archives@tulane.edu / 0 / Marjorie Rawle

In the 1980s Rainer Werner Fassbinders Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod (1976) and Thomas Bernhard’s Heldenplatz (1988) caused two of the biggest theatre scandals in the history of German-language literature, leading to extensive debates in the media. A comparative examination of the “Fassbinder-Kontroversen” (1976, 1984, 1985) and the “Causa Heldenplatz” (1988) reveals many crucial similarities. Both scandals must be understood within their historical and political context. Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod was highly criticized as an anti-Semitic play, while Heldenplatz was said to slander crassly the Austrian people. Bernhard was also attacked for using Jews in a way which could reinforce latent anti-Semitic sentiments. This thesis questions such premises for their reductive readings of these texts. Bernhard’s Heldenplatz can certainly be perceived as a play that was made to be scandal-provoking. Sigmund Freud’s and William G. Niederland’s theories on trauma, however, can lead to a deeper understanding of the text beyond the obvious level of provocation. Most commentary on the play criticizes it for portraying Jews as psychically diseased. My claim, by contrast, is that their neuroticism or traumatization should not be interpreted as limiting the political validity of their comments, but rather as an essential aspect of their protest against Austria’s repression of its involvement in Nazi crimes. Like Heldenplatz, Fassbinder’s Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod can be seen as a text that refutes the denial that there is no anti-Semitism in post-war German-speaking societies. The difference is that Fassbinder deals with the traumatization of his characters counter-intuitively, namely, by introducing the ironic, distancing effects of camp. In her essay „Notes on ‚Camp‘“, Susan Sontag claims that camp “sees everything in quotation marks”. An analysis of Fassbinder’s play reveals it to be a montage of citations and stereotypes. He thereby deconstructs and denounces stereotypes about Jews.

In the 1980s Rainer Werner Fassbinders Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod (1976) and Thomas Bernhard’s Heldenplatz (1988) caused two of the biggest theatre scandals in the history of German-language literature, leading to extensive debates in the media. A comparative examination of the “Fassbinder-Kontroversen” (1976, 1984, 1985) and the “Causa Heldenplatz” (1988) reveals many crucial similarities. Both scandals must be understood within their historical and political context. Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod was highly criticized as an anti-Semitic play, while Heldenplatz was said to slander crassly the Austrian people. Bernhard was also attacked for using Jews in a way which could reinforce latent anti-Semitic sentiments. This thesis questions such premises for their reductive readings of these texts. Bernhard’s Heldenplatz can certainly be perceived as a play that was made to be scandal-provoking. Sigmund Freud’s and William G. Niederland’s theories on trauma, however, can lead to a deeper understanding of the text beyond the obvious level of provocation. Most commentary on the play criticizes it for portraying Jews as psychically diseased. My claim, by contrast, is that their neuroticism or traumatization should not be interpreted as limiting the political validity of their comments, but rather as an essential aspect of their protest against Austria’s repression of its involvement in Nazi crimes. Like Heldenplatz, Fassbinder’s Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod can be seen as a text that refutes the denial that there is no anti-Semitism in post-war German-speaking societies. The difference is that Fassbinder deals with the traumatization of his characters counter-intuitively, namely, by introducing the ironic, distancing effects of camp. In her essay „Notes on ‚Camp‘“, Susan Sontag claims that camp “sees everything in quotation marks”. An analysis of Fassbinder’s play reveals it to be a montage of citations and stereotypes. He thereby deconstructs and denounces stereotypes about Jews.

Learning does occur at camp, but what kind of learning? And do what participants learn at camp transfer to other parts of a young persons’ life after the camp experience? This evaluation research study was designed to compare what a camp program anticipates as its outcomes to what outcomes it actually achieves. It set up an outcome evaluation that sought to understand what program staff at Camp Giving Tree anticipate are the developmental outcomes for students attending a 3-day, 2-night School-Camp Partnership Program (SCPP) as compared with teachers’ perspectives on their students’ developmental outcome achievements as a result of their participation in the SCPP. This study found that camp staff and teachers perceived that at camp, student learning was connected to four main themes: (1) positive risk taking, (2) social competencies and comforts, (3) engagement with creative thinking (4) strength of character. One month after camp however, teachers observed that hardly any transfer seemed occurred in their students’ behaviour at school. Even though hardly any transfer was reported, teachers believed that camp gave their students hope and optimism for their future and that if school was more like camp, their students would be able to learn more. The discussion focuses on three main themes: (1) on the concept of transfer as it relates to program structure and the prediction of behaviour change (2) positive risk taking related to the concepts of positive psychology and optimism and (3) the idea that learning can be more enjoyable if it includes reflection, if it promotes creative thinking and if the learning environment is highly social. This study’s conclusions suggest opportunities in: future research design and future youth programming opportunities (especially related to ongoing support after a single recreation experience). Finally, this study urges people, programs and institutions directly involved with youth development to take on more of a deliberate role in supporting transfer from one experience to another for young people.

