Virtual International Programme (VIP)

This course provides a rigorous introduction to central issues in comparative constitutional law, examined through selected constitutional instruments drawn from various European jurisdictions. It offers not only an initial orientation but also a comprehensive analytical overview of European constitutional law as a field of study.

The primary objective of the course is to furnish students with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to employ comparative legal analysis in the development, interpretation, and evaluation of constitutional norms, institutions, and systems. Particular attention is devoted to the structure of the constitutional order at both the domestic and supranational levels.

The course further considers the constitutional evolution of the European Union and the Council of Europe, with a view to situating national constitutional developments within broader European contexts.

Finally, the course addresses the dynamics of constitutional change, including the processes through which constitutions are amended, revised, or newly enacted.

Introduction to European Energy Law is a beginner-level course designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of how energy is regulated within the European Union. Energy law stands at the very centre of contemporary climate policy, environmental protection, and debates on sustainable development. In today’s world, societies face the dual challenge of ensuring sufficient, reliable energy supplies while avoiding the global warming and climate change driven largely by fossil fuel consumption. As the demand for energy increases, the legal frameworks that govern the shift from fossil fuels to renewable and low-carbon sources—such as wind, solar, hydrogen, and nuclear energy—become more important than ever.

The course introduces students to the core principles, sources, and institutions of EU Energy Law. Students will explore how the general provisions of the EU Treaties—free movement, competition law, and environmental protection—apply directly to the energy sector. The module examines the development of the EU’s internal energy market, including the liberalisation of electricity and gas markets, the introduction of competition, and the opening of national markets to supplies from other Member States.

The course also addresses several thematic areas central to modern energy governance: Renewable energy law, Climate-related energy measures, Security of energy supply, Nuclear (atomic) energy law.

The seminar focused on the contributions of Latin American thought to the field of memory studies. Particularly, considering the experiences of the different truth commissions in the region. The goal is to critically portray different conflict contexts to understand the development, conclusions, and contributions of the mandates of truth commissions, both in the national scenarios in which they operated and the broader theoretical landscape of memory studies.

The course will provide access to English and Spanish literature, audiovisual material, and enriching discussions that present and analyze the discourses, contents, and emphasis of the truth commissions according to the historical and social contexts that shaped each of the mandates. The approximation will allow the student to build up knowledge and understanding to evaluate the potential and challenges of the Latin American experience in relation to the global context of increasing violence and human rights violations.

The aim is to promote critical reflections and the active participation of students after accessing concepts, notions, current debates, and other forms of knowledge that, despite being the result of specific settings, offer lessons and learnings for future experiences and also for increasing the scope of memory as a political and socio-cultural concern.

El seminario busca generar espacios de reflexión acerca de las formas, métodos y metodologías para desarrollar investigación social en escenarios de conflicto y posconflicto desde perspectivas éticas, que cuestionen paradigmas clásicos y avancen en el reconocimiento de diversas fuentes de conocimiento.

El curso facilitará el acceso a literatura sobre metodologías decoloniales y críticas, a la discusión activa con profesores y profesoras invitadas y a material audiovisual que aborda el tema central. Ello, mientras genera fundamentos teórico/prácticos acerca del pensamiento decolonial, sus potencialidades y retos.

El objetivo será contribuir a la reflexión crítica y al análisis de nuevos y posibles escenarios para la investigación social usando estrategias y conceptos que aportan a la construcción de paz, a la transformación de las desigualdades sociales y a la reivindicación de formas de conocimiento emergentes desde las orillas.

En un escenario contemporáneo atravesado por disputas discursivas en torno al género, la sostenibilidad y los sentidos de lo político, este curso propone una aproximación crítica al lenguaje como espacio de construcción, conflicto y transformación social. Se ofrecerán herramientas conceptuales y metodológicas para leer y problematizar las narrativas que modelan la educación, las políticas públicas y las formas de subjetividad en el presente, con especial atención a los discursos sociales de odio promovidos por las nuevas derechas.

El curso se inscribe en la línea de la educación histórico-política y la educación para el desarrollo sostenible, desde un enfoque interdisciplinario, situado y decolonial. Busca comprender cómo las pedagogías de los discursos sociales —en los medios, en la escuela, en el arte, en los museos, en el cine, en la esfera política— configuran sentidos comunes sobre el pasado, el presente y el futuro, así como las posibilidades de acción y resistencia.

Se trabajará a partir de tres ejes: memoria(s), ambiente y desigualdad(es).

Memoria(s): explorará cómo los discursos sobre el pasado configuran identidades colectivas y formas de ciudadanía. Se abordarán las pedagogías de la memoria en su dimensión afectiva y política, atendiendo a sus silencios, disputas y reescrituras.

