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German Culture: Facts, Customs and Traditions

Some common stereotypes about Germans include their love for beer, their reputation for being hardworking and punctual, and their affinity for cars (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Porsche are manufactured here so that’s kind of a given). 😊

But there’s so much more to explore about German culture and way of life, and we’re here to take you on a tour. Before we do so, here are some quick facts about Germany:

But before we do so, here are some quick facts about Germany:

Germany: Quick Facts

• Germany has a population of approximately 84.6 million people.
• Germany is a federal parliamentary republic and comprises 16 federal states . Consequently, cultural characteristics are shaped by its different regions and cities.
• The native language and the most spoken language is German .
• Germany’s capital is Berlin . Other major cities include Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne.

Table of Contents

When we think of a country’s culture, language is often one of the first things that comes to mind. As you may have guessed it, German is the primary language spoken in Germany, spoken by 95% of the population.

The German language is known for its long words (the longest is 79 letters) that are a result of joining nouns together. The alphabet consists of 26 Latin alphabet letters, plus its characteristic umlauts (ä, ö, and ü).

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While there are regional German dialects like Bavarian and Saxon, the German state officially recognizes four minority languages: 

• Upper and Lower Sorbian 
• North and Saterland Frisian

Apart from minority languages, you’ll hear plenty of other languages spoken by the various communities with a migrant background. Plenty of people in Germany speak Turkish, Kurdish, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Romanian, or Albanian as their first language.

Everyone can freely practice their faith in Germany, as this is guaranteed by Article 4 of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany.

According to a 2024 IPSOS survey , Christianity is the predominant faith, with 47% of the population identifying with this religion. Within this religion, around 20% of the respondents identified with the Catholic church and 24% with the Protestant or Evangelical church.

A significant portion of the population—35%—identify as having no religion or describe themselves as agnostic, while 9% percent preferred not to disclose. At 4%, Islam is the second-largest religion in Germany. The remaining 5% belong to smaller religious groups in the country.

While religious affiliation is declining, religious traditions and practices shape Germany to this day. You’ll notice religious influence the most during holidays like Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc.

Cuisine & Food

Traditional German cuisine is all about hearty and comforting meals. Specialties vary regionally, but succulent meats such as pork and veal are often the star.

Some typical German meat dishes include Bratwurst (a type of sausage), Schweinshaxe, (pork knuckle), Schnitzel, and Frikadellen (German meatballs). These are often paired with sides such as a potato salad, fermented cabbage, or Spaetzle (soft egg noodles). For depth and flavor, these classic dishes incorporate cabbage, dairy products, and different spices and herbs such as cayenne pepper and thyme. Rich gravies and sauces such as the Rahmsoße (Rahm Sauce) elevate them even more. Beer often plays a role in cooking to enhance the taste of dishes like the beer-marinated Sauerbraten.

And let’s not forget the country’s love affair with bread and pretzels—they’re one of the food items Germans miss the most when they travel abroad . There are nearly 10,000 master bakeries across the country. All you have to do is follow the delicious scent of freshly baked rye bread (Roggenbrot), whole wheat rye bread (Vollkornbrot), rolls (Brötchen), or small pastries (Kleingebäck) to find them.

There are plenty of delicious desserts you can find in Germany as well. Sweet delights such as the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake), Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), Lebkuchen (gingerbread-like cookies), and Stollen (Christmas fruit-bread) are a must-try!

German Drinking Culture

Beer is the undisputed king of beverages in Germany. There are, after all, entire festivals dedicated to it. To put it in perspective, visitors consumed a staggering 6.5 million liters in just 18 days of the Oktoberfest beer festival of 2023. You can choose from countless varieties of the drink, from pilsners to wheat beers.

The country also has a long tradition of wine production, particularly in regions like the Mosel Valley, best known for its Rieslings. If you’re into spirits, you’ve likely heard of Jägermeister, the famous German herbal liqueur.

If you don’t drink alcohol, fret not. Most establishments offer non-alcoholic drinks, including the refreshing Apfelschorle, a mix of apple juice and sparkling water. There is also a considerable coffee culture around the country, especially in large cities where can find both quaint cafés and international chains.

Fashion and Clothing

Each region in Germany has its unique traditional costumes, such as Bavaria’s Lederhosen for men (leather trousers ending just above the knee) and the Dirndl dress for women (featuring a bodice, blouse, full skirt, and an apron). These traditional outfits are typically worn during carnivals and festivals.

In their day-to-day, Germans usually opt for casual and comfortable outfits. These can include the jeans and T-shirt combo or a casual dress paired with sneakers or some other comfortable footwear.

During winter, most like to layer with a sweater or hoodie and a thicker jacket. The casual dress code often extends to office wear, with most office dress codes being business casual in non-costumer-facing jobs.

Germans dress more formally and conservatively for important events and formal settings. These can include funerals, work dinners, weddings, business meetings, etc. The event and season will determine what to wear, but generally speaking, men wear suits and women wear skirt suits, pantsuits, or dresses.

Holidays and Traditions

There are nine public holidays celebrated nationwide in Germany. The majority are Christian celebrations that are observed by religious people (and enjoyed as a day off from the rest), but there are also some historical and cultural holidays as well.

• New Year’s Day (Neujahrstag). As in many countries, January 1st marks the new calendar year. Germans celebrate this day with fireworks, parties, and family gatherings. They wish each other “Frohes Neues (Jahr)!” (Happy New Year!).
• Good Friday (Karfreitag). This holiday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In Germany, people attend church and spend their time in silent reflection.
• Easter Monday (Ostermontag). This is the day after Easter Sunday, known for family gatherings, Easter egg hunts, and festive meals.
• Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit). This holiday is celebrated each year on May 1st to honor workers’ rights. It is marked with demonstrations, rallies, and other public events.
• Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt). 40 days after Easter Sunday marks Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven, a holiday which is observed by Catholics through church services and family gatherings. This day also marks Father’s Day (Vatertag), celebrated by many German fathers by getting together for walks in nature while carrying handcarts (Bollerwagen) full of beer.
• Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag). Whit Monday is another Christian holiday, celebrated the day after Pentecost. Since it always falls on a Monday, many people take advantage of the long weekend to spend time with their families, usually enjoying picnics and other outdoor activities.
• Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit). On October 3rd each year, Germans celebrate the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. This historical day is marked by patriotic events around the country, including a three-day festival in Berlin around Platz der Republik and the Brandenburg Gate.
• Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag). This Christian holiday falls on December 25th each year and is one of the most popular festivities in Germany, even among the non-religious. Germans usually spend the day with loved ones, exchanging gifts and eating delicious meals.
• Boxing Day (Zweiter Weihnachtstag). Translating as the second Christmas Day, the 26th of December is a day of relaxation, recreation, and spending time with loved ones.

Additionally, you may stumble upon holidays that are only celebrated in specific states or regions. Some of them include Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige), Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam), Reformation Day (Reformationstag), and All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen).

Sports and Leisure

Germans absolutely love sports and outdoor activities. A 2017 DOSB survey estimates that there are around 90,000 sports clubs and 27.4 million club memberships in Germany. A significant portion of the population—about 33.2%—actively participates in such clubs.

Among sports, football (soccer) reigns supreme as the nation’s favorite, especially on a professional level. The German Bundesliga—the professional association football league—draws massive crowds and enthusiasm. However, basketball, handball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, and athletics are also quite popular.

Walking and hiking are other favorite pastimes, to the point that many foreigners poke fun at German people’s idea of a ‘short walk’ . Plenty of people also enjoy cycling and skiing, thanks to the country’s beautiful landscapes and well-developed infrastructure.

Festivals and Celebrations

Whether it’s a traditional folk festival or a modern event, people in Germany love to come together to celebrate with music, good food, and dancing. Festivals frequently include live music performances, traditional cuisine, colorful parades, and busy street markets. 

