Course Description

This course is an acting course that introduces the student to the research, writing and performance techniques of cabaret performers.

Kabarett is the German word for "cabaret" but has two different meanings. The first meaning is the same as in English; describing a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theater (often the word "Cabaret" is used in German for this as well to distinguish this form). The latter describes a kind of political satire. Unlike comedians who make fun of all kind of things, Kabarett artists (German: Kabarettisten) pride themselves as dedicated almost completely to political and social topics of more serious nature which they criticize using techniques like cynicism, sarcasm and irony.

As Peter Jelavich stated in his book “Berlin Cabaret (Studies in Cultural History)” that every Metropolis tends to generate an urban mythology and Berlin is no exception. One of the more enduring Fables associated with that city is that it was hotbed for Cabaret.

Students will be seeking to assay that tale by examining Cabaret in Europe and specifically in Berlin from 1901-1944 while creating their own solo performance based on research of sources as such diaries, letters, memoirs, and autobiographies that relate Berlin Kabarett. Subjects can be figures such as Gisela May, Trude Hestberg, Anita Berber, Claire Waldoff, Erwin Piscator, Hugo Ball, Blandine Ebinger, Kurt Weill and are of particular interest to the student.

While studying and analyzing the techniques of a wide variety of cabaret performers through its inception, students will explore aspects of writing monologues and implementing those techniques with the ultimate goal of creating and performing their own material -sense of truth- with the courage necessary to stand-alone on stage.

There will be mandatory field trips* to notable Cabaret/Kabarett shows and venues in the city, which will inspire us visually. In addition to history related readings assignments, the course will incorporate Lisa Appignanesi's "The Cabaret" book for an overall understanding of the forms of artistic cabaret which were to emerge as a meeting place for artists where performance or improvisation takes place among peers, and cabaret as an intimate, small-scale, but intellectually ambitious revue.

The class meets twice a week for three 90-minute segments each day.

The two segments of each class typically involve short lectures on historical and theatrical topics as well as seminar-style discussions of the assigned readings. Some class days devote time to in-depth acting exercises, analyzing the solo performance/cabaret vocabulary and technique. Some class days we will use the afternoon segment for film screenings, excursions to sites in the city or working on your final presentation.

*Please note that students must cover the cost of the entrance tickets on-site at their own expense.

Download Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Recommended Course Combinations (Selection)

• History of European Art: Local Traditions and Transnational Networks
• Rebels, Radicals, Revolutionaries: Resistance and Protest in Post-War Europe 1953-1989

Course Description

Sustainable Global Marketing in Berlin explores the integration of global marketing strategies with sustainability principles. Sustainability is a societal issue that involves all stakeholders; this course focuses on organizations that align their business operations with sustainability goals for a variety of reasons, such as government regulations, customer demand, economic viability, or personal conviction. Effectively communicating these efforts to all stakeholders requires the use of global marketing strategies. This course examines the opportunities and challenges associated with marketing across borders and how they are impacted by the social, cultural, economic, political, and technological landscapes. For the purpose of this course the following definition of global marketing will be used: strategies that are designed with a global audience in mind, often developed centrally and then rolled out with minor adjustments for local markets.

By studying in Berlin, students experience first-hand how business differs within the German context (i.e. risk aversion, lack of sugar coating) while gaining a deeper understanding of global marketing.

This experiential course combines in-class learning with out-of-classroom experiences to study how global companies operate in the Berlin. Students will explore and analyze marketing strategies and practices tailored specifically to the German market, will consider cultural diversity of Berlin and evaluate how marketing strategies vary based on language, culture, history, and formal institutions. Emphasis will be placed on cultural localization strategies, and understanding of diverse cultural values, consumer behaviors, and preferences across Berlin and other German regions. Students will explore opportunities to develop sustainable practices within the context of the marketing mix and will develop strategies to adapt marketing campaigns, product offerings, and ways of communication to appeal to local customers.

The course aims to broaden student appreciation of the German market and equips students with foundations and knowledge to understand how global corporations tailor their marketing strategies to appeal to local customers and address sustainability issues. Participants will develop a competitive strategy and a marketing plan for a new product in Berlin.

The major learning goal of this course is for students to cultivate a mindset rooted in sustainable marketing principles, with a deep understanding of the relationship between local, international, and global perspectives.

It relates to the following UN’s Sustainable Goals:

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

The learning objectives supporting the major learning goal are:

1. Evaluate the social, economic, political, and technological environments of Berlin to inform sustainable marketing strategies.
2. Analyze local and global perspectives to develop sustainable practices within the context of the marketing mix
3. Develop a marketing strategy that promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns aligning with the principles of responsible resource use, minimizing environmental impact, and fostering ethical consumer behavior.

Download Syllabus (printable PDF incl. day-to-day schedule)

Recommended Course Combinations (Selection)

• International Peace Mediation and International Negotiations