Program overview |
This course is led by Uma Kumar and Ervin Malakaj, Faculty of Arts
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About the course
This course focuses on the multiculturalism of contemporary Vienna, the former Habsburg imperial capital located at the crossroads of East, West, and South Europe. Students will learn about the long history of multiculturalism as feature of imperial life. They will consider how multiculturalism shapes post-imperial political struggles and how it comes to define the lived experience of marginalized peoples in contemporary Vienna. Through scholarly texts, literature, film, and essays about Black, Jewish, migrant, and queer life in Vienna, students will learn about how multiculturalism serves as a major lens for marginalized populations to talk about their lived experience today. The study trip will permit students to visit the major sites for cultural contact and exchange in Vienna’s multicultural topography: pedestrian zones, public parks, cultural monuments and centres, cafés, universities, the central cemetery, the Nasch market, the Afro-Asian Institute, and faith organizations. Each student will complete a research project based on personal ethnographic description of one of the sites and use this description to formulate a methodology in order to examine a cultural text set in this site. Students will research the history of sites in the city and university archives, and will prepare research projects to be presented at the German Studies Undergraduate Research Showcase co-hosted annually by UBC, UW Seattle, and UVic. They will also have the opportunity to publish their work in the UBC undergraduate German studies research journal Augenblick.
Program eligibility
General Global Seminar requirements
To participate in a Global Seminar, students must:
- Be in good standing in their faculty (as defined by home faculty)
- In the year leading up to the Global Seminar, have full-time student status (as defined by home faculty)
- Have completed 2nd year requirements before the start of the program (i.e. 3rd or 4th year standing)
- Have at least a 70% academic average in your last full-time academic session before applying
- Maintain a 70% academic average leading up to the program
- Meet any program-specific requirements listed below including pre-requisites before participating
Program Specific requirements
- This course is ideal for students majoring or minoring in German at UBC or those interesting in pursuing these programs of study. Students in other disciplines welcome.
- Prerequisite: Preference will be given to those who have completed GERN 102 (previously GERM 110) or the equivalent
Final selection will be made by the lead faculty program directors. Space in the program may be limited.
Students who wish to participate in the summer after graduating may be eligible on a case-by-case basis.
Experience and conditions in the Field
The seminar will be conducted in English and in German with materials in both languages to support students on their Austrian research and culture studies journey.
There will be two weeks spent in Vancouver and two weeks in Vienna. Both are equally divided between theory and praxis.
During the Vancouver segment, students will learn about research methods, development of a research question, the use of archives, and the compilation of bibliographies/literature review culture. They will be able to showcase their preliminary ideas, get feedback on the project, and thereby will refine their research project in preparation for field and archival work in Vienna.
In the field (Vienna) students will:
- Participate in on-site class meetings conducted by Dr. Kumar
- Attend guest lectures from experts and engage in conversations with community members
- Participate in site visits guided by local tour guides and conduct ethnographic work (observation, description, background reading on urban ethnographic theories)
- Give presentations associated with cultural sites in and around the city of Vienna
From these activities, students will draft and revise a final research paper to be presented at the German Studies Undergrad Research Showcase (an initiative among UBC, U Victoria, and the U of Washington Seattle German Programs).
Accommodations
Hostels. See: https://www.thesocialhub.co/vienna/stay/student-stay/
Program fees, costs and funding
Approximate program fees: $3,500-$3,750*
*The final fee depends on the number of students in the program. All Global Seminars only run if there is a minimum number of students enrolled.
Included:
- Accommodations
- Program-related travel in-country; (e.g. buses)
- Excursions and entrance fees
- Some group meals
- On-site guest lectures
Note that students may occasionally be asked to take private or public transport to-and-from program activities at their own cost (e.g. local buses, metros/subways, taxis/ride-shares in urban areas.)
Not Included:
- Go Global Fee ($423.25)
- Flights
- UBC tuition for credits
- Visa/country entrance fees
- Health/travel insurance
- Personal spending money*
* Some examples of personal costs included: mobile communication, personal transportation that is not related to the learning outcomes of the program, additional meals that are not already identified as part of the Program Fee, immunizations, Visas, etc.
Arts Research Abroad (ARA) Funding
This seminar is an Arts Research Abroad (ARA) course. ARA courses will provide an award which will cover up to 50% of the program fee and flights for eligible students. In cases of demonstrated financial need (determined by Enrolment Services), ARA may fund up to 100% of the program fee and flights.
All eligible Arts students selected for this program will be automatically considered for the award. No additional award application is required.
| Program fee for students ineligible for ARA | Program Fee for ARA-eligible students (50% funding) | Program fee for ARA students with financial need (100% funding) |
| $3,500-$3,750 | $1,760-$1,875 | $0 |
Program participants who are not eligible for ARA will be charged the full program fee and receive a $1000 Go Global Award.
| Go Global Award for all participants | Additional "ARA Top-up" Award for students with financial need |
| $1,000 | $800 |
Eligibility Criteria for Arts Research Abroad (ARA) funding:
- Undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts (Vancouver campus) Note: students in other faculties are not eligible for ARA funding, but may still participate in the program.
- Selected for this program.
- Students who have student loans and non-repayable bursaries may qualify for 100% ARA funding.
Typically, students will need to pay for the flight first and will receive the award during in the summer term.