Here are some of the most popular festivals and events in Germany:  

• Beethovenfest – Bonn. Beethovenfest in Bonn is an annual celebration of classical music. Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthplace honors the composer’s legacy with around 80 diverse events.
• Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) – Berlin. Another annual event, Berlinale is a major film festival that showcases around 200 films of different genres and formats. It gathers film professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world.
• Cannstatter Volksfest (Stuttgart Beer Festival) – Stuttgart. This three-week folk festival in Stuttgart is one of Germany’s largest, taking place around late September until mid-October. There are a lot of beer tents, a spectacular parade on the first Sunday of the festival, trader’s market stalls, live music, and more.
• Carnivals (Karneval/Fasching) – nationwide. Carnivals are a long-held tradition in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. The festivities were later adopted into the church calendar to celebrate six weeks before Easter, before the period of fasting (Lent). You’ll find these festivities across each region of Germany, each with its unique costumes, colorful parades, and traditions. The Rosenmontag parade in Cologne is one of the largest and most popular carnival celebrations.
• Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) – nationwide. Very few countries do Christmas markets like Germany. Taking place each year from the end of November to the last days prior to Christmas, the colorful stalls are famous for their festive ambiance, delicious Glühwein (mulled wine), roasted almonds, Bratwurst, and more. Many of them sell handicrafts that make for lovely gifts. Some of the most-visited markets are those in Nuremberg, Dresden, and Munich.
• Easter Markets (Ostermärkte) – nationwide. A week or two leading up to Easter, markets open nationwide to welcome the holiday with handmade crafts, Easter eggs and candy, flowers, and more. Berlin’s Easter Market at Alexanderplatz and Stuttgart’s Easter Market at Schlossplatz are popular destinations
• Oktoberfest – Munich. Indisputably the most popular even in Germany, the Oktoberfest in Munich is the largest beer festival in the world. Millions of visitors each year visit the festival for the local beer, Bavarian cuisine, and carnival rides.
• Reeperbahn Festival – Hamburg. One of Europe’s largest club festivals, the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg is the place to be for music acts, conferences, and art exhibitions combined into one.
• Rhein in Flammen (Rhine in Flames) – multiple locations. This series of fireworks festivals offers spectacular displays against panoramic backdrops in multiple locations along the Rhine River.
• Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht) – Harz Mountains. Each year on the 30th of April, people dress up in costumes, light up bonfires, and make loud noises to welcome spring. It is a night rooted in pagan folklore and tradition.

German Social Etiquette

From knowing how to politely greet elders to choosing an appropriate gift, it’s nice to know the dos and don’ts of a new culture. Here are some tips on social etiquette in Germany:

Greetings and Politeness

• However, if you don’t really know the person, small talk is not necessary, as Germans are not very fond of it. 
• When you’re leaving a place, it’s nice to say “ Auf Wiedersehen ” (formal)  or “Tschüss” (informal) for goodbye .
• “Du” is informal, used to address friends and family, while
• “Sie” is the formal option, used with strangers or to convey respect. 
• Using “ Bitte ” (please) when making a request and “ Danke ” (thank you) when expressing gratitude is expected and appreciated in everyday exchanges.

Check out our Guide to Learning German for other useful phrases and daily expressions.

German Work Culture

German work culture is all about precision, efficiency, and maintaining a professional attitude. The country has a reputation for strong work ethic and fairly strict workplaces, however, it also has some of the best work-life balance and social security policies among European countries. 

Germans set clear boundaries between their work and home lives. They even have a special word—“Feierabend”—to denote the end of the work day. 

On average, people in Germany work around 40.5 hours per week, which is somewhere in the middle compared to other European countries. They treasure their personal time, making use of generous vacation days. All employees in Germany working a 5-day week are entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days per year.

Gift-Giving

Gift-giving is common in Germany, especially on occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and other special events.

Gifts are usually wrapped with a nice wrapping paper and a bow. As for the actual gifts, German’s love for practicality comes through. Most people prefer receiving something modest and thoughtful rather than an extravagant gift.

Flowers are a popular and well-received gift in Germany, especially when visiting someone’s home. Other ‘safe’ gifts include chocolates, alcoholic beverages, and food delicacies (especially if you’re coming back from traveling).

You still need to be mindful of the recipient and your personal relationship to them, just like in other countries.

Dining Etiquette & Tipping

Dining out is somewhat expensive in Germany, so many only go out to eat once in a while rather than every day. Most people prepare food and eat in the comfort of their homes. If you’re eating with someone, you typically kick off the meal with a “Guten Appetit” (enjoy your meal).

If you are invited to someone’s home for dinner, it’s polite to wait for the host to start eating before you do. Meals are usually family-style, so you can expect to share some courses and pass around plates. After finishing your meal, a simple “Danke” (thank you) is enough to show your appreciation.

As for dining out, you might wait to be seated in fancier places, but in casual spots, feel free to choose your table. When you’re ready to order, a raised hand or “Entschuldigung” (excuse me) gets the server’s attention. To pay, both cash and cards work, but cash is more widely accepted. Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory; rounding up or leaving an extra 5-10% is common for good service.

If you’re invited to a wedding in Germany, be sure to RSVP promptly when you get the invite–it’s a big help for the couple planning it.

When it comes to wedding guest outfits, Germans lean towards formal attire. Women often go for dresses (any color but white), and men typically wear suits. If you’ve been to a U.S. wedding, the style is quite similar.

The most common gift for newlyweds in Germany is cash, often put in a nice envelope or creative packaging (look up “Geldgeschenke Hochzeit” for ideas).

During the festivities, embrace the fun by raising your glass with a cheerful “Prost!” for toasts. And don’t be shy to hit the dance floor–Germans love to dance at weddings. When the festivities wind down, take a moment to personally thank the couple for inviting you.

Funerals are dignified (and highly regulated) rituals in Germany. Depending on the deceased’s and their family’s wishes, the funeral follows Christian or secular traditions.

Christian funerals include a church service, often with an open casket, followed by burial or cremation. Secular funerals follow similar procedures, without the religious elements.

Germans wear dark and conservative clothing at funerals. If you want to offer condolences to the grieving family, saying “Mein Beileid” (my condolences) is appropriate.

You can also bring flowers such as a wreath or a bouquet to show your sympathy. During the service, maintain a quiet and respectful demeanor, ensuring your phone is on silent mode.

Behavior in Public Spaces

Here are some cultural aspects to consider when you’re out in public in Germany:

• Strong sense of community. Germans have a strong sense of community and look out for one another. For instance, if you spot a lost item hanging from a tree, it was probably a thoughtful gesture by someone who put it there so its owner could see it.
• Priority seats are reserved for those in need (elderly, pregnant, disabled, and injured persons, so it’s expected to offer them your seat.
• Order. In public spaces and queues, Germans value order and quiet. Whether you’re waiting for the train or you’re in the library, try to keep noise levels down and respect personal space. This is especially important in residential areas. In fact, Germans have specific quiet hours to ensure peaceful living (on weekdays and Saturdays from 10 pm until 6/7 am and on Sundays for the whole day).
• Recycling. People in Germany are very environmentally-conscious and recycling is taken very seriously (there are fines if you sort trash improperly!). Each household and public space has specific bins for paper, plastic, glass, and more, so remember to sort trash and recycle responsibly.
• Supermarket checkouts. Navigating supermarket checkouts in Germany is like a mini workout for your packing skills. Unlike some countries, there’s no dedicated bagger, so you’ll need to pack your items quickly into your bag or reusable totes after they’re scanned (plastic bags are banned; other bags are available for purchase). Payment options include cash and cards.

Although not as popular in the age of technology, reading is still a cherished pastime for many Germans. In 2022 alone, 64,000 new book titles were published in Germany. The country is home to the world’s largest book fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair, which attracts publishers and literary enthusiasts from all over the world.

Plus, did you know the first-ever magazine was printed in German? The “Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen” was issued monthly from 1663 to 1668.

German and German-speaking authors have also gifted us with timeless classics such as Goethe’s “Faust”, Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, Mann’s “The Magic Mountain”, and Hesse’s “Siddhartha”, to name a few.