Ambiente: analizará las representaciones del territorio como espacio en disputa, indagando los cruces entre extractivismo, justicia ecológica y saberes locales. Se buscará pensar la sostenibilidad desde perspectivas críticas que articulen naturaleza, comunidad y cuidado.

Desigualdad(es): examinará los discursos que producen y legitiman jerarquías sociales, de género y de clase, y las pedagogías que posibilitan su cuestionamiento y transformación.

En medio del boom de las tecnologías de inteligencia artificial (IA), que están reconfigurando desde sistemas políticos y económicos hasta nuestro sentido de la realidad, se hace necesario entender las estructuras de poder que las producen y que al tiempo son reproducidas por ellas.

Este curso ofrece una introducción a las perspectivas críticas de las inteligencias artificiales, centrándose en las estructuras de poder, las violencias y las resistencias. Se brindará herramientas a los estudiantes para identificar cuál es el paradigma dominante de desarrollo y uso de IAs, así como los impactos negativos que este tiene sobre personas, comunidades y territorios marginalizados. En ese paradigma se requiere siempre más: más datos, más tierras, más energía y agua, más control. En vez de aceptar esta trayectoria como inevitable, el curso también explora las formas de resistencia que han aparecido alrededor del mundo, así como formas alternativas de desarrollo y uso de IAs que desafían el modelo extractivo hegemónico.

Las teorías y praxis decoloniales, feministas e interseccionales serán el lente para analizar la concentración de poder en oligarcas tecnológicos, la erosión de derechos laborales, responsabilidad algorítmica y cuidado ecológico, efectos como la desinformación y la automatización de sesgos, y respuestas a esto a partir de marcos éticos, de gobernanza y de IA responsable. A través de la lectura detallada de textos y ejemplos seleccionados, nos preguntaremos: ¿Qué tipo de “inteligencia” están posicionando los discursos y desarrollos de IAs? ¿A quién le beneficia el hype de las IA? ¿Quién está pagando el costo de estas? ¿Quién está proponiendo y quién está quedando por fuera de los marcos éticos? ¿Cómo imaginamos y creamos alternativas? ¿Qué podemos hacer desde nuestros contextos?

El objetivo de este enfoque interdisciplinario es ampliar tu repertorio analítico para reflexionar sobre las condiciones en las que las IAs reproducen, profundizan o subvierten las estructuras interconectadas de poder como el patriarcado, el capitalismo, el colonialismo y la supremacía blanca. Al mismo tiempo, busca brindarte recursos para cuestionar y transformar tu manera de entender y relacionarte con las IAs, desde lo personal hasta lo colectivo.

This seminar introduces the key concepts, theories, and current debates surrounding sustainable development, considering recent reflections and actions related to environmental and climate justice. In the first part of the seminar, we will study the emergence of the sustainable development paradigm by examining its key definitions and regulatory documents. We will then explore various approaches to climate justice. This discussion will lead us to consider two significant critical approaches to development: post-development and alternatives to development. We will also explore complementary approaches to sustainable development based on feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial perspectives. The seminar concludes with a discussion of three case studies, enabling us to explore environmental conflicts related to extractivism, biodiversity loss, and air and water pollution in more depth, along with their implications for sustainable development theories and practices.

The course explores the language of law through comparative studies, focusing on the legal systems of Poland and Germany. It examines how legal concepts, terminology, and interpretation differ and interact in these systems. The course highlights the challenges of multilingual legal frameworks, the influence of EU law on member states, and the role of legal language in shaping jurisprudence and governance. The course will address the following topics:
- Introduction to Comparative Law (Comparative law: objectives and methods);
- Characteristics of Polish, German, and EU legal systems;
- Legal Terminology and Translation Challenges: Comparing key legal terms in Polish, German, and EU law. Inc. case study: The concept of “good faith” in Polish (dobra wiara), German (Treu und Glauben);
- Harmonization and Divergence in EU Law: The principle of supremacy of EU law and its impact on national systems, direct effect and the implementation of EU directives in Poland and Germany;
- The language of judicial opinions: Comparing the Polish Constitutional Tribunal, the German Federal Constitutional Court, and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Inc. the interpretative role of the CJEU;
- Multicentricity of law and multilingualism in EU Law;
- Legal design and Legal Culture Impact
The tandem seminar is part of the project “Ukraine digital: Ukraine in its transcultural and transnational context” of the Justus Liebig University of Giessen (JLU) together with the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA). The project is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), funding provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Rhythm: Summer semester
Credits: 6 CP
Course code: 02-VWL:MSc-V1-3
Language: English
Required work: Final exam (80 %) + Participation (15%) + Seminar (5%)
Lecturers: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Götz
Possible Major: Economics, Management

