function of a realm that serves symbolically to represent personal, social and political relations as essentially meaningful expressions of human interaction. Secondly, it can be understood as referring to the meaning of specific cultural utterances, from works of art to modes of behavior, and the extensive interpretive work required by those outside of a given culture trying to understand and translate them into their own. And thirdly, it can be understood as referring to the meaning of the notion of culture in a German Studies curriculum, i.e., the construction and representation of ‘Germany’ and her culture in the American classroom. All three levels of inquiry will be addressed at the conference, from the function of culture as a system to the understanding of cultural difference to the modes and kinds of representation of German culture in the United States.

The meeting at the University of Georgia will provide a forum for the open discussion of controversial ideas, including questions pertaining to the future disciplinary identity of the field (national/transnational), the relationship between culture and literature, the role of German-Jewish and Film Studies in a German Studies curriculum, and the function of culture in the study of language. In addition to reflecting on the concept of culture in relation to their own research, speakers will address recent developments in the field of German Studies as well as bring up questions of practical concern alongside the discussion of theoretical issues they regard as significant for the study of German culture.

The Meaning of Culture: German Studies in the 21st Century promises to be a substantial meeting, important for the region and the field of German Studies as a whole, which will have to continue to evolve to keep pace with developments inside and outside of academia and in order to remain relevant to American students whose diverse interests, experiences, and backgrounds it needs to reflect.