Some of the world’s most influential thinkers and philosophical discourses originated in Germany. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was one of the central figures of the Age of Enlightenment, whose ideas centered around transcendental idealism and reason as the source of human morality.

Later on in the 19th century, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a prominent thinker of German Idealism, known for adopting a triad philosophy system: the Science of Logic, the Philosophy of Nature, and the Philosophy of Spirit. In the mid-1840s, Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx authored several works in which they developed their theories of historical materialism and the critique of capitalism.

In the 20th century, the Frankfurt School drew from Marxism, critical theory, and psychoanalysis to further critique the capitalist system & the change brought by it. Martin Heidegger was another important figure of this period, best known for his theories on hermeneutics and existentialism.

Traditional German music and dance vary from region to region, but two prominent genres include Volksmusik (literally: music of the people) and Oompah. You’ll be able to enjoy this type of music at most folk festivals (including Oktoberfest) and fairs.

Volksmusik is typically associated with the Alpine regions of Germany, also known as the Bavarian Alps. Songs often have lyrics pronounced in thick regional dialects, accompanied by instruments such as guitars, mandolins, accordions, and flutes.

Oompah music, on the other hand, is characterized by a steady beat (Oompah being the word describing the sound) of a deep brass instrument such as clarinet, trombone, trumpet, or tuba, together with other instruments such as accordions, drums, and clarinets.

Schlager is another “typisch Deutsch” music style that, perhaps due to its popularity, is often considered as folk music. However, its simple and catchy melodies and lyrics are more representative of pop music. It is a festival favorite, as everyone gets wasted and belts out the lyrics, despite many Germans finding it cheesy.

Traditional music certainly holds a special place in German culture, but classical music from the country’s legendary composers truly changed musical history. Germany was home to composers like Beethoven, Bach, Schumann, and Strauss, to name a few. You can listen to performances of their work on the many concert stages and opera houses across the country, such as the Berlin Philharmonic or the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.

In their day-to-day, Germans listen to a wide range of modern music genres, from electronic beats and catchy pop tunes to gritty rock anthems. Each city has its own music scene. Berlin, for example, is known for its edgy techno music culture and clubs.

German art has developed alongside the history of the nation. Each piece of work from periods ranging from the Middle Ages to Renaissance, Romanticism, and Modern Art Neo-Expressionism has left traces of the past. 

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the German Renaissance produced some of the most influential artwork and artists. Albrecht Dürer is considered the greatest German Renaissance artist. He was known for exploring and perfecting various forms of art, including oil painting, printmaking, engraving, and writing. 

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, German Romanticism reflected an attempt at escaping an increasingly industrialized world. Paintings often portrayed natural landscapes and incorporated mystical elements. It’s impossible to talk about this period without thinking of masterpieces such as Caspar David Friedrich’s “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog”.

Germany is also home to influential art movements like the Bauhaus, Expressionism, and Dadaism. These revolutionized design, challenged artistic norms, and left a lasting impact on the global art scene.

Here are some of the most famous paintings by German artists: 

• “Christ Among the Doctors” – Albrecht Dürer (1506)
• “Rhinocerus” – Albrecht Dürer (1515)
• “The Ambassadors” – Hans Holbein the Younger (1533)
• “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” – Caspar David Friedrich (1818)
• “The Monk by the Sea” – Caspar David Friedrich (1818)
• “Street, Berlin” – Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1913)
• “The Elephant Celebes” – Max Ernst (1921)
• “The War” – Otto Dix (1929-1932)
• “1024 Colours” – Gerhard Richter (1973)

Architecture

From ancient Roman structures to modernist architecture, Germany is a dream destination for architecture enthusiasts. There are 52 UNESCO-protected sites in Germany, many of which are architectural structures. 

You’ll find several of these sites in Trier, Germany’s oldest city, founded around 16 BC during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus. The Porta Nigra (city gate), Römerbrücke (Roman Bridge), and the Trier Imperial Baths are just a few of the Roman traces left in the city.

The later Romanesque style is seen in the sturdy structures of the many religious buildings of this period. The Speyer Cathedral is a perfect example and the largest remaining church of this architectural style.

Speaking of large cathedrals, the Cologne Cathedral is among the largest in Europe. The construction of this 157-meter (515 ft) tall Gothic architectural structure dates back to 1248, however, it took until 1880 for Germans to see its completion. Its twin towers and spires are typical of this style.

Gothic architecture is one of the most prevalent styles in many regions around the country. Brick Gothic is especially popular in the northern part of Germany, as seen in Lübeck’s Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church) and the Holsten Gate. Timber-framed houses are another characteristic of this late-medieval style. There are more than 1,300 such houses in Quedlinburg, one of the many German towns that adopted this type of architecture.

The Renaissance inspired majestic castles and palaces like Heidelberg Castle and the Munich Residenz. The Baroque style also left behind remarkable buildings characterized by their beautiful frescoes. The Würzburg Residence and Dresden Zwinger’s complex are a must-see to explore this style.

Other Neo-classical, Modern, and Post-modern architectural structures harmoniously coexist with the ancient. Below, we have highlighted some buildings and structures that are a must-see in Germany:

• Reichstag Building – The building of the prior legislative government turned seat of the Bundestag is a mix of Renaissance, Neo-Renaissance, and Baroque.
• Elbphilharmonie – Must see for its flowing roof & vineyard-style halls (Postmodern architecture).
• The city of Rottenburg ob der Tauber – For postcard-worthy medieval architecture and half-timbered houses.
• Cologne Cathedral – This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a perfect example of Gothic architecture.
• Aachen Cathedral – This Roman catholic cathedral dating back to the year 805 is a mix of Carolingian, Romanesque, and Gothic styles.
• Unité d’Habitation of Berlin – Brutalist apartment building (1958) by the famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier.
• Berlin’s Museum Island – This amazing complex connecting five museum buildings is a treat for city planners (and all art enthusiasts).
• Würzburg Residence – This German Baroque-style palace is a feast for your eyes.
• Brandenburg Gate – This Neoclassical monument in Berlin was inside the border of the former Soviet sector during the Cold War. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, this former symbol of division now represented freedom and unity.

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• Language Barriers and Solutions in Cross-Cultural Communication
• Understanding and Using Idiomatic Expressions in Cross-Cultural Contexts
• Norms and Etiquette in Cross-Cultural Communication
• Strategies for Achieving Effective Cross-Cultural Communication in Business
• The Influence of Cultural Backgrounds on Conflict Resolution Styles
• Cross-Cultural Communication in Multinational Corporations
• The Role of Technology in Facilitating Cross-Cultural Communication
• Training Programs for Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication Skills

Cultural identity research paper topics

Cultural identity is when one understands one’s cultural values, ethnic group, social class, etc., as an indispensable part of that culture. Even inside the cultures, there are so-called subcultures that make each one representative of that culture. This diversity ensures all the beauty of our world. 

• The Role of Cultural Identity in Shaping Individual Values and Beliefs
• The Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity
• Exploring Subcultures Within Major Cultural Groups
• The Relationship Between Cultural Identity and Social Class
• Cultural Identity and Its Influence on Personal and Community Behavior
• Preserving Cultural Identity in a Multicultural Society
• The Evolution of Cultural Identity Over Generations
• The Intersection of Cultural Identity and Ethnicity
• Cultural Identity and Its Expression Through Art and Literature
• The Challenges of Maintaining Cultural Identity in Diaspora Communities

Cultural appropriation research paper topics

With cultural diversity, our world will be more interesting to explore. Languages, traditions, customs, and other cultural instances make the world an interesting place to live and explore. Unfortunately, in the modern world, where the border of cultural differences is not that tangible, it has become difficult for many traditions and customs to survive and thrive. 

