University of Manitoba - Department of German and Slavic Studies

08/19/2026

In the aftermath of World War II the Polish state attempted to erase the nation’s history and impose the communist ideology. This course will study selected examples from Polish history, culture and film within this context, which will include the period of socialist realism, the cinema of moral concern, and the contemporary representations of Polish cultural identity. All lectures and readings in English.

The course counts as the English writing requirement (W). There are no prerequisites for this course. This course is designed for students without prior knowledge of Polish culture. This course can be taken as a part of Polish Minor requirement.

08/18/2026

The course focuses on representations of war, particularly World War II from a German and European perspective in novels, historiography, film, graphic novels, photography, museums, media, and memorial culture. International perspectives such as on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine or the Balkan Wars in the 1990s will supplement the discussion. We will discuss what one can learn from representations of war regarding conflict, racism, violence, and migration today.

The class is conducted in English, no knowledge of German is required; students who want to improve their German can register for GRMN 3500 (B category), which allows them to do assignments in German and have a bi-weekly discussion hour in German.

Contact: [email protected]

08/17/2026

Germany’s fascination with Indigenous North America spans over two centuries, producing iconic heroes—and enduring myths. Through literature, film, and popular culture, this course examines how these representations were created, why they persist, and why they still matter today. It focuses on the ways these portrayals construct fictionalized Indigenous identities and shape stereotypes, reinforce cultural appropriation, and inform ideas of “authenticity.”

The language of instruction is English. This course has no prerequisites and fulfills the English writing requirement.

September 9/26 – December 11/26
SEMINAR: MWF 9:30 AM - 10:20 AM
For more information,
https://umanitoba.ca/arts/german-slavic-studies

07/31/2026

07/30/2026

DOSTOEVSKY
Course Code: RUSN 3780
Instructor: Dr. Elena Baraban

In RUSN 3780, the core readings are psychological masterpieces written by Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the most brilliant minds of Russia's 19th-century. Expect murder mysteries, existential dread, and philosophical angst, plus the realization that your own life choices aren't particularly bad after all.

We’ll use: Norton critical editions of Crime and Punishment and Notes from Underground (transl. by Micheal Katz) and a Norton critical edition of Brothers Karamazov (transl. by Susan McReynolds-Oddo). We’ll also read White Nights (transl. by Constance Garnett).


For more information, please contact the instructor: [email protected]


September 9/26
– December 11/26
SEMINAR
M 2:30 PM – 5:15 PM

06/21/2026

The G&S Studies Travel Course to Essen in Margarethenhöhe during the start to a German heat wave 🥵