Profile of the Chair
From the spectrum of Western Slavic studies, the Chair in research and teaching focuses in particular on subjects of Polish Studies and Sorabistics. This includes the history of Polish literature and culture from the Renaissance to the present with a focus on Romanticism and the interwar period. Sorbian literature and culture are examined in their entire breadth; especially literature from the middle of the 20th century. The topics and questions in research and teaching refer to a comprehensive interest in the knowledge of structures in the Western Slavia that are specific to particular eras and cultural areas. These structures, both in comparison and through in-depth analyses of cultural narratives, provide the basis for comprehensive insights within the research priority area Culture and Societal Change at TU Dresden. The basis for theses studies is a semiotic approach to culture that is based on a broad understanding of the functionality of cultural texts from epic to rock songs. In connection with current tendencies in the theory construction in literature and cultural studies, this results in minority cultures being a focal area of research.
In line with the principle of research-oriented teaching at Bachelor's and Master's level, ongoing research projects are always used to benefit teaching. The close proximity to the cultures studied is a major advantage of the location. Lusatia (Sorbian Institute) and Silesia (University of Wrocław) are of particular relevance not only from a regional point of view but also in terms of institutions for cooperation and exchange. Therefore, the languages offered at the Institute of Slavic Studies include Polish, Czech and also Upper Sorbian. This offers promising profiling options at all academic qualification levels.