Matthew Pollard

Assistant Teaching Professor (German) Undergraduate Advisor  (click the picture to view video) PhD 1998 (McGill) MA 1990 (Queen’s) Office  Clearihue D259A Phone +1 250-721-6328 Fax +1 250-721-7319  Email  matthewp (at) uvic dot ca Office hours for Spring 2013: Tuesdays and Fridays 9:00 – 10:00 am, Thursdays 2:30 - 3:30 pm or by appointment.

My interest in all things German began in high school in Victoria and led to study at Queens and McGill, as well as study and work in Trier, Dillingen (Saar) and Berlin. Since 1997 I have been teaching German language, literature, film and culture at UVic. This program offers me an amazing opportunity to engage in all aspects of German culture and to explore my interests in German art, literature, and film.

This coming September, I am excited about offering for the first time GMST 100, our foundation course in September, as it will introduce students to key cultural and symbolic ideas behind German-speaking culture, as well as the issues and topics central to our discipline. Bringing back EUS 301, whose theme for 2013 is “Playing the Game[s]: the Olympics in European and Comparative Perspective”, will allow me and guest speakers the opportunity to share with students our interest  in and fascination the cultural politics of international sport. In January, my German Expressionism course (GMST 355) and “The Lives and Legends of Leni Riefenstahl” (Major German Filmmakers / GMST 450) will likewise explore the relationship between art, politics and morality. Teaching two sections each of GMST 101 and GMST 102 with a new communication-based textbook remains one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of my teaching responsibilities.

As Undergraduate Advisor, I would be pleased to answer any student enquiries regarding the program. On a personal note, I began studying abstract painting with local artist Bill Porteous in 2009 and have been part of the Wednesday Abstraction Group since then.

Courses to be taught in 2013-2014