Course Catalogue
On this page you will find the current course catalogue and more detailed information on some of our courses. You can find previous semesters' course catalogues in our course catalogue archive. Please refer to STiNE for binding information! Please note that all information is provided without guarantee. Current changes can be found in the STiNE information. Bachelor's and Master's students must register in STiNE to participate in courses!
CURRENT COURSE CATALOGUE Winter Term 2023-2024
You can also find all our currently offered courses online in the course search of the STiNE course catalogue: In the "Course catalogue" box, select the current term (for Winter Term 2023-24: "WiSe 23/24 WiSe 23/24" = "Wintersemester 2023/24"), and in the "Org-unit" box, select "Sprachen und Kulturen Südostasiens (5705)" (= "Languages and Cultures of Souteast Asia (5705)"); after clicking on "Search", you will get an overview of all the courses offered by our department (Please note: multi-page list!). After clicking on one of these courses, you will find more detailed information about it, and if you are logged into STiNE you can register for the respective course directly from there.
Insight into courses from the current course catalogue
Exploring the Tapestry of Contemporary Filipino – Module A
"Pilipino Ako, Ito Ang Aking Lahi" – (Original Acrylic Painting: Reuben Laurente)
Exploring the Tapestry of Contemporary Filipino – Module A
Cours Number: 57-340
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
Thursday, 14 – 16 h, ESA 1, room 118 (ESA-118)
This intermediate course in Filipino (Tagalog) is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least B1 level in German, as the materials will be explained and discussed in German.
This course is designed for students who have already completed the Filipino 2 course or higher and wish to deepen their understanding and practical use of the Filipino language. Building on the foundational knowledge from previous courses, this course focuses on exploring contemporary everyday Filipino language through various media such as songs, stories, news, and advertisements.
Through discussions, multimedia presentations, and practical activities, students develop their language skills by engaging with authentic materials that reflect the dynamic nature of Filipino in real-world contexts. By examining the linguistic subtleties, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references in this material, students gain insights into the diversity and richness of the Filipino language.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE.
Marami pong salamat!
Contact:
- Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
vincent"AT"lingolese.de
Filipino 1 (Tagalog)
Filipino 1 (Tagalog)
Course Number: 57-336
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
The history of the Philippines under Spanish and American colonial rule has made it a unique place in Southeast Asia. Both have had a lasting impact not only on Filipino culture, but also on the national language. Filipino, which is based mainly on Tagalog, is thus a wonderful and colorful blend of all these influences.
Listening to Filipino as it is spoken colloquially, one would immediately hear the abundance of Spanish and English loan words. This leaves the casual listener with the perception that Filipino would be easy to master. This is, however, misleadingly deceptive because the underlying structure on which all of this is constructed and cohesively held is still the intricate Tagalog language with its complex grammar and sophisticated verb system.
It is worth noting that the United States Foreign Language Institute categorizes Tagalog as a Category III language, placing it in the company of languages known for their varying degrees of difficulty for English speakers to acquire. This classification aligns Tagalog with languages such as Russian, Thai, Laotian, and Vietnamese, indicating the level of dedication and perseverance required to master its complexities.
Although the use of the Latin alphabet simplifies the learning process for those familiar with English or German, delving deeper into the linguistic intricacies of Filipino reveals a fascinating yet formidable journey for language learners. Despite these challenges, learning Filipino is a rewarding endeavor that unveils a rich tapestry of cultural heritage and a profound connection to the country's history.
This basic Filipino (Tagalog) course is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least a B1 level in German, as the concepts and learning materials will be in German.
In Filipino 1, we will cover simple conversations and the basics of specific grammatical aspects, such as simple sentence structures, ANG and NG forms, verb focus and aspect, and initial verb forms with actor focus.
We will also learn to formulate short personal introductions and to use the vocabulary we have learned to speak about ourselves, whether as students or professionals.
In addition to the language course, we will dedicate several classes to acquiring intercultural competence in dealing with Filipino culture.
You will also be shown two films during the course that will give you a brief insight into the socio-cultural aspects of Filipino society. Subsequently, you will be asked to write a reflective essay on the content and message of the films. Screening schedules for the films will be announced.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE.
Marami pong salamat!