Understanding how inputs influence program outcomes is a key step in designing and implementing quality youth programs to support positive development. While developmental processes are assumed to be universal for all populations, youth who face additional challenges in their development (such as those with chronic illness) may have unique experiences in youth programs. Using Developmental Systems Theory as the guiding theory, the purpose of this study was to understand the developmental context for youth with HIV/AIDS at a barrier-free camp. This study addressed the specific questions: (1) what were the developmental outcomes experienced by youth as a result of attending camp; and (2) what were the processes that facilitated youth development at camp? An interpretive case study employing observations, focus groups, and interviews was used to investigate the research questions. Findings show that camp plays a major developmental role in the lives of youth with HIV/AIDS. Four thematic outcomes of camp emerged: (1) experiencing caring people, (2) developing a sense of belonging, (3) feeling reprieve and recreation, and (4) increasing knowledge, attitudes, and skills. The four themes were strongly linked together, being nested within each other in a temporal order. When campers experienced caring people, they had a sense of belonging. These two relationship-based outcomes opened a space for feelings of reprieve (from responsibilities and stigma at home) and recreation (to engage in fun activities) at camp, and this relaxed space provided an opportunity for increasing knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Processes that contributed most to the campers? experiences of caring people were long-term relationships, outside of camp support, exposure and storytelling, and Teen Talk (an educational workshop). Processes contributing to campers? development of a sense of belonging were acculturation into the camp; an educational activity called Teen Talk, medication taking, grieving, aging out of camp, and storytelling. Processes contributing to campers? experiences of reprieve and recreation were camp activities (including Teen Talk); planning for the needs of campers, accessibility, and freedom from worry. Processes contributing to campers? development of knowledge, attitudes, and skills were education through Teen Talk, and non-Teen Talk education. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Learning does occur at camp, but what kind of learning? And do what participants learn at camp transfer to other parts of a young persons’ life after the camp experience? This evaluation research study was designed to compare what a camp program anticipates as its outcomes to what outcomes it actually achieves. It set up an outcome evaluation that sought to understand what program staff at Camp Giving Tree anticipate are the developmental outcomes for students attending a 3-day, 2-night School-Camp Partnership Program (SCPP) as compared with teachers’ perspectives on their students’ developmental outcome achievements as a result of their participation in the SCPP. This study found that camp staff and teachers perceived that at camp, student learning was connected to four main themes: (1) positive risk taking, (2) social competencies and comforts, (3) engagement with creative thinking (4) strength of character. One month after camp however, teachers observed that hardly any transfer seemed occurred in their students’ behaviour at school. Even though hardly any transfer was reported, teachers believed that camp gave their students hope and optimism for their future and that if school was more like camp, their students would be able to learn more. The discussion focuses on three main themes: (1) on the concept of transfer as it relates to program structure and the prediction of behaviour change (2) positive risk taking related to the concepts of positive psychology and optimism and (3) the idea that learning can be more enjoyable if it includes reflection, if it promotes creative thinking and if the learning environment is highly social. This study’s conclusions suggest opportunities in: future research design and future youth programming opportunities (especially related to ongoing support after a single recreation experience). Finally, this study urges people, programs and institutions directly involved with youth development to take on more of a deliberate role in supporting transfer from one experience to another for young people.

Graduation date: 1976

Thesis (M.A.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-103). Also available via the Internet.

Diss.--Saarbrücken, 2001. / Bibliogr. p. 267-285.

Diss.--Freiburg (Breisgau)--Universität, 1991.