Unpacking Heimat: A Spiraled Approach to Identity and Belonging for Global German Studies

Abstract

If the German‐speaking world is conceived of as a pluralistic society, open to migration, and integrated in global networks, then what could Heimat mean for German Studies? This article presents a rationale and curricular design model for critically unpacking the cultural narrative of Heimat within a globalized context. As numerous scholars have argued, Heimat is a complex, possibly untranslatable concept that expresses both belonging and exclusion. Its connection to nationalism, racism, and propaganda in German history is well known, and we argue that its most recent reemergence in public and political discourse presents pressing implications for German instruction. Given all of the cultural energies embedded into the concept, this article considers how we might reframe Heimat in our courses to build students' critical thinking skills and global perspectives. Through recent curriculum reform efforts in our undergraduate German program, we have implemented an iterative approach to critically probing the layered meanings of Heimat via multiple texts and avenues for student engagement at each level of the curriculum. By engaging the concept through a spiraling, content‐driven design, students confront the implications of Heimat as an organizer of German identities and a discursive vehicle for achieving a more inclusive Germany and German Studies.