Contact:
- Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
vincent"AT"lingolese.de
Filipino 3 (Tagalog)
Filipino 3 (Tagalog)
Course Number: 57-338
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
This third course in Filipino (Tagalog) is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least a B1 level in German, as the concepts and learning materials will be in German.
In the Filipino 3 course, we will delve more deeply into the various aspects of the Filipino language and culture. We will deal with more complex sentence structures and learn additional grammatical concepts. In addition, we will further develop our language skills in everyday situations and learn to navigate simple Tagalog communication. Throughout the course, we will explore object-focus verb tenses and further expand our vocabulary.
As in the previous course, there will be two films that give a brief insight into the socio-cultural aspects of Philippine society. You will then be asked to write a brief reflective essay on the content and message of the films. Screening schedules for the films will be announced.
Please note: This course builds on the skills taught in Filipino 1 and Filipino 2, and it is essential that students have a command of the fundamentals covered in those.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE.
Marami pong salamat!
Contact:
- Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
vincent"AT"lingolese.de
Khmer 1 (Winter Term 2023/24)
Photo: Jan van der Putten, cropped
Introduction to Khmer (Khmer 1) – the Language of Cambodia
Course Number: 57-332
Savuth Prum
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country bordered by Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – and bounded by a coastline to the south. The country, with a total area of 181,035 km², is divided into 24 provinces and one special administrative region, namely the country's capital, Phnom Penh. Cambodia is therefore about half the size of Germany or a little more than twice the size of Austria.
Cambodia's official language is Khmer – also known as Cambodian – and belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. It was influenced by Sanskrit and Pali through Hinduism and Buddhism and is spoken by 17–20 million Cambodians inside and outside of Cambodia. Unlike the neighboring countries' languages – Thai, Lao and Vietnamese – Khmer is not a tonal language.
Khmer is an analytical and isolating language. This means that no inflections, conjugations or case endings are used. The script consists of 33 consonants, 24 vowels and 14 initial vowels.
The grammar of the Khmer language is simple. The verbs remain unchanged, whether singular or plural. The subject-verb-object word-order applies. Also tenses – that is past, present and future – are expressed by adverbs and other time indications.
Graphics: S. Pech and S. Prum
Through this seminar you will acquire the most important fundamentals of the Khmer language and will be able to understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and very basic phrases.
If you want to study this language and learn more about this country, you can register for the Khmer course "Introduction to Khmer (Khmer 1)". This Khmer course for beginners in winter semester 2023/24 is open to all students. Registration for this course number 57-332 is possible on STiNE.
If you have any problems with the registration, please contact Mr. Prum(Savuth.Prum"AT"uni-hamburg.de), who will be happy to help you unbureaucratically! More information about this and other courses can be found in our current course catalog (see box on top of this webpage), and you might also be interested in our "Khmer 1"-flyer.
Contact:
- Prof. Dr. Volker Grabowsky:
Volker.Grabowsky"AT"uni-hamburg.de - Savuth Prum:
Savuth.Prum"AT"uni-hamburg.de
Austronesian Research Seminar: Written Cultures and Cultures of the Spoken Word
Austronesian Research Seminar:
Written Cultures and Cultures of the Spoken Word
Course number: 57-304
Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé & Rangga Eka Saputra
Thursday, 12 – 14 o'clock, room O-118
Course language: Englisch!
Is writing the "natural" evolution for literate societies? How to explain the spread and use of alphabets in certain parts of Southeast Asia and not in others, despite close proximity? How do people pass on knowledge without the use of written forms? Why do some groups use orality for some activities, and writing for others? Those are the questions that will be dealt with over the semester, with the aim of understanding how orality and literacy interact among Austronesian-speaking people in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, but also beyond.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE. You might also want to see our flyer about this course.
Contact:
- Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé:
elsa.clave"AT"uni-hamburg.de
City and country rankings in SE-Asia and beyond: A comparative approach of urban transport systems, liveability of cities, and freedom of societies
Foto: Matthias Müth, cropped
City and country rankings in SE-Asia and beyond: A comparative approach of urban transport systems, liveability of cities, and freedom of societies (57-313)
Course number: 57-313
Matthias Müth
Sustainable urban transport is the focus of the seminar "City and country rankings in SE-Asia and beyond". But what makes a city and its transport system sustainable? We will start defining sustainability in urban transport in general, and what indicators can be applied to "measure" it. Then, we will apply these indicators to the transport systems of cities in SE-Asia and beyond. In direct comparison strengths and weaknesses become obvious. Familiar with using indicators for comparing cities and countries, we take an informed look at international rankings for liveability of cities, freedom of societies, etc.
