Author Archives: Fan Jia

Miriam Borden’s new peer-reviewed publication in Canadian Jewish Studies

Posted on September 11, 2024

Miriam's first peer-reviewed publication

Miriam Borden, PhD student in the Yiddish Stream of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, is excited to announce her first peer-reviewed publication in the 38th volume of Canadian Jewish Studies, titled “Joshua, King David, and the Flying Nun: Doodles and Reader Annotations in Post-Holocaust Yiddish Primers for Children”. Miriam’s article is a part of a special volume dedicated to Jewish Education in Canada. The article explores the humourous and insightful children’s doodles and reader annotations in Yiddish textbooks used by students at Yiddish schools in Toronto in the 1950s -70s. These annotations offer a window into children’s experiences in developing their relationship between Yiddish and Jewishness. Read the full article HERE. Read More »

Sophie Jordan Wins 2024 Innovative German Award

Posted on September 3, 2024

Sophie Jordan, a PhD student in Germanic Languages and Literatures, has been awarded the 2024 Innovative German Award by German Studies Canada (GSC) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for her project ‘Reading Blackness and Race in Germanic Arthurian Romance’. The award focuses on new courses, curriculum and program development, and the implementation of new teaching and learning approaches in German Studies. Based on original research, Sophie’s project ‘Reading Blackness and Race in Germanic Arthurian Romance’ aims to make teaching about blackness in medieval German and Dutch literature accessible to a wide range of post-secondary educators. To this end, Sophie has created a series of free and fully adaptable interactive materials as well as detailed lesson plans hosted on Pressbooks. The goal of these materials is to highlight the diversity of Germanic experiences and peoples reflected in the literature of the High Middle Ages. Instructors teaching courses on diversity in German culture, on medieval German studies, or on other related topics, can now access, use and adapt these materials without the need for further research and with very minimal preparation. The knowledge that 13th and 14th-century writers portrayed complex, multi-faceted yet successful black Arthurian knights will support students’ grasp ... Read More »

2025 International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) Applications Open

Posted on July 31, 2024

  The German Federal Parliament (“Bundestag”) has announced a call for applications for the International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) program in Berlin in 2025. The application deadline is August 31, 2024. In collaboration with Berlin’s three major universities, the German Bundestag offers the prestigious IPS program to politically engaged college graduates from around 50 countries, including  Canada, who wish to play an important role in shaping the future of democratic cooperation – in their respective countries, and internationally. Under the patronage of the President of the German Bundestag, the IPS program allows participants to gain first-hand knowledge of Germany’s parliamentary system and political decision-making process during a 3-month work placement with a Member of the German Parliament. Participants also take part in a rich educational program with the German political foundations and have the chance to enroll in university classes, spending a total of five months in the German capital (March 1 through July 31, 2025). IPS is open to college graduates (bachelor’s degree or higher) who are Canadian citizens (or citizens of other participating countries), under 30 years old on March 1, 2025, and have a very good knowledge (B2+) of the German language. Candidates should also be familiar with ... Read More »

How to book a room in the department?

Posted on April 3, 2025

The booking sheets for the department library, OH307, OH312, and the lounge are now live online in Outlook. Everyone in the department should have access to view the Outlook calendars for these rooms. To make a booking, please: Check the room’s availability in the Outlook calendar.If the room is available on the desired date and time, please email german.undergradadmin@utoronto.ca to request the booking. In your email, kindly include the following details:   Room booking purposeDesired booking date and timeIf the booking is recurring, please specify the start and end dates, as well as the repeat frequency Any additional notes (if applicable) If you are new to the department and do not have access to the room calendars, please email german.undergradadmin@utoronto.ca to request access. Read More »