Established when Germany was still divided by a wall, Duke in Berlin has provided students with a truly immersive study abroad experience for nearly 40 years. Administered by the Global Education Office (GEO) and sponsored by German Studies, the program is available during both fall and spring semesters as well as the summer — with options to stay in the city anywhere from one semester to a year. Together with the team at GEO, Andrea Larson, Duke in Berlin’s academic director, ensures students are well-prepared… read more about When Berlin Is Your Classroom »
Grace Sorensen (T'24), a Cell & Molecular Biology and German major with a Chemistry minor, has been a Fulbright Research Scholar in the Gene Center Munich since September 2024. She studied with Duke in Berlin in fall semester 2022.Grace says about her time in Munich on her Fulbright scholarship: “I’ve loved my time in Germany so far! The research environment here is excellent, and I’ve been able to connect with so many wonderful people in my lab and through the Fulbright program. Munich is a beautiful city, and I’… read more about Grace Sorensen One of Duke's 15 Fulbright Scholars »
On February 23, 2025, students and faculty gathered for a lively and engaging German Election Watch Party, organized by Achim Schmid in collaboration with students from the Duke Election Exchange. The event provided a unique opportunity for participants to experience the 2025 German federal election in real time, fostering discussions on politics, democracy and international perspectives.In preparation for the watch party, Achim Schmid led a teaching project with students in a 400-level German course, focusing on the German… read more about German Department Hosts 2025 Election Watch Party »
“When you fail, it's so easy to let it spiral into this judgment about you and your work and your value as a human. Sometimes we need to step back and recognize there are things beyond our control.” If there’s anyone qualified to talk about failure, it’s a Kafka scholar. That might be why Kata Gellen, associate professor of German Studies, is able to talk about her own failures with ease. One of her failures came in a particularly bitter flavor, though: rejection. After finishing a manuscript for… read more about Freedom to Fail: Turning Rejection on Its Head »
The Department of German Studies, in collaboration with Duke Election Exchange, invites you to join us for a watch party as Germany holds its 2025 federal elections (Bundestagswahl). This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with German politics and culture, providing insights into one of the world's most influential parliamentary systems.Attendees will have the chance to learn about key political issues, understand the German electoral system, and discuss the potential implications of the election results for… read more about German Federal Election Watch Party »
Spend your summer exploring one of Europe’s most dynamic cities while earning Duke credits! From museum visits to weekend trips, Duke in Berlin Summer offers an unforgettable mix of academics and adventure.Program Fast Facts:📆 May 16, 2025 - June 27, 2025📍 Berlin, Germany✅ 2 credits - no prior German required! Open to Duke and non-Duke students. ⏳ Apps close Feb 15! Apply now on the Global Education website. Meet Lily and Lara—two Duke students who loved… read more about Duke in Berlin Summer 2025 Program - Apply Now! »
Join us for an exciting opportunity to mingle with graduate students and faculty and learn more about study abroad in Berlin! Whether you're curious about academics or life in Berlin, this is your chance to ask questions, make connections, and get inspired! Food and drinks will be served! read more about Spring Semester Welcome Event! »
Technology and Poetics: Bertolt Brecht's Theater of the Scientific RevolutionIn the past, the topic of technology in the work of Bertolt Brecht has been discussed primarily in terms of "Neue Sachlichkeit" and Americanism. It was mostly left unmentioned that Brecht came across the question of technology precisely through his reading of Marx and that from this perspective it took on outstanding significance for him in both artistic and political terms. The lecture aims to trace these connections and in doing… read more about Guest Lecturer: Hans-Christian von Herrmann, Professor, Technische Universität Berlin »
Hitchcock’s German FlopThis lecture compares the two films that constitute Alfred Hitchcock’s first and only dual-language film project. He released Murder! (1930) in English and Mary (1931) in German. Hitchcock scholars and the director himself have maintained that Mary was a flop because it was “too English” for the German screen. A focus on the thematization of the voice, gender, and race permits an examination of the significant discrepancies between the two… read more about Guest Lecturer: Olivia Landry, Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University »
What's the Fear of Fear of Fear? Another Look at R.W. Fassbinder's Middle Period Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Fear of Fear (1975), the prolific and revolutionary director’s twenty-third feature-length film, was promoted as a “case study” – it presented itself to viewers as an examination of a middle-class homemaker’s recurring panic attacks, her dependency on valium, and, eventually, her nervous breakdown. The film is rarely mentioned alongside Fassbinder’s more renowned works, and, at the time of… read more about Guest Lecturer: Brad Prager, Professor, University of Missouri »
Music Technology Innovation Matthias Strobel will examine the constant innovation brought to the music ecosystem by artists, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Emerging technologies have changed the entire value chain of music. From composition to production, distribution and curation to consumption. Technically, a musician nowadays could go all the way along the value chain without any intermediates involved. This is also the case for consumers. Music is accessible for everyone from everywhere.With the fast development… read more about Guest Lecturer: Matthias Strobel, President & Founder, MusicTech Germany »