Course Description:
This course gives an overview over the economic study of innovation and the production of new goods and services. Students will learn about the importance of the research and development activities of firms and how they are influenced by public policy in general and by the patent system in particular. The course introduces patent races, the economics of licensing, and the study of adoption and diffusion of new technology. A further topic concerns R&D cooperation with a focus on the working of Research Joint Ventures. Throughout the course we will discuss the Schumpeterian themes of the relation between market structure, firm size and innovation. The course will also evaluate current technology policy as implemented in various countries. A seminar-like part will conclude the course with various case studies of firms’ research and development activities and innovations with a special focus on the pharmaceutical sector. We will have industry experts discussing their experience.

o get a first impression on what the course is about, you might want to look at the introductory chapter of William M. Baumol's book "The free market innovation machine" - to be found at http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s7310.pdf . For a starting point in the management literature see the collection on Top 10 Lessons on the New Business of Innovation from the MIT-Sloan Management Review 2011 (available within JLU network).

The preliminary schedule can be found under Ablaufplan. The slides for the respective lectures are available in the Download section (Dateien).

The recordings of the lecture from the past SS 2021 can be found on the chairs Youtube channel Economics2Go https://www.youtube.com/c/Economics2Go in the playlist Economics of Innovation https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaMyPT8Jkw7nrmy-E7dSA2WrrE__4P2dv .

Required work:
Final Exam
Assignments
Group paper and presentation

Literature:
Baumol, W. The Free Market Innovation Machine – Analyzing the Growth Miracle of Capitalism, 2002, Princeton University Press
Pepall, Richard, and Norman (PRN): Industrial Organization: Contemporary theory and practice South Western, 3rd edition. 2005, chapters 22-24.
Tirole, J.: The Theory of Industrial Organizatio,MIT Press 1988, ch.10
Stoneman, P. (ed.): Handbook of the Economics of Innovation and Technological Change ch. 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12.
Brownwyn Hall, Nathan Rosenberg (eds.) Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, Vol 1 and Vol. 2

This course will be held in English and in presence.

Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Rhythm: Summer semester
Credits: 6 CP
Course Code: 02-VWL:MSc-V1-1
Language: English
Required work: Final exam (85%) + Participation (15%)
Lecturers: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Götz
Possible Major: Economics, Economics of Global Risk

Course Description:
You can find the most recent information to this course here. The recordings of the lecture from the summer term 2020 can be found on the chairs Youtube channel Economics2Go; in the playlist Economics of Regulation:https://www.youtube.com/c/Economics2Go

This course deals with network industries like electricity, gas and water supply as well as with the telecommunication sector and how to regulate them. A special focus is laid on the consequences of the asymmetric distribution of information among the agents active in these sectors. Here, one might think of product markets characterized by uncertainty about qualities and prices as well as labor markets, insurance markets, or financial markets. These markets are characterized by endogenous information that is generated by some market participants; behavior affecting other market participants; behavior. As a consequence, the market mechanism may be distorted or even fail.

Literature:
Paul Joskow: Regulation of Natural Monopolies August 2006, mimeo, MIT, a review article published in the Handbook of Law and Economics, 2007.

Recent developments in the theory of regulation, published in the Handbook of Industrial Organization (Vol. III), edited by M. Armstrong and R. Porter. This article provides an in-depth treatment of the theory of regulation under asymmetric information.

Regulation, Competition, and Liberalization. Journal of Economic Literature Vol. XLIV (June 2006), pp. 325–366. This article offers insights into the regulatory practice and discusses if and how effective competition can be created in sectors, which are at least partly natural monopolies.

K. Viscusi, J. Harrington, J. Vernon, Economics of regulation and antitrust. 4th. ed. MIT Press 2005;
Borrmann, J. und Finsinger, J., Markt und Regulierung. Verlag Vahlen 1999.

David Newbery, 1999, Privatization, Restructuring, and Regulation of Network Industries, MIT Press offers an excellent combination of theoretical insights and specific case studies, in particular with respect to the liberalization process.

Pepall, Richard, and Norman (PRN): Industrial Organization: Contemporary theory and practice, South Western, 3rd edition. 2005. Introduction to Economic Analysis by R. Preston McAfee.

This course will be held in presence and in English.

Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Rhythm: Summer semester
Credits: 6 CP
Course code: 02-VWL:MSc-V1-3
Language: English
Required work: Final exam (80 %) + Participation (15%) + Seminar (5 %)
Lecturers: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Götz
Possible Major: Economics, Management

Course Description:
This course gives an overview over the economic study of innovation and the production of new goods and services. Students will learn about the importance of the research and development activities of firms and how they are influenced by public policy in general and by the patent system in particular. The course introduces patent races, the economics of licensing, and the study of adoption and diffusion of new technology. A further topic concerns R&D cooperation with a focus on the working of Research Joint Ventures. Throughout the course we will discuss the Schumpeterian themes of the relation between market structure, firm size and innovation. The course will also evaluate current technology policy as implemented in various countries. A seminar-like part will conclude the course with various case studies of firms’ research and development activities and innovations with a special focus on the pharmaceutical sector. We will have industry experts discussing their experience.

o get a first impression on what the course is about, you might want to look at the introductory chapter of William M. Baumol's book "The free market innovation machine" - to be found at http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s7310.pdf . For a starting point in the management literature see the collection on Top 10 Lessons on the New Business of Innovation from the MIT-Sloan Management Review 2011 (available within JLU network).