• The Impact of Cultural Appropriation on Indigenous Traditions
• The Fine Line Between Cultural Exchange and Cultural Appropriation
• The Role of Media in Perpetuating Cultural Appropriation
• The Ethical Implications of Fashion Industry Practices on Cultural Appropriation
• How Cultural Appropriation Affects Language and Communication
• The Influence of Globalization on the Boundaries of Cultural Appropriation
• Case Studies of Cultural Appropriation in Music and Entertainment
• The Effects of Cultural Appropriation on Minority Communities
• Understanding Cultural Appropriation Through the Lens of Social Justice
• Strategies for Promoting Cultural Respect and Sensitivity in a Globalized World

Indigenous cultures research paper topics

Indigenous people used to live and thrive in a specific area that was later colonized by other nations. Indigenous nations include the Inuit, Metis, Navajo, Apache, Aymara Ainu, and Hmong. Unfortunately, most of these cultures have become extinct for various reasons. There are a number of research papers published related to such cultures and factors that led them to extinction. However, the more we learn about those cultures, the more we understand what we have lost and what role those nations had in the ancient world. 

• The Impact of Colonization on Indigenous Cultures and Their Survival
• The Role of Traditional Knowledge in Indigenous Communities
• The Cultural Practices and Beliefs of the Inuit People
• The History and Modern Challenges of the Navajo Nation
• The Apache Tribes: From Ancient Times to the Present
• The Significance of Aymara Culture in South American History
• The Resilience and Cultural Heritage of the Ainu People
• The Hmong Community: Traditions, Migration, and Modern Identity
• The Effects of Modernization on Indigenous Languages
• Preservation Efforts for Indigenous Cultures in the 21st Century

Folklore and mythology research paper topics

Folk music, folk clothing, and myths are unique and mind-blowing examples of cultures. Learning about the nations’ myths and folklore, you may learn what they believed and were afraid of and what superstitions that nation had. 

• The Role of Myths in Shaping Cultural Beliefs and Practices
• Comparative Analysis of Folklore Across Different Cultures
• The Influence of Folk Music on National Identity
• Traditional Folk Clothing and Its Symbolism in Various Cultures
• Common Themes in Global Mythologies: Heroes, Gods, and Monsters
• The Evolution of Superstitions and Their Impact on Modern Society
• Folklore as a Reflection of Societal Values and Fears
• The Preservation of Folklore in the Digital Age
• Mythological Creatures and Their Significance in Cultural Narratives
• The Intersection of Folklore and Rituals in Community Traditions

Globalization’s Impact on Culture Research Paper topics

No matter what we talk or write about, when it comes to nations’ development and cultural differences, it is impossible to avoid discussing the impact of globalization. The more we study the latter’s influence, the more we see how destructive globalization can be for some cultures. 

• The Role of Globalization in the Erosion of Traditional Cultural Practices
• The Influence of Globalization on Language Preservation and Loss
• How Globalization Affects Indigenous Cultures and Communities
• The Impact of Global Media on Local Cultural Identity
• Globalization and the Homogenization of Cultural Practices
• The Effects of Globalization on Cultural Diversity and Heritage
• The Balance Between Cultural Exchange and Cultural Appropriation in a Globalized World
• The Role of Technology in Spreading and Transforming Cultural Norms
• Case Studies of Cultural Resilience in the Face of Globalization
• Strategies for Protecting and Promoting Cultural Heritage Amid Globalization

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German Language and Literature: Articles, and Journals

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Bibliographical Resources

• Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach-und Literaturwissenschaft An international bibliography of German literature and literary studies. The period from 1985 to the present is available online via the link above. For prior years consult the print edition available in Sterling (Starr Main Reference Room, Call Number Z2231 B53).
• Germanistik Online Datenbank Germanistik is the central international journal on the study of German Language and Literature. 50 years of German philology - the history of the discipline both systematized and critically reviewed in more than 60,000 abstracts - are available online and fully searchable.
• MLA International Bibliography Classified listing and subject index of scholarly books and articles on modern languages, literatures, folklore, and linguistics which has been compiled by the Modern Language Association of America since 1926
• Verfasser-Datenbank Over 13,400 lexicon articles on authors of German literature, ranging from the very beginnings to the present, are cross-linked in the database and their content can be accessed in a targeted manner using differentiated search criteria.

Core full text databases in German Studies at Yale

• DigiZeitschriften (German digital journal archive) A German JSTOR of sorts, providing full-text access to back runs of German journals in a wide range of humanistic disciplines: Anglistik, Bibliothekswesen, Geowissenschaften, Germanistik, Geschichte, Naturwissenschaften, Neuere Philologien, Rechtswissenschaft, Romanistik, Soziologie, Wirtschaftswissenschaften. more... less... Much like JSTOR, DigiZeitschriften provides the full text from the journal's inception to a date determined either by the journal's demise or a "moving wall," which is a year determined by the publisher, after which they do not make the full text available to DigiZeitschriften.
• Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek (EZB) A service provided and maintained by the University Library of Regensburg. It provides access to many German-language journal titles and to the full text of some, though not all, scholarly articles.
• German Literature Collection German Literature Collections brings together six individual German literature resources: Goethes Werke, Schillers Werke, Kafkas Werke, Brechts Werke, Die Deutsche Lyrik, and Bibliothek deutscher Klassiker (digital versions of titles from the Deutscher Klassiker Verlag). You may search in one collection, or across multiple collections simultaneously.
• Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, digitale Bibliothek: Zeitungen The Digital Library of the Berlin State Library provides access to numerous German-language historical newspapers, from the 19th Century to the 1940s. The emphasis of the database is on historical Prussian newspapers, but titles include Turkish immigrant newspapers, as well as German-language newspapers from Turkey and Argentina from the 1940s, as well as Colonial-era newspapers from East Africa. Titles included in the Digital Library are also accessible through the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB). more... less... The Berlin State Library also recently launched ZEFYS, a portal for finding and using current, as well as historical newspapers from Germany and all over the world.
• ZEFYS A product of the Berlin State Library's Digital Library (see above). ZEFYS is a new portal for finding and using current, as well as historical newspapers from Germany and all over the world.
• Zeitschriften Datenbank (German Union Catalogue of Serials) In the ZDB, you will find serial titles, newspapers, databases, yearbooks etc., in short, everything that was and is being published periodically in printed or electronic form and that is available in German and Austrian libraries. On the European level access to digitized newspapers will be constantly expanded.

Select Journals in German Studies

Links to current holdings of key journals in German studies. If current issue is electronic only that link is provided, but we may also have in print (especially for the older volumes). Please search in Orbis by journal title or ISSN.

• Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte
• Germanic Review
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• Monatshefte
• New German Critique
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Literary reviews of German literature

Humanities Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte (H-Soz-u-Kult): Rezensionen is a communication and discussion platform for historians in  German-speaking countries. Among other things, it offers reviews of books, films and exhibitions on topics dealing with Germany's social and cultural history. Reviews are listed by publication date, but the interface will also let you limit your search by topic, historical era, and/or region.

IASL online provides online reviews in German on publications about German literature and culture. 

Lirez : Literaturwissenschaftliche Rezensionen is an online portal of book reviews and literary criticism relating to German literature, published by the Ludwig Maximilians Universität München. The Home Page links to reviews published within the last thirty days and users can also search for reviews by date, author considered, and the review's writer. As well as categories covering specific historical periods, other categories include: drama; historical semantics; criminality and the media; the psychology of literature; literary theory; and travel literature.

Literaturkritik.de: Rezensionsforum für Literatur und für Kulturwissenschaft is a free monthly publication that provides full-text online access to academic reviews of thousands of new releases on literary and cultural topics. The latest issue can be found here , but one can also browse through the archive of older issues, available here

SEHEPUNKTE . Reviews of History and Humanities (Geisteswissenschaften)

New books in German online is the electronic version of a bi-annual magazine which presents reviews of new titles in German. An independent committee of translators, literary scholars and representatives of the book trade choose the titles, which cover fiction, cultural studies, history, and writing for children. The reviews may be browsed alphabetically by author. Although the site is mainly aimed at British and American publishers, since these titles are particularly recommended for translation into English, it is of interest to graduate researchers and teachers and lecturers of German who require information on current developments in German literature.

