Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures University of Toronto

Enrica Piccardo, Associate Faculty in the Department of German and Full Professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, recently completed a two-week visiting research stay at the Internationale Forschungsstelle für Mehrsprachigkeit (International Research Centre for Multilingualism) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where she held the Michael-Clyne-Forschungsprofessur (Michael Clyne Research Professorship). The Michael-Clyne-Forschungsprofessur is a prestigious visiting appointment hosted by LMU’s Internationale Forschungsstelle für Mehrsprachigkeit. Named in honour of the renowned sociolinguist Michael Clyne, the programme brings internationally recognized scholars in the fields of multilingualism and language education to Munich for research exchange, collaboration, and academic dialogue. The professorship promotes critical engagement with multilingual and plurilingual practices across diverse educational and societal contexts. During her stay, Prof. Piccardo contributed to the academic life of the centre through two invited lectures and participation in doctoral seminar. She engaged with colleagues and doctoral researchers, providing guidance, feedback, and insights on ongoing research projects. Her visit advanced scholarly exchange in multilingualism and plurilingual education while further strengthening international research collaboration between LMU and leading scholars in the field. For more information about multilingualism research at the Internationale Forschungsstelle für Mehrsprachigkeit and the Michael-Clyne-Forschungsprofessur, please visit the ... Read More »

Prof. John Zilcosky, Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Toronto, has been invited to join the faculty of the Sport and Education Program: from Ancient Olympia to the Present, held at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece. The University of Toronto has been newly added as one of the participating universities in the program, making U of T students eligible to apply alongside Harvard University, Dartmouth College, the University of Texas at Austin, and Penn State University. The program is jointly organized by the Center for Hellenic Studies (Harvard University) and the International Olympic Academy, in collaboration with Harvard Athletics, the University of Patras, and the Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sport at the University of Texas at Austin. It brings together faculty and students to explore the historical and contemporary relationship between sport and education, from ancient Olympia and the Olympic tradition to modern university athletics. Through lectures, seminars, and site-based learning in Olympia, participants engage with sport as a cultural, educational, and civic practice. The 2026 program will take place from July 6–10, 2026, in Olympia, Greece. More information is available on the official program page. Read More »

PhD Student Max Weber Receives International OGS Read More »

Faculty member Markus Stock, a professor in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, the Centre for Medieval Studies, and Principal of University College, was recently awarded the Hermann Boeschenstein Medal by German Studies Canada. Read More »

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a three-year full-time contractually limited term appointment (CLTA) in the area of German Language Pedagogy. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2026. Click here to apply. This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply. Applicants must have earned a PhD degree in any field of German Studies by the time of the appointment, or shortly thereafter with a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching and must be at the native or near-native level of German proficiency. We seek candidates whose teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths: www.german.utoronto.ca. Candidates must have teaching expertise in a degree-granting program at the undergraduate level, including language course preparation and delivery of innovative second-language teaching in German language classes, curriculum development, and development of online ... Read More »

iPRAKTIKUM x Goethe Institut Toronto, deadline June 1, 2026 Read More »

We are excited to announce that Prof. Hang-Sun Kim, Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, and Associate Professor of German (Teaching Stream) in our department, has been appointed Dean of Arts and Vice-Provost at Trinity College, effective July 1, 2026, for a five-year term. Prof. Kim is a valued member of our academic community, contributing actively to undergraduate education, academic leadership, and departmental service. In her new role at Trinity College, Prof. Kim will provide academic and strategic leadership as Dean of Arts, overseeing Arts programming and supporting the College’s academic mission. As Vice-Provost, she will also contribute to broader institutional priorities, working closely with colleagues across the College and the University to advance excellence in teaching, learning, and academic planning. This appointment reflects Prof. Kim’s strong record of leadership, commitment to students, and contributions to academic life at the University of Toronto. More information about this appointment can be found in the official announcements from Trinity College and A&S News. Read More »

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures is pleased to announce that doctoral candidate Hannah Robinson has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant in recognition of her outstanding and highly promising research. Hannah’s project examines the historical origins of multilingualism through the study of medieval German literature, offering new perspectives on language contact and linguistic diversity in periods preceding modern constructions of nationality and linguistic boundaries. Her research challenges the assumption that monolingualism is a natural or historical norm. Instead, it considers the medieval period as one in which linguistic and geographic boundaries were significantly more fluid than the clearly defined categories often assumed today. As Hannah explains in her research proposal: “Monolingualism is a concept invented in the 17th century (Gramling 2016). The rise of nationalism brought with it the idea that each person had a natural language or mother tongue which marked their belonging to a single family or empire. Even now, the words for language and nationality are often the same (e.g. English, German, French) (Yildiz 2012). In the medieval period, however, these ideas simply did not exist (Kibbee 2010; Baldzuhn & Putzo 2011; Canagarajah & Liyanage 2021; Gramling 2021; Piccardo 2022). ... Read More »

We are pleased to announce a new collaboration between the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures and Goethe-Institut Toronto through the SPARK program. SPARK (Structured Program for the Acquisition of German – Resources and Know-how) is a network dedicated to strengthening German programs by supporting early access to German language learning, preparing future German teachers through professional development, and fostering exchange between schools, universities, and communities. As part of this collaboration, iPRAKTIKUM interns in GTA schools, as part of the German in the City Internship Program, now complete the Goethe-Institut’s online SPARK program in preparation for their classroom experiences in Toronto. Upon completion, interns receive a Goethe-Institut certificate. We are delighted to congratulate Jaba Beridze, Kylie Whyte, and Saba Mekonnen, who have successfully completed the program and earned their certificates. Check out the SPARK Program Flyer! Read More »

Julien Levit A third-year student majoring in German with minors in Ancient Greek and Literature and Critical Theory, Julien Levit has developed interdisciplinary interests spanning German philosophy and literature. Initially drawn to thinkers such as Nietzsche and Kant, their studies have expanded through German coursework to include Goethe, Grimm’s fairy tales, Romantic literature, and medieval texts. They are currently pursuing an Independent Study on Bodmer’s reception of the Nibelungenlied and is also a recipient of U of T’s UTEA award, reflecting a strong commitment to research and continued engagement with German literary traditions and graduate-level study. Andrea Perez A fourth-year Linguistics student with minors in German and Russian, Andrea Perez began studying German later in her degree after taking GER100 and quickly developed a strong interest in the language, culture, and grammar. She subsequently restructured her academic path to complete a German minor and has since excelled in upper-level courses such as GER272 and GER400, consistently earning high grades. She has achieved a high level of German proficiency and plans to complete the C1 exam after finishing her minor, continuing her engagement with advanced German studies. Annika Rempel A graduating student in German and Medieval Studies, Annika Rempel has developed ... Read More »