seminar discussion/topicsGhosts of Berlin

Graffiti on Berlin Wall
--political graffiti on wall by artists today. Compare graffiti now and then.
--controversies (urban planning). Symbol of separation.
--Transformation of wall from destruction/tragic history to artistic expression. Can wall symbolize the
--process of formation of Berliner identity (emotional costs, etc).
--layers of representations

German National Identity
--How do Berliners see themselves? (as manifested in architecture and graffiti, art, etc)

East/West and Wall
--how the conflict has been resolved or not
--conflicting perceptions of East/West. How did this come to be? How did the manipulation of blame come about.
--bigger picture of German identity

Little triangle (area of conflict)
--over the wall to escape WEST Berlin (irony)
--East Berliner's treatment of West Berliners (look at historical differences, changes over decade)

Zipper "united but divided" at the same time
East Berlin reincorporate into West Berlin (immigrants within own city)

German Identity/Berlin Identity
--since the fall of the Wall
--distorted image of Berliners

Where else to go for information, to find multiple viewpoints:
--senior citizens
--community center/neighborhoods (compare and contrast)
--high school students
--youth centers
--find information in unexpected areas, i.e. look at "trashy" mass media and general popular media
--listen to the stories that people have to tell--"confessionals"
--younger media. what is the official line given to the kids? Does this change depending on the age of the student? i.e. when in Kindergarten Chris Columbus discovered America. When in High School students learn other history, Chris = genocide. How is German history taught?
--blogs in Berlin (to see a variety of viewpoints)