Rezensionen online is   provided by the Österreichisches Bibliothekswerk (Forum of Catholic libraries in Austria). It includes an extensive collection of book reviews, mostly of literature acquired by Austrian public libraries.  

In addition, many of the leading German Studies journals, as well as some German newspapers and magazines (e.g. Kultur-Spiegel online , Die Zeit ) constantly publish book reviews on German literature.

Graduate student journals in German Studies

Edge (University of Massachusetts Amherst)

Focus on German Studies (University of Cincinnati)

New German Review (UCLA)

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Philanthropy Report 2020/21

Advancing our understanding of German culture

The study of German language, literature and culture is thriving at Oxford thanks to support from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation and Lidl GB.

As an undergraduate student at the University of Munich, Sophie Forst became fascinated with the Enlightenment: the period of rigorous scientific, political and philosophical discourse that characterised European culture in the late 17th and 18th centuries. As her course drew to a close, she knew she wanted to continue exploring the subject at graduate level and so applied to study for an MSt in Modern Languages (German) at Oxford.

‘Central to the Enlightenment is the notion of reason, because, by its public use – as the philosopher Immanuel Kant argues – humanity can progress. It’s the idea that humans can overcome errors in their thinking by identifying them, and by using reason in the right way,’ explains native German speaker Sophie. ‘It’s a very inspiring epoch that led to major social innovations, and Oxford has a great European Enlightenment programme, so it just seemed like it fitted perfectly.’

Sophie took up her place in the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages in September 2020, and in doing so joined one of the world’s leading centres for the study of German language, literature and culture. German studies have long been an important part of intellectual life at Oxford, with the language first taught at the University more than 100 years ago. Today, the sub-faculty of German provides students with an extensive grounding in German culture, covering medieval writing through to contemporary literature, language and film.

Over the past year, Sophie has chosen to focus her own research on the aesthetic theory of the European Enlightenment, which she describes as ‘a philosophical reflection on literature’. This saw her primarily study dramatic texts from the period, including those of German playwright, poet and philosopher Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805). ‘Schiller has an anthropological approach and asks what we can learn about human beings and their moral potentials. He looks closely at how people act and why and reflects on it in his theoretical writings and in his dramatic oeuvre ,’ explains Sophie.

As well as being of great historical importance, Sophie says that the Enlightenment also has relevance in the present day. ‘The claims that Enlightenment makes and the virtues it wants us to have, like to be moral according to universal norms, to be tolerant… we still have to live up to them today. Enlightenment hasn’t stopped; it’s a project that is not finished – including criticising its own limitations. Studying it has definitely taught me a lot about people and made me more reflective in thinking about the core questions of the world.’

Thinking deeply about German language, literature and philosophy, and what it can tell us about German culture and its global impacts, is a core component of studying the subject at graduate level. However, German language studies are currently under threat in universities across Europe, with many departments having closed in the UK in the last ten years.

Recent philanthropic support has been crucial in enabling Oxford to work towards stemming this rapid decline, and in doing so, helping the discipline to thrive once again. Earlier this year, a donation from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation secured the future of the Taylor Chair of the German Language and Literature: a prestigious academic position that plays a leading role in international German studies.

Another significant source of support for German at Oxford has been Lidl GB. In 2018, to enhance German language teaching and provide opportunities for talented young linguists, the supermarket chain funded a series of scholarships and prizes for students studying German in the faculty. Sophie was awarded a fully funded Lidl Graduate Scholarship for her master’s degree, which she describes as ‘essential’ in enabling her to take up her place at the University.

‘Lidl’s support is very important for the future of German studies,’ says Sophie, who recently completed her MSt course with a Distinction. ‘It’s been a privilege to have had this scholarship and I’m incredibly thankful for it.’

‘I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to come here to pursue my master’s degree. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it’ Sophie Forst

Sophie’s experience of studying German at Oxford has been eye opening. Particularly notable, she says, is the way in which she was encouraged to think more broadly about the subject she had come to love as an undergraduate. ‘This is a great place to work in an interdisciplinary way. The professors encourage us to look beyond our subject. And they support us with our ideas, even if they are risky and we don’t know if they will work out.’

Sophie also greatly valued the academic community she encountered at her college, Balliol, as well as the high level of interdisciplinary exchange between fellows and students there.

Studying German literature from the perspective of another language is something that Sophie relished, having not done it before coming to Oxford. ‘I feel like it has made me more reflective,’ she says. ‘The structure of the English language is different from German, so I think it changes your argument. I think it even changes the structure of your thinking. It’s very exciting, and I only discovered it when I got here.’

Sophie enjoyed her time as a master’s student so much that she decided to apply for a DPhil in the faculty. She began her doctoral studies in October, focusing on moral and social progress in the philosophical, literary and aesthetic discourse of the Enlightenment. ‘I think Oxford is the best place for this project so I’m very happy to be able to do it here,’ she says. ‘It’s really inspiring: the people, the place and the institution. I’m so glad to have had the Lidl Graduate Scholarship, which has made everything possible.’

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Interdisciplinary German Cultural Studies

• Edited by: Irene Kacandes

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• CAREER GUIDE
• 27 March 2019

An introduction to the complexities of the German research scene

• Hristio Boytchev 0

Hristio Boytchev is a journalist in Berlin.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

You have full access to this article via your institution.

A trainee from the Fraunhofer Institute checks plastic fibre at a research and development centre in Wolfsburg, Germany. Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty

Raúl Rojas, an artificial-intelligence researcher at the Free University of Berlin, came to Germany from Mexico more than 35 years ago. “I wanted to study in Europe, and Germany seemed like an interesting place, especially Berlin,” he says. “I came to do my PhD at the Free University but never planned to stay here.” However, before even completing his doctorate, Rojas was hired by the GMD National Research Center for Information Technology to work on machine learning. “One contract led to another, and before you realize, you’ve built your career in another country.”

Nature Career Guide: Germany

A lot has changed since Rojas arrived in West Germany in 1982, a country that would exist only for another seven years until the fall of the Berlin Wall. “There were not many researchers from other countries [back then]; that has changed now,” he says.

Germany offers a vast and varied research landscape, with more than 1,000 public and publicly funded science and research institutions. Among them are more than 300 universities. In contrast to other countries — such as the United Kingdom with the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford, or the United States with its Ivy League schools — the best research isn’t clustered in just one or two exceptional institutes. “There are good universities in all of the German states,” Rojas says.

High-quality research takes place even in smaller, less well-known places. In the town of Jena in the east of Germany, for example, research on photonics and optics is clustered. Dresden is becoming a centre for biomedical research, and some of the oldest and most prestigious universities are situated in smaller cities such as Heidelberg, Würzburg, Freiburg and Göttingen.

Source: Eurostat

“A weakness is maybe the fact that the amount of resources available for university projects is much higher in elite American universities,” Rojas adds. “Only the Max Planck Institutes in Germany can compete with those.”

The Max Planck Society is a network of institutes that focus on basic research. Although publicly funded, the society operates independently of the government. The institutes are a prominent example of the fact that in Germany, strong research is often conducted outside universities. Additional examples of this include the Helmholtz Association, which focuses on large-scale, infrastructure-intensive projects such as aeronautic development, and the Fraunhofer Society, which combines basic and applied research. Other important public institutions include the federal academies of sciences and humanities, academic societies (which in particular fund research in the humanities) and institutions that work directly for the government, such as the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, w hich focuses on disease control and prevention.

In 2016, public and private investment in research and development (R&D) in Germany came to more than €92 billion (US$105 billion) — or more than €1,000 per capita. Only the United States, China and Japan invested more. In terms of R&D spending relative to gross domestic product, Germany is seventh in the world.

Source: Federal Ministry of Education and Research

The country’s product-innovation sector generated a turnover of €719 billion in 2016, more than 12% of the most-cited scientific papers are produced in Germany and the nation ranks highly for innovation.