The preliminary schedule can be found under Ablaufplan. The slides for the respective lectures are available in the Download section (Dateien).

The recordings of the lecture from the past SS 2021 can be found on the chairs Youtube channel Economics2Go https://www.youtube.com/c/Economics2Go in the playlist Economics of Innovation https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaMyPT8Jkw7nrmy-E7dSA2WrrE__4P2dv .

Required work:
Final Exam
Assignments
Group paper and presentation

Literature:
Baumol, W. The Free Market Innovation Machine – Analyzing the Growth Miracle of Capitalism, 2002, Princeton University Press
Pepall, Richard, and Norman (PRN): Industrial Organization: Contemporary theory and practice South Western, 3rd edition. 2005, chapters 22-24.
Tirole, J.: The Theory of Industrial Organizatio,MIT Press 1988, ch.10
Stoneman, P. (ed.): Handbook of the Economics of Innovation and Technological Change ch. 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12.
Brownwyn Hall, Nathan Rosenberg (eds.) Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, Vol 1 and Vol. 2

This course will be held in English and in presence.

Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Rhythm: Summer semester
Credits: 6 CP
Course Code: 02-VWL:MSc-V1-1
Language: English
Required work: Final exam (85%) + Participation (15%)
Lecturers: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Götz
Possible Major: Economics, Economics of Global Risk

Course Description:
You can find the most recent information to this course here. The recordings of the lecture from the summer term 2020 can be found on the chairs Youtube channel Economics2Go; in the playlist Economics of Regulation:https://www.youtube.com/c/Economics2Go

This course deals with network industries like electricity, gas and water supply as well as with the telecommunication sector and how to regulate them. A special focus is laid on the consequences of the asymmetric distribution of information among the agents active in these sectors. Here, one might think of product markets characterized by uncertainty about qualities and prices as well as labor markets, insurance markets, or financial markets. These markets are characterized by endogenous information that is generated by some market participants; behavior affecting other market participants; behavior. As a consequence, the market mechanism may be distorted or even fail.

Literature:
Paul Joskow: Regulation of Natural Monopolies August 2006, mimeo, MIT, a review article published in the Handbook of Law and Economics, 2007.

Recent developments in the theory of regulation, published in the Handbook of Industrial Organization (Vol. III), edited by M. Armstrong and R. Porter. This article provides an in-depth treatment of the theory of regulation under asymmetric information.

Regulation, Competition, and Liberalization. Journal of Economic Literature Vol. XLIV (June 2006), pp. 325–366. This article offers insights into the regulatory practice and discusses if and how effective competition can be created in sectors, which are at least partly natural monopolies.

K. Viscusi, J. Harrington, J. Vernon, Economics of regulation and antitrust. 4th. ed. MIT Press 2005;
Borrmann, J. und Finsinger, J., Markt und Regulierung. Verlag Vahlen 1999.

David Newbery, 1999, Privatization, Restructuring, and Regulation of Network Industries, MIT Press offers an excellent combination of theoretical insights and specific case studies, in particular with respect to the liberalization process.

Pepall, Richard, and Norman (PRN): Industrial Organization: Contemporary theory and practice, South Western, 3rd edition. 2005. Introduction to Economic Analysis by R. Preston McAfee.

This course will be held in presence and in English.

Competition Policy and Strategy
Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Credits: 6 CP
Language: English
Required work: Final exam + Assignments

For additional Info: See StudIP page of the lecture.

Competition Policy and Strategy
Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Credits: 6 CP
Language: English
Required work: Final exam + Assignments

For additional Info: See StudIP page of the lecture.

Module description:

Profound knowledge of game theory with special applications in the field of finance and capital market theory
ability to interpret models from relevant literature and to critically discuss their explanatory potential
ability to deal with applicable policy proposals based on relevant theory and empirical findings
formulation, argumentative defense and critical dispute of subject-related viewpoints and problem solving



The module covers:

Part 1 (lecture): Debt: Game Theory Applications (pre-recorded videos)
Basics of game theory
Applications in the context of finance and capital market theory

Part 2 (seminar): Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Sovereign Debt Crises (virtual live event)
Fiscal policy in crisis situations
Conventional and unconventional monetary policy in crises

Structure: Lecture + Tutorial
Credits: 6 CP
Modulcode: 02-VWL:BSc-V1-1
Language: English
Examination: Final exam + Assignments
Lecturer: PD Dr. Johannes Paha

Description:
In addition to the lecture, the Competition Policy and Strategy module also includes weekly complementary tutorials. The tutorials begin in the second week of lectures.