Drop by and meet with multilingual faculty, staff, and students!Enjoy snack and pick up some cool swag! read more about Multilingual Duke! »
Four faculty in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences were recently recognized by the Arts & Sciences Council for outstanding achievements in undergraduate teaching.Each year, the Council’s Committee on Undergraduate Teaching selects outstanding faculty members for their commitment to their students, for engaging them deeply in research and scholarship, for their continued development as innovative teachers and mentors, and more.Members of the council — in collaboration with the dean's office — … read more about Four Trinity Faculty Receive 2024 Undergraduate Teaching Awards »
Dr. Mikael Lindvall and Dr. Marcel Schaefer from Fraunhofer USA will provide a brief overview of Fraunhofer, the world's leading organization for applied research and development. Their presentation will highlight some of Fraunhofer's most notable achievements under the banner of "Technology made by Fraunhofer" and offer insights into the operations of the Fraunhofer USA Center Mid-Atlantic in Maryland, with a particular focus on Test and Evaluation of AI-based systems. They will discuss real-world examples where AI, in… read more about Accelerating Innovation for Real World Applications: Using AI to Solve Applied Research Problems »
Come say "hallo!"German Studies office hours with donuts! read more about DUS Office Hours with Donuts! »
Academic Director of Duke in Berlin Andrea Larson speaks with Duke alumna Isabel Rask about her path to pursuing a job in Germany post-graduation. Listen to their conversation where they discuss application tips, interview experiences, language skills, and work life in Germany. read more about Duke Alumni Interview: Getting a Job in Germany »
Come mingle with teachers and fellow students, majors & minors, and learn more about the department in an informal setting.Ask questions, find out more about German club, study abroad programs & more!Pizza & drinks will be served! read more about Fall 2024 Student & Teacher Mixer! »
Fantasy stories mirror our own heroic journeys, teaching resilience and offering new perspectives on life's challenges, ourselves, and each other. They inspire us to find the hero within and approach our world with understanding and imagination. Ian McArthur has master's degrees in both German and English. He is now finalizing his doctoral studies in German Studies at Duke, with a focus on the literature of the Middle Ages. A dedicated educator, Ian has instructed courses in religion… read more about From Tolkien to Sanderson: How Fantasy Helps us Navigate Life with German Studies Graduate Student Ian McArthur »
Cate Knothe openly admits she applied to Duke on a whim. As a high school senior who was focused on Northeast schools, she felt a need to broaden her horizons a bit — a common theme repeated throughout her four years at Duke. It was a conversation with an alumna that sealed the deal for Knothe, who will graduate in May with double majors in German and Cinematic Arts and a minor in Chemistry. “I talked to a doctor who had also done a degree in Art History and studied abroad with Duke in Oxford,” Knothe explains. “Her… read more about Limitless Lens: Future Filmmaker Reaped the Benefits at Duke »
Congratulations to Rebecca Liu ’24 and Grace Sorensen ’24, who have won prestigious DAAD Research Grants to spend the next academic year in Germany. Rebecca plans to work at the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen, where she’ll conduct research on the genetic and molecular effects of aging in a species of roundworm, a model organism for evolutionary comparative studies. Her research promises to extend our knowledge of the mechanisms and consequences of maternal… read more about Two Seniors Win DAAD Fellowships »
Are you interested in working or interning in Germany? Check out this video from Andrea Larson, Academic Director for Duke in Berlin, to learn more about how to get started with your job or internship search in Germany. read more about Global Job Search: Want a Job in Germany? »
Edith London, In Flight, 1995. Mixed media, 13 x 16 inches (33 x 40.6 cm). Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Museum purchase and partial gift of Lee Hansley Gallery; 1997.25.1. Courtesy Nasher Museum of Art “It’s fulfilling to have a collaborative public outcome born from a course,” Saskia Ziolkowski, associate professor in Romance Studies, admits. She’s referencing Mapping Jewish Modernism, an exhibit currently on view through August at the Rubenstein… read more about Charting the Landscape of Jewish Modernism »
T. Kingfisher, renown author of fantasy, horror, and fairy tales, will read excerpts from Swordheart and her upcoming book What Feasts at Night with a Q&A session to follow on Wednesday, March 20th from 6:00-7:15pm in Reuben-Cooke 130. Known for her unique blend of fantasy and humor, T. Kingfisher has captivated her readers with her witty and inventive storytelling with books such as The Clockwork Boys and its’ sequel The Wonder Engine, and Nettle and… read more about Author T. Kingfisher visits Duke! »
February 9, 2024 – August 3, 2024 Location: Mary Duke Biddle Room Sponsor(s): Global Jewish Modernism Lab In the first decades of the twentieth century, artists and authors reacted to various social, economic, technological, and political changes with new forms of creative expression, a global phenomenon that has been labeled modernism. This exhibit highlights the transnational, cross-cultural, and multilingual dimensions of Jewish modernism, which includes both Jewish authors… read more about Mapping Jewish Modernism Exhibit Opening »
Come hear German 332 students read their poetry and other creative writing written over the past semester! The event will take place on Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 from 10:05 to 11:20 am in Social Sciences 109. Coffee, tea, and pastries from Guglhupf will be served. This event counts toward a Kulturpunkt for any German language students! Sie sind herzlich eingeladen zu einer Lesung von den Studierenden von Deutsch 332, die ihre Gedichte und anderen Texte aus diesem Semester vorlesen werden. Die Lesung findet… read more about Lesung! »