The German federal and state governments finance almost 30% of research. The government also provides direct, short- to medium-term funding for specific research projects and research conducted at federal research institutions, as well as for large-scale research projects in aviation, space, marine and nuclear research. Germany’s main funding body is the German Research Organization (DFG), which is financed by the German states and the federal government but works as a self-governed body. In 2017, it had a funding budget of €3.2 billion.

The remaining two-thirds of German R&D funding comes from the private sector. A major proportion of this goes into the manufacturing industries — automotive manufacture alone receives nearly 35% of industry funding.

Finding a lab to call your own

The generous funding helps to ameliorate one of the traditional weaknesses of the German research system — its comparative lack of permanent positions.

“The German university system is very hierarchical”, Rojas says. “There are not many tenured academic positions; only professors have a position for life.” The small number of permanent senior positions means that late-career-stage scientists should be prepared to look for research opportunities in industry, he adds.

Source: Federal Statistics Office

In 2017, research by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research revealed that around 93% of non-professorial academic staff at German universities were on fixed-term contracts, and about half of those contracts were shorter than one year. Historically, tenure-track positions have not generally featured in the German university system. Although there have been initiatives to introduce more permanent positions over the past two decades, the proportion of such job openings still falls well short of that in other countries with more well-established tenure-track systems.

This is one of the reasons why computational biologist Uwe Ohler decided to temporarily leave Germany. In 2002, Ohler completed his PhD at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, but after that, the more interesting projects in his field — as well as the possibility of a tenure-track position — lured him to the United States. “There is a lack of young independent positions with long-term perspectives in Germany”, Ohler says. Many faculties and institutes in Germany are still hierarchical in their organization, and junior principal investigator positions are on limited-term contracts. “In my experience, institutions may advertise positions that appear to offer scientists a tenure track, but the contractual fine print can reveal they are not equivalent to the secure positions available in the United States, for example.”

After 10 years in the United States, and from a tenured position, Ohler decided to come back to Germany as a professor at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, a research institute of the Helmholtz Association. Senior positions in Germany have advantages, he says. In particular, he notes that his basic funding for staff is higher than in the United States, making it possible to have a larger group paid for by the institute without exclusively relying on finding further research grants.

But although Ohler is German, it took him some time to adapt to the system after he returned to the country. “I made myself answer e-mails in English, so people would think I wasn’t German and help explain the system to me,” he says. “Learning how it works takes some time for outsiders.”

In the end, however, Ohler thinks that communicating in German is crucial for those looking to stay in the country for the long term. “It’s tough to get a university teaching position if you don’t speak the language. So my advice is to get practising early on.”

Nature 567 , S34-S35 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00910-7

This article is part of Nature Career Guide: Germany , an editorially independent supplement. Advertisers have no influence over the content.

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German Studies: A Research Guide: German History

• Reference Sources
• Periodical Indexes
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• German Literature
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Resources for German History

English language.

• American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies (ABSEES) online Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1989- . ABSEES covers North American scholarship on East-Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and contains bibliographic citations for journal articles, books, book chapters, book reviews, dissertations and selected government publications.
• Fembio Institüt für Frauen-Biographieforschung. Biographies primarily in German. English-language interface also available. The database Notable Women International contains biographical information on more than 30,000 women worldwide. For now, 600 of them are searchable on this website, accumulated since 1982 by Luise F. Pusch. Each record contains name, dates and places of birth and death, and nationality plus, if possible, additional information on the woman's life and work, and a list of sources for further research.
• Historical Abstracts Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1998- This historical periodical database includes annotated references to the history of the world from 1450 to the present (excluding the U.S. and Canada which are covered in America: History and Life). Covers over 2,000 journals, including historical journals from almost every country and selections of journals in the social sciences and humanities for researchers and students of history.
• International Medieval Bibliography. Leeds, England: W.S. Maney, 1967- . Indexes articles, notes, and similar literature on medieval subjects in journals, Festschriften, conference proceedings, and collected essays. Covers all aspects of medieval studies within the date range of 400 to 1500 for the entire continent of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa for the period before the Muslim conquest and parts of those areas subsequently controlled by Christian powers. Includes more than 300,000 articles published 1967- , all of which are fully classified by date, subject and location.
• Iter: Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance Toronto: Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies of the University of Toronto, 1996- . A bibliographic database of interdisciplinary journal literature pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance, 400-1700. Includes articles, reviews, bibliographies, catalogs, editions, abstracts, discographies, and notes.
• Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia New York: Garland, 2001. Olin Library Reference DD 126 .M43x 2001 Nearly 650 alphabetically-arranged entries cover German- and Dutch-speaking Europe from A.D. 500 to 1500. Articles cover "major persons, places, historical occurrences, artistic and technological accomplishments, intellectual developments, and daily life." Among the topics covered are Carmina Burana, Gardens and gardening, Hanseatic League, Heraldry, Jews, Meistersinger, Pregnancy and childbirth, and Printing press. There are also entries for persons and places, from the Carolingian capital Aachen to the Cistercian monastery Zwettl. Entries vary in length from a paragraph or two to 20 pages. Articles were written to be accessible to the nonspecialist as well as the scholar, and bibliographies cite English-language sources whenever possible. [ Booklist ]
• Periodical Contents Index: PCI Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey. Covers 1770-1993. Index to thousands of periodicals in the humanities and social sciences, covering each periodical from its first issue. Every article is indexed. The scope is international, including journals in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages.
• Topic Guides: Germany Chicago: Center for Research Libraries (CRL). Mainly access to extensive primary sources from before World War II. See also CRL's guide to their resources on Germany from the spring 2008 issue of their Focus newsletter.
• Web of Science Core Collection (Includes Arts & Humanities Citation Index, 1975 to date). Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information. A multidisciplinary index to over 1,200 leading international arts and humanities journals. It includes journal articles, letters, editorials, notes, meeting abstracts, discussions, poems, short stories, plays, musical scores, excerpts from books, and bibliographies. It is unique in that it allows the user to trace cited references, i.e., you can locate all articles published in a given year that cited a key article on your topic. Use the "More Settings" menu to limit searching to the Arts & Humanities Citation Index.

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• Historische Bibliographie Online (AHF) Munich: Oldenbourg. Die Datenbank zur Geschichte Die Datenbank Historische Bibliographie der Berichtsjahre seit 1990 umfasst über 145.000 bibliographische Einträge der in Deutschland sowie im deutschsprachigen Ausland erschienenen historischen Bücher, deutsche sowie fremdsprachige Zeitschriftenaufsätze, Beiträtge aus Sammelwerken und sonstige Verötffentlichungen. Sie wird ergänzt durch ütber 10.000 Einträtge in Bearbeitung befindlicher Forschungsarbeiten aus dem "Jahrbuch der historischen Forschung." Index to research projects and academic publications by German researchers and research institutions in humanities. Covers 1990-2013.
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Resources for: German Language and Literature

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• MLA International Bibliography Use the MLA International Bibliography to find scholarly books and articles on modern languages, literatures, folklore, and linguistics. This index has been compiled by the Modern Language Association of America since 1926.
• Oxford Companion to German Literature Covers German-language literature from the eighth century throught the mid-1990s. Has short, non-detailed articles with few bibliographical references. Includes authors, titles, themes, and characters.