Literature:
Recommended reading and sources will be provided during the lecture.
You can find representations of much of the content of this course in the following textbooks:

1. Massimo Motta (2004). Competition Policy. Theory and Practice; Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004.
2. Luis Cabral (2000). Introduction to Industrial Organization; MIT Press, 2000
3. Pepall, Richard, and Norman (2008). Industrial Organization: Contemporary theory and practice, South Western, 3rd edition. 2005.

Artificial intelligence, especially large language models, which can be found in many digital applications, including social media apps, is omnipresent – and usually without us realizing it. Discussions in the political public sphere are now clearly influenced by them, with the visualization of certain political content, but also doxxing, swarming and other forms of discrimination and agitation playing an increasing role. The seminar aims to explore the question of what is meant by a functioning democratic public space, how AI programs can be understood and how technical tendencies influence democratic processes.

The accelerating changes in the global climate are linked to a rise in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and even earthquakes. These challenges transcend national borders, pose serious risks to societies, and give rise to new socio-political, economic, legal, and technological questions, as well as pressing transformation needs, necessitating a re-evaluation of disaster risk management strategies. Given the relevance and interdisciplinary significance of this topic, this lecture offers interdisciplinary perspectives on disaster risk (reduction) management. The lecture is structured into three thematic blocs, aligned with the disaster risk cycle. In the first bloc “(Natural) Hazards, risks and disasters”, students learn more about the governance of risks and the development of disasters. This bloc focuses on water-related risks in general, climate change scenarios and the political, economic and legal understanding of risks and disasters. In the second bloc “Prevention, mitigation and preparedness”, climate challenges are analysed from economic and engineering perspectives. This bloc highlights (green) financial policies and seismic risk prevention. In the third bloc “Response and recovery”, several disaster case studies are discussed and the impacts of disasters on food systems, pro-social preferences and community resilience are examined. The lecture combines sessions from the following disciplines: Political Science, Economics, Geography, Engineering, Law.

According to the IPCC, Southern Africa is among those regions worldwide, most vulnerable to climate change impact. Consequences can be observed already by drought, extreme weather, etc., in many parts seasons are shifting with consequences to agriculture, water security and modes of sociation. Climate change is not just one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. As anthropogenic climate change, it emerges from economic, political, and social conditions. It is thus impacting on social institutions, cultural self-understanding, and political and economic development. This class traces the social and cultural dimension of climate change with focus on Botswana and South Africa, two societies in the Southern African region that struggle with the diverse impact of climate change. The class will refer to the expertise of various guest speakers from collaborating universities in the region.

This seminar deepens the insights of the preceding project and enlarges the geographical scope of migration and democratic development beyond Germany and Türkiye by including developments in Italy and Spain as well. While the previous seminar investigated the nexus between migration and health, this seminar focuses particularly on the interrelations between migration and democratic development. It addresses the question of how migrants in European countries influence democratic developments both in their countries of residence and in their countries of origin. In a comparative perspective, we explore how democratic development interacts with cross border mobility, civic participation, and public discourse.

Through conceptual and comparative discussions, the seminar examines how migrants, diasporas, and the broader public participate in redefining democratic values and practices across Europe and its neighbourhood. Particular attention will be given to migration related debates in Germany, such as discussions on the transformation of urban space and the so called “Stadtbild” debate, as well as to debates in Italy and Spain concerning asylum governance, migration management, and public negotiation processes around migration policies.

The seminar aims to deepen students’ understanding of the connections between migration, peace, and democratic development. It contributes to a better understanding of European migration and integration policies while strengthening intercultural competences and English language skills of students, particularly regarding key concepts and terminologies related to migration, democracy, and civic participation.

Dieses Seminar beschäftigt sich mit Kommunikation, Zusammenarbeit und Lernen in Bildungskontexten, die durch künstliche Intelligenz geprägt sind. Auf Grundlage von Kommunikationstheorien, kooperativem Lernen und ethischen Perspektiven setzen sich die Teilnehmenden mit sozialen, pädagogischen und ethischen Fragen rund um generative KI im beruflichen Alltag auseinander. In interdisziplinärer Projektarbeit entwickeln sie praxisnahe Ideen für einen verantwortungsvollen und inklusiven Einsatz von KI.

Hinweis: Die Lehrveranstaltung wird bilingual auf Deutsch und Englisch angeboten.

