In our approach to Berlin this semester, we will be thinking about the metropolis as a "sign-chain" -- that is, as a site for ever changing interpretations that take freely from the past, decenter the present, and compete with visions for the future. Rather than understanding Berlin as a city with a linear history that progresses toward a predictable future, we will examine the ways in which the past, present and future clash in unexpected and often radically discontinuous ways on the battlefield of a physical and imaginary Berlin. To explore the contested spaces of Berlin, a space under permanent construction, we will read about the city from a variety of disciplines (cultural studies, history, urban studies) and perspectives (academic, popular, autobiographical). Invited speakers will discuss the cultural, historical and architectural battles in contemporary Berlin as well as reflect on their own experiences in the city.

Finally, we will focus on particular landmarks in Berlin during the course, and go to these sites once in Berlin. These visits, coupled with your research and analysis before the trip, will examine both the physical structure of the landmark as well as the enormous symbolic weight it carries. Throughout we will understand these sites both as cultural and historical repositories of meaning as well as "signs" in a larger "sign-chain."

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