Advocating for Queer of Color Studies in German Graduate Programs

Abstract

This article advocates for the inclusion of queer and queer of color discourse into graduate curricula in North American German Studies. It presents a brief overview of major discussions in queer of color studies, proposes sample readings of queer of color texts in Germany that help graduate students develop sophisticated understandings of German cultural history in relation to the formation of globalization and nationalism discourses, and presents a sample syllabus on queer of color discourse and cultural history in Germany.

The presence and absence of race in world language education literature

“…Supporting learners in making sense of these sociopolitical issues in their own cultures and in target cultures helps them see the relevance of WL learning (Boovy, 2016; Kumagai & Kono, 2018). Critical engagement moves beyond merely naming issues of race to troubling dominant assumptions about language and culture that may other racially minoritized groups and recenter whiteness (Coleman & Guntersdorfer, 2019; Layne & Malakaj, 2019). Such explorations help students begin to question and “problematize the relationship between language and power” (Leeman & Rabin, 2007, p. 308).…”