Mondays 14:00 PM – 16:00 PM CET, weekly (from 13 April – till 8 June 2026)
Link: https://webconf.hrz.uni-giessen.de/b/mar-xis-pma-toi

Religion und Politik stehen in einen komplexen Verhältnis. Einerseits können sich besonders fundamentalistische Formen von Religion desktruktiv auf soziale Gemeinwesen auswirken und sogar den Rechtsstaat gefährden. Andererseits leisten Religionen wichtige Beiträge zum sozialen Zusammenhalt und für eine demokratische Kultur. In der christlichen Theologie wird, insbesondere seit den 1960er-Jahren, über die Verstrickung des Glaubens in Politik und Gesellschaft nachgedacht. Die Vorlesung stellt zentrale Ansätze einer solch politischen Theologie vor, wie etwa die sogenannte Neue Politische Theologie, die Befreiungstheologie, die Feministische Theologie oder Postkoloniale Theologien. Zugleich wird politisch-theologisch auf Anwendungsfelder reflektiert: auf die ökologische Frage, Herausforderungen der multikulturellen Gesellschaft oder Vorstellungen einer gerechten Wirtschaft. Damit werden Themen behandelt, die im Religions- und Ethikunterricht, aber ebenso im gesellschaftlichen Engagement eine zentrale Rolle spielen. Gestaltet wird die Vorlesung im Hybridformat, in Kooperation des Frankfurter Sozialethikers Bernhard Emunds und des Gießener Systematischen Theologen Ansgar Kreutzer.
Literatur zum Überblick:
L. Bormann/A. Kreutzer (Hg.). Politische Theologien. Aufbrüche und Neukonzipierungen, Freiburg 2025

This seminar examines the history, craftsmanship, functions, and cultural meaning of goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ work from the Carolingian period (8th century) through to the Baroque era (18th century). We will explore a broad range of objects, including liturgical vessels such as chalices, portable reliquaries, monumental shrines; insignia, such as crowns and sceptres; and items of personal, ceremonial, or symbolically charged significance, such as jewellery.
A central component of the course is an introduction to the principal techniques of historical metalwork — including repoussé, granulation, filigree, and enamelling — alongside their technological development, diffusion and adaptation across the early medieval and early modern Euro-Mediterranean world. In discussing these works, we will consider how such objects were used, what functions they fulfilled in sacred and secular environments, and what they reveal about identity, status, memory, piety, and representation in pre-modern societies.
Goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ works constitute one of the most significant areas within the applied arts; notably, several of the earliest signed artworks of the medieval period belong to this category. As such, the seminar introduces students to broader historiographical questions of craftsmanship, artistic authorship, and material culture.
The seminar will be delivered primarily in a lecture-based format and taught in hybrid mode: students in Gießen will attend in person, while external participants join online.
On Friday, 26 June, 2026, 2-5 pm, a field trip to the Diocesan Museum in Limburg an der Lahn is planned to study relevant objects in the original. This is part of the curriculum for those who study in Gießen.

Der Kurs hat das Ziel, einen Einblick in aktuelle literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Forschungsprojekte, -debatten und -themen zu vermitteln. Zudem sollen die Studierenden bereits erworbene Kenntnisse vertiefen und in konkreten Forschungszusammenhängen anwenden. Der Kurs bietet damit auch die Möglichkeit, Interesse an eigenen literatur- und kulturwissenschaftlichen Fragestellungen zu entwickeln und diese zu begleiten.

Wie kann Fremdsprachenunterricht Lernende dazu befähigen, selbstständig und reflektiert zu lernen? Das Seminar "Coach statt Lehrkraft? Wege zu selbstständigem Sprachenlernen im Französisch- und Spanischunterricht" greift diese und weitere zentrale Fragen einer modernen Lernkultur auf. Welche Rolle spielt die Lehrkraft im Prozess zunehmender Lernerautonomie? Wie können Lernende gezielt dabei unterstützt werden, Verantwortung für ihren Lernprozess zu übernehmen?
Im Mittelpunkt des Seminars sollen theoretische Grundlagen des Sprachlerncoaching diskutiert, eigene Erfahrungen mit Lernberatungen ermöglicht und Ansätze einer wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung aufgezeigt werden. Zudem sind erste Schritte einer Ausbildung zum Sprachlernberater vorgesehen.

Der Kurs rückt den Prozess des Schreibens in den Fokus: Ausgehend von einer Reflexion und Rekonstruktion der Studierenden zu ihren ersten eigenen Erfahrungen des Produzierens und Rezipierens von Texten werden sie in verschiedenen Schritten an den Prozess des eigenständigen (kreativen) Schreibens von Kurzgeschichten herangeführt. Theoretisch-methodisch ist der Kurs auf die Textsorte der Kurzgeschichte ausgerichtet – praktischer Input, Tipps und Erfahrungen werden von der französischen Autorin Dr. Nirina Ralantoaritsimba ergänzt und von der Seminarleiterin literaturwissenschaftlich eingeordnet. Beide nehmen die Studierenden mit in den Entstehungsprozess ihrer eigenen Texte und in die Frage der Reflexion narrativer Mittel und begleiten das Schreiben der Studierenden in einem interdisziplinären Dialog von Praxis und theoretischer Reflexion, wobei die Freude über die kreative Schreibarbeit im Vordergrund steht. Gleichzeitig wird derart eine Sensibilisierung für literarische Formen und Grundlagen der Erzählliteratur spielerisch vermittelt.