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• Dictionary of Literary Biography This link opens in a new window Provides biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. Includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series. Search by full-text keyword, author, topic, volume title, publication date, or DLB series. more... less... Coverage varies by title. This is not an active subscription. All available content has been previously purchased by University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
• Cambridge History of German literature (1997) eBook. Describes German literary history up to the unification of Germany in 1990. The book is designed for general readers as well as students and scholars: titles and quotations are translated, and there is an extensive bibliography. Also available in print
• German literature: a very short introduction eBook. Traces German literature from the late Middle Ages to the present, focusing especially on the last 250 years.
• Beolingus German dictionary Online bilingual dictionaries from German-English/English-German and other languages
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Selected Journals in German Literary Studies

• Amsterdamer Beiträge Zur Neueren Germanistik German and English language essays on topics in German literature and culture
• ANNO: Austrian Newspapers Online A digitization initiative of the Austrian National Library making available online historical Austrian (German language) newspapers and magazines
• Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und Literatur (recent issues) 1874 (vol. 1) through 1995 available at DigiZeitschriften
• DDR-Presse (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) Search through 40 years of East German history as printed in the pages of Neues Deutschland, Neue Zeit, and Berliner Zeitung. Registration required
• DigiZeitschriften Collection of German periodicals considered to be among the most important in the following areas of research: Anglistik, Buch- / Bibliothekswesen, Geowissenschaften, Germanistik, Geschichte, Kunst, Mathematik, Musikwissenschaft, Naturwissenschaften, Neuere Philologien, Rechtswissenschaften, Romanistik, Soziologie, and Wirtschaftswissenschaften
• Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek Provides access to many German-language journal titles in numerous subjects with various degrees of full-text access
• The German Quarterly Publishes articles in literary and cultural studies. Also included are book reviews and special reports and forums
• German Studies Review Scholarly journal of the German Studies Association, covering history, literature, culture studies, political science, and interdisciplinary topics
• GiNDok - Open Access für die Germanistik Searchable database to open access Germanistic research texts
• Glossen (onliine journal) Online peer-reviewed scholarly journal on literature, film, and art in German-speaking countries after 1945. Articles, poetry, and prose, written in either German or English
• IASLonline Online edition of the journal Das Internationale Archiv für Sozialgeschichte der deutschen Literatur (International Archive for the Social History of German Literature). Features both theoretical articles on German literature and detailed reviews of recently published books on the same topics
• JSTOR Provides full-text access for more than 1,450 scholarly journals in language and literature, history, and many other humanities and social sciences disciplines. Coverage is generally from 1900-2000, and there is a three- to five-year moving wall embargo for new content
• Liste deutschsprachiger Literaturzeitschriften Wikipedia listing
• Monatshefte Published by the University of Wisconsin Press, this is the oldest continuing journal of German Studies in the U.S. Available online
• New German Critique Covers 20th century political and social theory, philosophy, literature, film, media and art
• Perspicuitas: Internet-Periodikum fuer mediaevistische Sprach- , Literatur- , und Kulturwissenschaft German-language collection of articles, bibliographies, reviews, project announcements, and other scholarly material dealing with medieval German language, literature, and culture. Although it calls itself a "Periodikum", it has neither numbered issues nor a regular schedule: instead, new material that has passed the scrutiny of its editorial board is simply posted when ready
• Rethinking ‘Minor Literatures – Contemporary Jewish Women’s Writing in Germany and Austria A feature of Modern Languages Open this collection "seeks to unmoor German-language Jewish writing from the narrowly defined context of national literatures in which it is often discussed, in an attempt to open it up to considerations around transnational and world literatures"
• Seminar A journal of Germanic studies
• text + kritik Devoted to 20th-century literature, film and music in Germany, Austria, and other German-speaking regions of Europe. Each issue is focused on a different theme or one specific German-language writer
• Transit: A Journal of Travel, Migration and Multiculturalism in the German-speaking World A web-based, refereed, multimedia production originating from the Department of German at the University of California, Berkeley, Transit features articles in all disciplines investigating cultural production, including literature, history, theater, linguistics, social sciences, anthropology, political science, geography, cultural studies, art history, philosophy, religious studies, visual culture, and film studies and the arts
• Viceversa Literatur. Jahrbuch der Schweizer Literaturen Yearbook of Swiss literature includes essays and author profiles. As of 2015, not easily discoverable via article databases; click here for contents of issues
• Zeitschrift für Interkulturelle Germanistik Recognizing that interculturalism as a leading and innovative category of research both in national and international German language and literature studies, this publication provides a scientific forum to discuss research activities in this field
• Zeitschriften der deutschen Aufklärung Full-text access to German journals from the Age of Enlightenment (18th-19th centuries), a digitization project of Georg Olms Verlag and the University of Bielefeld

Graduate Student Journals in German Studies

• Edge University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Focus on German Studies University of Cincinnati
• New German Review UCLA
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About the German research landscape

The German research landscape

2021, 86 pages

German inventions have changed people´s lives. At the same time, research and development are what keep a successful economy going. This brochure shows who is behind this: universities and research institutes, Federal and state institutions and companies committed to research. Enjoy discovering the German research landscape!

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Funding your research in Germany

2023-2024, 80 pages

A selection of funding programmes for German and foreign academics run by the most important research funding institutions. Target group: international students, graduates, post-docs and academics interested in a research stay in Germany.

Research careers in Germany – A guide for international postdocs and experienced researchers

2020, 40 pages

This brochure outlines the career opportunities Germany offers international postdocs and experienced researchers. It provides information on the different ways to become a leading scientist.

Doing a PhD in Germany

2019, 40 pages

This booklet for (prospective) international doctoral students presents the different options for doing a doctorate in Germany. It explains the formal requirements and gives some practical advice on finding the right supervisor or doctoral programme. It also outlines different sponsorship and funding options.

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Research in Germany - AI Research

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Are you interested in studying, pursuing your PhD or getting cooperation partners in the field of Neurosciences in Germany? We invite you to explore the many opportunities available to you in Germany. This brochure provides students, early career researchers and partners from abroad with information to find places of interest and potential cooperation partners in their specific field of Neurosciences.

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• DigiZeitschriften: das deutsche digitale Zeitschriftenarchiv This link opens in a new window Scores of searchable, full-text German scholarly journals, 19th century to present, covering arts, humanities, sciences & social sciences.
• IBZ (International Bibliography of Periodical Literature) This link opens in a new window Internationale Bibliographie der geistes- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Zeitschriftenliteratur, a multilingual bibliography that indexes over 8,700 periodicals primarily in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
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• Index Islamicus Indexes materials on the Muslim world 1906-present. Covers arts & humanities, history and social sciences topics. Especially good coverage of Turkish issues in Germany. more... less... Indexes materials on Islam, the Middle East, and the entire Muslim world from periodicals, monographs, and other collections in European languages. Includes coverage arts & humanities, history and social sciences topics. Covers publications 1906-present. Especially good coverage of Arab and Turkish issues in Germany.
• PAIS International Contains citations from journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, research and conference reports, publications of international agencies, microfiche, Internet material, etc. concerning public affairs worldwide, 1972-present.
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Call for Papers: Special Issue "Environmental Imagination and German Culture"

The topic of this Special Issue of Humanities concerns itself with the shape of the environmental imagination in German culture and its historical and rhetorical dimensions, ethical and philosophical concerns, and aesthetic framings. The visual paradigm is the dominant mode of perceiving nature. As a consequence, many cultural documents stress the scenic element where nature is put on display for gazing onlookers. Contributions to this Special Issue are encouraged to reflect critically on this tradition.

Another important part of the environmental imagination in German culture is its origin in discovery and colonial fantasies. We owe the emergence of the modern environmental imagination to the encounter of the European male subject with the radical other, the non-European, and the radically different nature which in the process of translation is often rendered pleasing to the European eye. Contributions are encouraged to reflect critically on this process of domestication as well.

Papers are also encouraged to reflect on narrating and depicting environmental degradation and on the state and history of human relations with non-humans. How do German authors imagine scenes of environmental threat? What happens when we encounter scenes of dirty nature, when garbage enters the Garden Eden, when chemical bacteria pollute the water supply, when tourists populate small remote Alpine villages, when the effects of climate change and/or rampant extinction of nature-culture are addressed in literary texts, films, documentaries, and art? Essays are encouraged to address these challenges and reflect on the poetic strategies, entanglements, and adaptations for scenes of environmental encounters. Comparative and global perspectives are welcome.

