Browsing by Subject "Department of German, Scandinavian and Dutch"
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Item The German Language in Minnesota: High German Language Education in Select Minnesotan Hutterite Colonies(2011-04-13) Wacholz, TanyaThe German language has a rich history and cultural significance in Minnesota. Yet, today the number of living native Minnesotans who speak German as a first language has been dwindling since the late twentieth century. The Hutterite colonies in Minnesota, however, continue to speak their German dialect as their mother language, and sometimes Hutterite children do not learn English until they reach kindergarten. Because the Hutterite dialect is not a written language (although there currently exist efforts to change that) the Hutterites’ sermons and songs are composed primarily in High German, thus creating a need for High German education in the colony. To research the current state of the German language, I interviewed the German language teachers of Haven Colony in Dexter, MN, and Heartland Colony in Lake Benton, MN. These interviews provided insight into the colony’s High German language education practices and developments in teaching High German. I learned that each colony has their own way of teaching and using High German, and problems regarding the High Germans’ dwindling usage in the colonies were addressed with different solutions based on the colony as well. This project fits into a wider body of research done by Professor Evelyn Firchow on the changing state of the German language in Minnesota, which includes cultural and dialect research on the Hutterites and other Minnesotans of German descent.Item "Green Germany"(2011-04-13) Schmitt, PeterAs the concern over Global Climate Change (GCC) continues to grow and the emphasis on energy efficiency, sustainability, and resilient communities becomes stronger, the need for expanded opportunities to learn about sustainability concepts and methodologies also becomes more apparent. It is, however, difficult to limit such a curriculum to one discipline. Interdisciplinary study is needed to work on solving complex problems such as sustainability. As the United States struggles to develop its own energy policy, among other environmental initiatives and debates, ideas can be gleaned from looking abroad. I spent the spring of 2011 developing sustainability and environmental curriculum modules based on case studies, policies, cultural norms, conversations with and research by field leaders in German-speaking countries. These modules are the preparatory work for a future German sustainability course, which will help to bridge the German Studies major with other University programs including topics from the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management major, as well as the Sustainability Studies Minor. The modules will help open opportunities for language majors, in addition to moving University curriculum forward by connecting the increasingly important sustainability concerns to a wider variety of students.Item Vitality and Viability: The Arts Economy of the Netherlands(2009-04-08) Radosavljevic, EmilyKnown for its unconventional and consensus-based approaches and attitudes, the Netherlands has likewise fostered a creative industry that breaks with tradition. Combining forces of art and industry, creative innovation is explicit government policy, as its initiatives value and promote the arts as a means of stimulating economic development, social engagement and public dialogue. Democratizing and cooperative government cultural policy efforts yield intriguing results, such as programs that promote emerging artists and designers, turn unoccupied properties over to artists to revamp slumping neighborhoods, and fund international travel for cultural diplomacy. Concurrently, a 'typically Dutch' disposition towards collaboration breeds distinctive types of non-governmental or affiliated institutions and organizations. These often function as creative 'think tanks' that initiate or facilitate cross-sector partnerships and projects amongst those in the artistic, educational, economic, and scientific fields as they create opportunities for professional advancement, entrepreneurship and life learning. Learning from this synergistic atmosphere of collective knowledge and collaborative creativity, effective and innovative strategies for the reciprocal prosperity of art and society can be implemented locally.