Welcome to Our Department!
Our mission is to teach German and Russian, and to research and teach the rich cultural history and present of the people who speak these languages, no matter where they may live. About a decade ago, the Report of the Presidential Humanities Commission of the University of California noted that the humanities “can help … students learn how to negotiate our culturally diverse contemporary world in ways that are both knowledgeable and sensitive.” We believe that studying past and present cultures—with all their contradictions and complexities—can influence our lives in the present, and that studying foreign languages, films, literatures, philosophy, and visual arts can help us better navigate our own globalized world. We passionately believe that studying foreign languages in particular is and remains vital in our hyper-connected world, both professionally and for our own personal growth and enrichment.
Sven Spieker, Chair, Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies
GSS News & Events
Tuesday, February 18, 5pm: Lecture by Prof. Dmitry Bresler (State University Higher School of Economics, St Petersburg) [on Zoom]
Thursday, February 20, 5pm: Lecture by Prof. Christina Vagt (GSS) in Phelps Hall #6320
Thursday, March 6, 2025, 5pm: Lecture by Prof. Nils Plath (University of Erfurt) in Phelps Hall #6320