German Studies Association
Encyclopedia
The German Studies Association (or GSA) is an international organization of scholars in history
, literature
, economics
, culture studies, and political science
who study Germany
, Austria
, and Switzerland
. The organization began in 1976 as the Western Association for German Studies, and was renamed as the GSA in 1983 after transforming itself into first a North American organization, and then an international one.
The founder and long-time executive director of the GSA was Professor Gerald R. Kleinfeld of Arizona State University
. He also served as the first editor of the association's scholarly journal, the German Studies Review
, which was first published in 1978. The executive director's position is currently held by Professor David E. Barclay
of Kalamazoo College
, while the German Studies Review is edited by Professor Diethelm Prowe of Carleton College
. In 2012 Sabine Hake of the University of Texas, Austin will take over as editor of the GSR for a five-year term. The association is governed by a Board elected by the members in accordance with the GSA by-laws. The GSA holds an annual conference each autumn in a North American location.
Recent presidents of the German Studies Association include Patricia Herminghouse, University of Rochester
(2003-2004); Katherine Roper, St. Mary's College of California (2005-2006); Sara Lennox, University of Massachusetts Amherst
(2007-2008); and Celia Applegate University of Rochester
(2009-2010). Stephen Brockmann Carnegie Mellon University
, is GSA president in 2011-2012, and he will be succeeded by Suzanne Marchand Louisiana State University
, in 2013.
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, culture studies, and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
who study Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The organization began in 1976 as the Western Association for German Studies, and was renamed as the GSA in 1983 after transforming itself into first a North American organization, and then an international one.
The founder and long-time executive director of the GSA was Professor Gerald R. Kleinfeld of Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. He also served as the first editor of the association's scholarly journal, the German Studies Review
German Studies Review
German Studies Review is a peer-reviewed academic journal and an official publication of the German Studies Association that is published triannually. It was established in 1978 and publishes articles on the history, literature, culture, and politics of German-speaking Europe....
, which was first published in 1978. The executive director's position is currently held by Professor David E. Barclay
David E. Barclay
Dr. David E. Barclay is an American historian and the author of several books on German history. He received his Ph.D. in history from Stanford University in 1975, where he studied under Gordon A. Craig. Since 1974, he has taught at Kalamazoo College, and presently is the Executive Director of...
of Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
, while the German Studies Review is edited by Professor Diethelm Prowe of Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
. In 2012 Sabine Hake of the University of Texas, Austin will take over as editor of the GSR for a five-year term. The association is governed by a Board elected by the members in accordance with the GSA by-laws. The GSA holds an annual conference each autumn in a North American location.
Recent presidents of the German Studies Association include Patricia Herminghouse, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
(2003-2004); Katherine Roper, St. Mary's College of California (2005-2006); Sara Lennox, University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
(2007-2008); and Celia Applegate University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
(2009-2010). Stephen Brockmann Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, is GSA president in 2011-2012, and he will be succeeded by Suzanne Marchand Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, in 2013.
See also
- German Historical InstituteGerman Historical InstituteGerman Historical Institute are five independent academic research institutes situated in Rome, London, Washington, D.C., Warsaw and Moscow, dedicated to the study of historical relations between Germany and the host countries in which they are based, along with four other institutions, in Paris,...
- German studiesGerman studiesGerman studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents, and disseminates German language and literature in both its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies often include classes on German culture, German history, and German politics in addition to the...
- German literatureGerman literatureGerman literature comprises those literary texts written in the German language. This includes literature written in Germany, Austria, the German part of Switzerland, and to a lesser extent works of the German diaspora. German literature of the modern period is mostly in Standard German, but there...
- Germanisches NationalmuseumGermanisches NationalmuseumThe Germanisches Nationalmuseum is a museum in Nuremberg, Germany. Founded in 1852, houses a large collection of items relating to German culture and art extending from prehistoric times through to the present day...
- Area studiesArea studiesArea studies are interdisciplinary fields of research and scholarship pertaining to particular geographical, national/federal, or cultural regions. The term exists primarily as a general description for what are, in the practice of scholarship, many heterogeneous fields of research, encompassing...