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Made in Germany: the History and Culture of a Global Brand

Module description

‘Made in Germany’ is a merchandise mark that was first introduced in 1887. Today it is often associated with companies such as Mercedes Benz, Audi, or Adidas. However, there is more to this success story than the history of individual companies. ‘Made in Germany’ is about the cultural history behind the brand and one of the world’s strongest economies – including immigration policies, educational initiatives, individual entrepreneurs but also environmental guidelines that have, over time, shaped the economic powerhouse that is the German economy today. We will explore key initiatives and developments and their short- and long-term impact. 

This is an open module that can be either opted for as part of a Modern Languages degree or on the basis of modularity. Please note that this is not a history of economics in Germany but a cultural history.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module explores the cultural history of the brand and the German economy more broadly by means of case studies. You will gain the kind of understanding of a country’s history and culture that employers seek in graduates and that is key to understanding Germany as a country today. You will consider the impact of past and recent debates, evaluate narratives and, guided by current research, explore key developments that made Germany what it is today.
You will develop the necessary skills, individually and as part of a team, in the presentation and production of a variety of contributions, both in writing and in presentations.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key cultural aspects that may be associated with an economic success story.
• 2. Demonstrate an understanding of key features and sources that inform our understanding of ‘Made in Germany’.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Recognise the key differences in critical responses to different types of material.
• 4. Mount an argument in English using textual and other evidence, recognise and understand basic critical terminology.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Assimilate, select and organise material in order to produce a simple but cogent argument in writing on a specific topic and following guidelines provided.
• 6. Negotiate your insights in discussion and as part of a team.

Syllabus plan

This is a team-taught module. Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that the module will cover some or all of the following topics: 

• The history of a brand: an overview
• Myths and narratives of trauma and success: from the building of the ‘Autobahn’ to the impact of inflation
• Underpinnings of the German economic model today
• The importance of political structures
• The economic legacy of the GDR
• Environmental policies
• Immigration history
• Education matters past and present
• Entrepreneurs
• Opportunities and challenges in the era of globalisation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Audretsch, David, The Seven Secrets of Germany: Economic Resilience in an Era of Global Turbulence (New York, 2016).
• Ewing, J., ‘A Brief History of Made in Germany’, in: Germany’s Economic Renaissance (New York, 2014), pp. 1-14.
• McGregor, Neil, Germany. Memories of a Nation (London, 2014).
• Schulze, Hagen, Germany. A New History (Cambridge, 1998).
• Siebert, Horst, The German Economy: Beyond the Social Market. (Princeton, 2005).

Additional relevant texts are provided on ELE.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE: 

Key words search

Germany, economy, German history, made in Germany, German culture, German education