Prof. Sabine Wilke Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website . Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form . Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Special Issue "Environmental Imagination and German Culture"

A special issue of Humanities (ISSN 2076-0787)

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Exploring Global Cultures: Topics for Your Next Cultural Research Paper

Table of contents

• 1 How to Choose a Cultural Research Topic to Write About 
• 2.1 Cultural Diversity Research Topics
• 2.2 Anthropology Research Topics
• 2.3 Subculture Study Ideas
• 2.4 Heritage and Preservation Studies
• 2.5 Identity Research Topics
• 2.6 Socio-Cultural Essay Ideas
• 2.7 Psychology Research Topics
• 2.8 Western Civilization Essay Ideas
• 2.9 Cross-Cultural Study Topics
• 2.10 Stereotypes and Misconceptions Studies

Cultural research papers are a gateway to exploring the intricate web of human societies and their diverse practices. Such papers cover a broad range of cultural analysis topics, each offering a unique perspective on how communities shape and are shaped by their civilizational norms and values. 

Whether it’s delving into the realms of cultural diversity topics, examining cross-cultural psychological patterns, or investigating specific phenomena, these subjects provide a rich ground for academic inquiry. 

Research topics on culture not only deepen our understanding of human interactions and beliefs but also highlight the importance of nuances in shaping societal dynamics. Engaging and informative, they encourage a deeper exploration of the ethical fabric that weaves together the global human experience, making them both fascinating and essential for a comprehensive understanding of the world.

How to Choose a Cultural Research Topic to Write About 

Choosing a topic for a cultural research paper is a strategic and thoughtful process. Start by identifying your interests in this vast field. Are you fascinated by cross cultural psychology research topics, intrigued by diverse communication practices, or curious about specific cultural phenomenon topics? Pinpointing an area that genuinely interests you is crucial for sustained engagement with your research.

• Consider the scope of your chosen topic. Aim for a balance, selecting a specific subject to be manageable yet broad enough to provide ample material for exploration. For instance, within the realm of cultural psychology research topics, you might focus on how different civilizations perceive mental health.
• Ensure there is sufficient information available. Conduct preliminary research to confirm the availability of resources and data. This step is vital, especially for topics like social analysis or cultural diversity, where empirical evidence is key to a robust paper.
• Think about the relevance and originality of your topic. Strive to contribute new insights or perspectives, particularly in fields like anthropology, where there is always room for fresh interpretations of ethical phenomena.
• Lastly, consider the academic and societal implications of your topic. Select a subject that not only adds value to academic discourse but also has the potential to enlighten and inform broader societal understanding, like studies in diversity or society communication practices. This approach ensures that your work is intellectually fulfilling and socially impactful.

Need help with research paper writing? Get your paper written by a professional writer Get Help Reviews.io 4.9/5

List of Cultural Research Paper Topics

Embarking on an ethnic research journey opens doors to a world of interesting anthropology research topics. From the complicated field of cross-cultural psychology to the beautiful tapestry of diversity, these cultural topics for research paper cover various areas related to anthropology, communication, and social phenomena, giving you a wide range of interesting culture to research.

Cultural Diversity Research Topics

• Language’s Role in Shaping Identity Across Cultures
• Norms Comparison: Eastern and Western Societies
• Indigenous Civilizations’ Response to Globalization
• Diversity in the Workplace: Opportunities and Challenges
• Media Representation of Varied Societies and its Effects
• Multiculturalism’s Evolution in Urban Environments
• Educational Systems’ Approach to Global Diversity
• Music’s Influence on Ethnical Integration
• Culinary Traditions as a Reflection of Societal Diversity
• Festivals as a Platform for Promoting Diversity

Anthropology Research Topics

• Varied Traditions of Healing in Global Civilizations
• Marriage Customs Across Different Societies
• Kinship and Family Structures: An Anthropological View
• Societal Responses to Natural Disasters: A Comparative Study
• Local Cultures’ Adaptation to Tourism
• Birth and Death Rituals in Diverse Societies
• Religion: Beliefs and Practices Worldwide
• Technology’s Impact on Traditional Societal Roles
• Non-Western Perspectives on Time
• Clothing and Adornment from an Anthropological Lens

Subculture Study Ideas

• Hip-Hop’s Social Influence and Evolution
• Cyberpunk: Blending Technology and Aesthetic
• Skateboarding’s Cultural Journey
• LGBTQ+ Community’s Internal Subcultures
• Gaming’s Social and Cultural Impact
• Punk Fashion and Identity
• Coffee Culture’s Shift from Niche to Mainstream
• Teen Subcultures in the Age of Social Media
• Green Movements: Environmental Awareness as a Subculture
• Fitness Trends and Digital Age Subcultures

Heritage and Preservation Studies

• Ancient Manuscripts’ Digitization for Heritage Preservation
• Museums’ Role in Protecting Ethnical Legacies
• Intangible Heritage Threats in the Modern Era
• Historic Sites’ Architectural Conservation
• War’s Effects on World Heritage
• Indigenous Languages and Oral Traditions’ Preservation
• Heritage Tourism: Balancing Benefits and Risks
• Legal Strategies for Heritage Protection
• Traditional Arts and Crafts Revival
• Post-Colonial Societies’ Heritage Perspectives

Identity Research Topics

• Diaspora’s Impact on Identity Formation
• Bicultural Existence in a Globalized Era
• Art’s Reflection of Societal Identity
• Language Loss and its Effect on Identity
• Social Media Influences on Youth Identity
• Fashion as a Cultural Expression Tool
• Gastronomy’s Role in Defining Societal Identity
• Race and Identity Intersections
• Second-Generation Immigrants’ Identity Challenges
• Popular Culture’s Influence on National Identity

Socio-Cultural Essay Ideas

• Bilingualism and Multilingualism’s Societal Effects
• Gender Roles: A Global Cultural Comparison
• Mass Migration’s Social Impact
• Social Hierarchies: A Global Cultural Analysis
• Global Economic Inequality’s Cultural Dimensions
• Social Media as a Cultural Change Agent
• Urbanization’s Societal Consequences
• Religion’s Influence on Socio-Cultural Norms
• Aging Populations and Societal Shifts
• Education’s Influence on Societal Values

Psychology Research Topics

• Superstitions’ Psychological Underpinnings in Various Societies
• Emotional Expression: A Cross-Cultural Study
• Decision-Making Influences Across Cultures
• Childhood Development in Diverse Environments
• Personality Shaping through Societal Norms
• Mental Health Approaches in Different Societies
• Immigrant Families and Acculturation Challenges
• Resolving Ethnical Conflicts: A Psychological Perspective
• Behavioral Norms’ Cultural Foundations
• Cultural Communication Practices Paper Proposal: Human Motivation from a Global Perspective

Western Civilization Essay Ideas

• The Renaissance’s Influence on Western Civilization
• Democracy’s Roots in Ancient Greece and Rome
• Industrial Revolution’s Societal Transformations
• Christianity’s Impact on Western Societies
• Philosophical Foundations of Modern Western Thought
• Enlightenment’s Role in Modernity Shaping
• Western Art Evolution from Baroque to Modernism
• Western Societies’ Ecological Footprint
• Colonial Legacy in Western History
• Science’s Progression in Western Context

Cross-Cultural Study Topics

• Work Ethic Comparisons Across Societies
• Effective Communication in Diverse Settings
• Leading in Multicultural Environments
• Love and Marriage: Global Insights
• Parenting Styles’ Ethnical Variations
• International Business Adaptations
• Health Practices: A Global View
• Educational Systems: International Comparisons
• Negotiation Styles in Diverse Contexts
• Eldercare Approaches in Different Civilizations

Stereotypes and Misconceptions Studies

• Hollywood’s Role in Perpetuating Stereotypes
• Racial Stereotypes’ Origins and Impacts
• Gender Assumptions in Societal Contexts
• Media’s Influence in Stereotype Formation
• Stereotypes in International Diplomacy
• Misconceptions’ Psychological Aspects
• Socioeconomic Assumptions in Urban Life
• Stereotyping in Educational Environments
• Youth Culture’s Battle with Stereotypes
• Society’s Age-Related Assumptions and Realities

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