What is the canon of German literature? Who is part of the German canon? And who is not part of it? When for example the famous literary critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki published "Der Kanon" (2002), an anthology of outstanding German literature (Romane), his selection contained mainly male (white) German writers and poets. The selection (and also the following anthologies of novels, plays, essays, and stories) set off a controversial debate that has over the course of the past 20 years become more complex. It is not Reich-Ranicki selection itself but rather the actuality of the canon, what is still taught in schools and universities as outstanding German literature.

In this course, we will engage with the canon from a postcolonial and intersectional approach in order to understand the circumstances of the "center" as well as learn how to decenter it at the same time.