Premium
Transitional Stages: Transcultural Competence through Performances of Migration and Identity
Author(s) -
Parkes Lisa
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
die unterrichtspraxis/teaching german
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1756-1221
pISSN - 0042-062X
DOI - 10.1111/tger.12119
Subject(s) - ethnic group , sociology , german , interdependence , agency (philosophy) , identity (music) , competence (human resources) , cultural identity , gender studies , linguistics , aesthetics , social psychology , psychology , anthropology , social science , negotiation , art , philosophy
In offering an account of teaching and performing Nurkan Erpulat and Jens Hillje's Verrücktes Blut (2010) with advanced German students, this article reflects on the theme of cultural identity, particularly with regard to current issues related to migrant populations. As a play that showcases theater as a transitional space where linguistic and cultural identities may be negotiated, and where social and linguistic agency are interdependent, this particular play affords many rich learning opportunities for language students in today's global context. The play's ingenious staging devices – formulated as a play within a play within a play – provides an ideal opportunity for investigating the complexities and nuanced difficulties of ethnic identity and cultural expectations.