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Warwick hosts UK's national conference for German Studies

The Department of German Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures played host to British and Irish-based Germanists of all backgrounds last week, from 5-7 September. This was one of livliest and best attended meetings of the Association of German Studies (AGS) of recent years, with over 70 delegates, including professors, (senior) lecturers, tutors and postgraduates, in attendance.

Panels of papers were dedicated to traditionally periodized research, though also to cutting edge areas, such as Gender/Queer theory and narrative responses to our 'uncertain times,' whilst the lead panel sought to extend the discipline to encompass the 'sonic turn' that has crossed the arts, humanities and social sciences in recent times, dedciated as it was to 'Sound and Sense. The Relationship between Music and Language in German Culutre across the Epochs.' Papers followed on music and lyrics, song traditions, music and language in translation, music and film, radiophonic culture and theory, and on the imprint of the sonic on visual and linguistic culture. We also invited local secondary teachers to discuss developments in the secondary curriculum and their bearing on tertiary level German Studies, whilst other colleagues reflected on modes of public engagement and impact, and postgraduates and early career colleagues met to share insights and garner support for their futures within our evolving field of study. The President's special guest was German author and musician Thomas Meinecke, who read form his work, played a DJ set and involved himself affably with our academic discussions. All in all a great event, showing how our field is repsonding robustly and creatively to the changing landscape of MFL in the UK!