Lecture times will be Monday, 4 – 6 pm in ESA O 232 plus two further block seminars on Fridays from 1 – 6:30 pm. For valid times and location kindly check STiNE.
Registration for this course number 57-313 is possible on STiNE. You might also want to see our flyer about this course.
Contact:
- Dr. Matthias Müth:
m.mueth"AT"googlemail.com
From Mother Hubbard Dress to Bilum Fashion and Hijab Fab – Fashion and Self-Assertion in Asia-Pacific
Photos: lefts: Marion Struck-Garbe; right: Te Papa Museum, New Zealand
From Mother Hubbard Dress to Bilum Fashion and Hijab Fab – Fashion and Self-Assertion in Asia-Pacific (57-314)
Course Number: 57-314
Marion Struck-Garbe
Fashion is part of everyday life, also in Asia-Pacific. It is universal and at the same time context-bound and is subject to specific cultural, historical, economic and religious developments.
On the one hand, fashion has always not only been decorative and beautifying, but also a political instrument of exclusion (in our case especially during the colonial era) and oppression. But it is also an instrument of inclusion or unity because it can mark nationalism and cultural identity.
The seminar pursues these statements and deals with the history of clothing and fashion in Asia-Pacific, with the influence of mission and colonization and modernity on gender roles and the associated dress codes, with their change and adaptation to local identities and construction of new fashion concepts particularly by "Fashion Activists" among the Polynesian women in Aotearoa (New Zealand).
The emergence of their own fashion trends, which consciously set themselves apart from the global mainstream – such as "Pacific Fashion" or the "Hijab Fab" in Indonesia –, is examined and the dialectic between fashion/consumption and a new feminism (in this part of the world) is illuminated. The aesthetic component of fashion and its role as visual communication complete this analysis.
Registration for this course number 57-314 is possible on STiNE.
Contact:
- Marion Struck-Garbe:
marion.struck-garbe"AT"hamburg.de
Introduction to Southeast Asia
Introduction to Southeast Asia
Course number: 57-301
Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé & Roberta Zollo
Thursday, 14 – 16 o'clock, room O-221
Course language: English!
Southeast Asia, a region that extends from eastern India to China, is characterized by a large variety of landscapes and people living according to different beliefs and cultures. The course forms an introduction to this diversity. It presents, in the first place, the main geographical features of the region, the spoken languages, and a broad chronology, which punctuates the region’s history with a particular focus on the formation of major Southeast Asian cultural centers.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE. You might also want to see our flyer about this course.
Contact:
- Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé:
elsa.clave"AT"uni-hamburg.de
Memory: Recording the past in Indonesia. The 1965-66 events and its memory
Memory: Recording the past in Indonesia. The 1965-66 events and its memory
Course number: 57-311
Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé
Monday, 14 – 16 o'clock, room O-118
Course language: English!
This seminar proposes to reflect on the way people and institutions remember the 1965-66 mass massacre in Indonesia. Focusing on different periods, communities, and media, the seminar will deal with the politics of memory, transitional justice, and the transmission of trauma through generations, but also the role of emotions in the formation and retrieval of memory.
You can register for this course directly on STiNE. You might also want to see our flyer about this course.
Contact:
- Jr. Prof. Dr. Elsa Clavé:
elsa.clave"AT"uni-hamburg.de
University College Writing Center
The courses of the University College Writing Center ("Schreibzentrum des Universitätskollegs") are intended to teach students the skills of academic writing and to assist them with it. Every semester, there are different formats to support students, such as workshops or advice.
You will find all further information about the Writing Center and its courses here.
Training Courses by the CrossAsia Specialist Information Service
CrossAsia, the specialist information service for Asia, is a portal for printed and electronic resources on East, Southeast, Central and South Asia. The portal enables students and other interested parties to access relevant resources on the subject of Asian Studies in Latin and Asian scripts centrally and free of charge.
CrossAsia regularly holds introductory events to familiarize first-time users with the portal's functionalities. More information about CrossAsia and upcoming events can be found here.