'Leichte Sprache' ist ein Konzept, das dem Teilhabegedanken folgt und eine zunehmende gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz und Verbreitung findet. Das Konzept bietet viele interessante Fragen für linguistische Diskussionen (Welchen sprachsystematischen Stellenwert hat 'Leichte Sprache' überhaupt? Wie lässt sich 'Leichte Sprache' mit Grundprinzipien des Textverstehens in Einklang bringen?). Es lassen sich aber auch interessante sprachdidaktische Fragen diskutieren wie etwa: Ist Schullektüre in Leichter/Einfacher Sprache sinnvoll und zulässig, wenn ja, unter welchen Bedingungen? Das Seminar bietet einen Einblick in die junge linguistische Auseinandersetzung mit dem Phänomen und nutzt die Thematik für die Vertiefung von grundlegenden sprachwissenschaftlichen Kategorien (Varietät, Text etc.). Je nach Interesse und Engagement können wir auch sprachdidaktische Fragen einbeziehen.

War and trauma have profoundly shaped – and continue to shape – human history and experience. From early conflicts and the world wars of the twentieth century to contemporary and even imagined future conflicts, literature repeatedly returns to questions of violence, injustice, and displacement. This seminar explores how such narratives can be used as valuable resources in peace education, human rights education, and global citizenship education within the EFLC.
Drawing upon a diverse range of texts and visual media – from personal memoirs to novels, poetry, and film – students will critically examine representations of war and its aftermath across different historical and cultural contexts. Particular attention will be paid to how these narratives articulate the lived experiences of trauma, loss, resilience, and resistance. By connecting literary and media analysis with classroom practice, students will develop strategies for using such texts to foster empathy and support peacebuilding, ultimately contributing to the education of globally conscious, critically minded, and socially responsible language learners.
This seminar requires a high level of commitment to extensive and close reading.

Prerequisites
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of module TEFL I.

Required Reading
A comprehensive course bibliography will be provided via Ilias.

Credit
Ungraded: regular attendance, active participation, and familiarity with the recommended literature
Graded: in addition to the above, submission of a term paper

Exam Period
Term paper submission deadline: 15 September 2026

Registration
Flexnow

Das Seminar gibt einen Überblick über text- und medienlinguistische Fragestellungen und Methoden. Im Mittelpunkt stehen die Fragen,
- was unter sprachlicher, kognitiver, kommunikativer und kultureller Perspektive unter Texten verstanden werden soll,
- welche Bedeutung der Textbegriff für a) die Schule und b) außerschulische Kontexte hat und
- welchem Wandel er mit Blick auf multimodale, medien- und domänenspezifische Entwicklungen unterliegt.
Der exemplarische Anwendungsfall sind "Multimodale Texte in der Stadt".
Das Seminar findet in Kooperation mit der Nationalen Iwan-Ohijenko-Universität Kamjanez-Podilskyj in der Ukraine statt und wird deshalb als Online-Seminar per Videokonferenz durchgeführt. Das Seminar setzt die Bereitschaft voraus, in virtuellen, Teams über ein Semester hinweg gemeinsam an text- und medienlinguistischen Projekten zu arbeiten.
Das Seminar wird als Co-Teaching durchgeführt, Seminarleiterin auf ukrainischer Seite ist Dr. Tetiana Kalyniuk.

Categorization as a conclusion drawn from phenomenological similarity is the driving force in cognitive processes and shapes the grammatical system of human language as well as the expressive use of language in literature. The seminar will consider different forms of similarity like coincidence, cooccurence, comparison, allegory and metaphor, starting from auditive similarities like case syncretism in language or rhyme in literature, going over to visual-observable shared features like epigraphy in writing or length of sentences in prose, finally analysing complex metaphorical transfers like grammatical tense respectively density of description. The phenomena will be discussed on the material of Ukrainian language and literature, both in original and in translation. The seminar will serve as a platform for discussing the interplay of language as a system, expression as an intention, and medium as their manifestation. Knowledge of a (preferably East) Slavic language is not mandatory, but intensive interest in linguistics and literature are expected.

