Towards a functional definition of German studies: New Zealand and the international context
type: CreativeWork
description: Particularly during the past two decades education systems have been confronted by globalisation and internationalisation, resulting diversification and integration of foreign and trading relations, increasingly multicultural societies, rapidly advancing economic and technological developments and the dominance of the English language internationally as the language of international trade, and political and cultural communication. These changes have led to a process of ongoing restructuring in education internationally. The determination of academic programmes according to the principle of consumer demand, and the vocational focus associated with the ‘marketisation’ of the education system have led many to question the ‘usefulness’ of foreign languages, particularly the European languages, especially in view of the fact that historically foreign languages disciplines have been largely literature-based. During the past two decades, however, the question of ‘general or cultural education’ versus career-oriented education has become more pointed. Foreign languages disciplines, including German Studies, have been forced to adapt the programmes offered to reflect the diversification of career options and the trend towards the study of vocational or professional subjects. This thesis explores the diverse, interrelated and changing regional and international parameters that have impacted on the situation of foreign languages in the Asia-Pacific. In order to provide international reference points for recommendations for the future development of German Studies in New Zealand, I investigate the framework, context and national parameters (historical, political, economic, educational and social) that have impacted on the context and concept of German Studies in selected Asian-Pacific countries: China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. This evaluation ascertains what innovations have occurred within the discipline in these countries in response to the changing parameters…
abstract: Particularly during the past two decades education systems have been confronted by globalisation and internationalisation, resulting diversification and integration of foreign and trading relations, increasingly multicultural societies, rapidly advancing economic and technological developments and the dominance of the English language internationally as the language of international trade, and political and cultural communication. These changes have led to a process of ongoing restructuring in education internationally. The determination of academic programmes according to the principle of consumer demand, and the vocational focus associated with the ‘marketisation’ of the education system have led many to question the ‘usefulness’ of foreign languages, particularly the European languages, especially in view of the fact that historically foreign languages disciplines have been largely literature-based. During the past two decades, however, the question of ‘general or cultural education’ versus career-oriented education has become more pointed. Foreign languages disciplines, including German Studies, have been forced to adapt the programmes offered to reflect the diversification of career options and the trend towards the study of vocational or professional subjects. This thesis explores the diverse, interrelated and changing regional and international parameters that have impacted on the situation of foreign languages in the Asia-Pacific. In order to provide international reference points for recommendations for the future development of German Studies in New Zealand, I investigate the framework, context and national parameters (historical, political, economic, educational and social) that have impacted on the context and concept of German Studies in selected Asian-Pacific countries: China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. This evaluation ascertains what innovations have occurred within the discipline in these countries in response to the changing parameters…
author: McGuiness-King, Kristina Lois
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/caab11ab-5db4-4f8c-a442-f7924a657ff5/download
date published: 2001
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:24Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato