Weijia Li, Assistant Professor of German
Weijia Li was born and raised in China, yet received his Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures from Ohio State University in 2009.
So how did Li wind up studying German? Meet the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s newest assistant professor of German.
Welcome, Weijia! How and why did you get into German in the first place?
Due to a complicated history of my family that had to live constantly in diaspora, I was very fascinated by language, culture, and travel in my childhood. I always wanted to be able to understand and to communicate with “others.” German language and culture were among my fascinations. After watching the fall of the Berlin Wall and the German Reunification on television during my senior year of high school, I was even more intrigued and decided to pursue German as my college major.
What are your research interests?
Transnationalism, Asian German Studies, German-Chinese cultural encounters, German-Jewish refugees in China, 20th Century German culture and literature, and foreign language pedagogy.
Why are you most excited to be at UW-Madison?
UW-Madison is a great university and the German department boasts one of the oldest and best programs in the country.
What courses will you teach?
In spring 2013 I am teaching German 249, Intermediate German: Speaking and Listening.
What can students expect in the classroom?
No pains, no gains. High expectations coupled with high levels of support.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Cooking, learning, and exercising.
What’s your favorite food?
Anything between extremely tasty and extremely healthy (sadly, tasty and healthy seldom go in tandem).
Are there any campus events you’re especially excited to attend?
German Day 2013.