Kinder- und Jugendliteratur (KJL) spielt eine zentrale Rolle im Deutschunterricht – sowohl als ästhetisches Erlebnis als auch zur Förderung literarischer Kompetenzen. Das Seminar vermittelt daher theoretische und didaktische Grundlagen zur Analyse und Vermittlung von KJL im schulischen Kontext zu den folgenden Werken die obligatorisch für das Seminar zu lesen sind:
„Und die Welt, sie fliegt hoch“ Sarah Jäger (2024)
„Wolf“ Saša Stanišić (2023)
„Pembo“ Ayşe Bosse (2021)
„Himmelwärts“ Karin Köhler (2021)

Im Fokus stehen die Analyse von literarischen Texten, Qualitätskriterien, literarische Kompetenzziele sowie Methoden zur Didaktisierung von Kinder- und Jugendbüchern. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf mehrsprachigen und digitalen Formaten.
Das Seminar wird in Kooperation mit der Iwan-Ohienko-Universität in Kamjanez-Podilskyj durchgeführt und wird daher als reine Online-Veranstaltung durchgeführt.
Bitte beachten Sie hierbei die geänderten Seminartermine, die u.a. eine Blockveranstaltung sowie eine Lesung an einem Mittwochabend (voraussichtlich der 22.4.) enthalten.

Mehrsprachigkeit ist längst kein Randthema mehr, sondern eine zentrale Aufgabe modernen Fremdsprachenunterrichts. Das Seminar "Von der Vielfalt zum Mehrwert: Mehrsprachigkeit als Ressource im Französisch- und Spanischunterricht" greift diesen Paradigmenwechsel auf und eröffnet Perspektiven auf eine Unterrichtspraxis, die sprachliche Vielfalt als Ressource begreift - sei es durch schulisch gelernte Sprachen oder durch migrationsbedingte Mehrsprachigkeit der Lernenden.
Neben theoretischen Grundlagen der Mehrsprachigkeitsdidaktik werden im Seminar auch aktuelle Entwicklungen im Bereich digitaler und KI-gestützter Lernumgebungen aufgegriffen. Dabei wird diskutiert, wie Künstliche Intelligenz Lehrkräfte bei der Planung, Durchführung und Reflexion mehrsprachigkeitsfördernder Aufgaben unterstützen kann - etwa durch adaptive Lernsysteme, automatische Sprachanalyse oder individualisierte Feedbackformen.
Ziel ist es, Studierende zu befähigen, Mehrsprachigkeit und digitale Innovationen gemeinsam zu denken und in ihrem zukünftigen Französisch- und Spanischunterricht lernwirksam und reflektiert einzusetzen.

HINWEIS:
Die Anmeldung für diesen Kurs erfolgt ausschließlich über unsere Homepage:
https://www.uni-giessen.de/fbz/zentren/zfbk/forumsprachen/aktuelles_kursangebot_anmeldung

Die Anmeldung in Stud.IP dient nur der Nutzung als Lernplattform, sichert Ihnen jedoch keinen verbindlichen Platz im Kurs. Die Kursteilnehmenden erhalten das Stud.IP-Passwort zu Beginn des Kurses von ihrer Lehrkraft.

Diese digitale und asynchrone Vorlesung (ehemals AfK-Nr. 135) gibt einen Einblick in die Gebiete der mündlichen Kommunikation. Wer einen Rundumblick zur Funktion und Anwendung der Stimme, zur Fremd- und Eigenwirkung beim Vortrag, Gespräch und Argumentation bis hin zur Konfliktbewältigung bekommen und dies für sich selbst in Zusammenhang setzen möchte, ist in dieser Vorlesung genau richtig. Theoretische Elemente werden in praktischen Kurzübungen ausprobiert und verständlich gemacht. Die Veranstaltung bildet eine gute Wissensgrundlage für die AfK-Module zu Rhetorik, Gespräch, Argumentation, Referat u.v.m.

Die Veranstaltung wird mit bestanden / nicht bestanden abgeschlossen und mit 3 CP angerechnet. Für Studierende aller Studiengänge und Semester. Die Veranstaltung wird asynchron digital stattfinden und beinhaltet das Bearbeiten von wöchentlichen Hausaufgaben.

Als Leistungsnachweis (3 CP) müssen alle Hausaufgaben bearbeitet und fristgerecht eingereicht werden. Die Vorlesung ist Voraussetzung für den Erwerb des Zusatzzeugnisses "Kompetent mündlich kommunizieren": https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/fbz/zentren/zfbk/afk/zusatzzeugn-20141001/muendlichkommuniziere-20141001

Unterrichtssprache: Deutsch

Ehemals AfK-Nr. 357

In diesem Seminar verbessern Sie Ihre interkulturellen und regionalen Kompetenzen:
Das Wissen und die Kompetenzen, die durch dieses Modul erworben werden können, sind sowohl für das Studium (durch die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit der Geschichte, Gesellschaft und Kultur der jeweiligen Region) als auch für den Beruf (als Vorbereitung auf einen möglichen Auslandsaufenthalt o.Ä.) relevant.

Das Seminar kann mit 2 CP für den Erwerb des Zusatzzeugnisses "Kompetent mündlich kommunizieren" (https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/fbz/zentren/zfbk/afk/zusatzzeugn-20141001/muendlichkommuniziere-20141001) angerechnet werden.