Berlin is famous for its neighborhoods (der Kiez), its history of exclusions, national unity and divisions, as well as for its atmosphere of urban cosmopolitanism. We explore ethnographically the current state of civility, hospitality, and xenophobia in the German capital, and through readings explore its states in the past. We will debate issues of Kultur, multiculturalism, integration, Islam, political party representation, East/West polarization, and immigration. Students are introduced to an ethnographic approach to knowledge production.