Fachbereich 7

Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft


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U.S. American Cultural Studies: Topics and Debates


DozentIn: Prof. Dr. phil. Peter Schneck

Veranstaltungstyp: Seminar

Ort: 41/218

Zeiten: Mo. 16:00 - 18:00 (wöchentlich)

Beschreibung: This master course is meant as an introduction to a selected set of topics, debates and fields of research that are both central and formative for American Cultural Studies. These include issues like the claims of U.S.-American exceptionalism, the promise of individualism and freedom, the political and cultural struggles surrounding ethnicity and race in the U.S., the important role of religion, questions of gender, sexuality and identity politics, as well as debates about hegemony, imperialism and the global presence and impact of U.S-American culture.

In each individual session we will read and disuss short introductory texts in order to understand the specific significance, as well as the complexity of central cultural ideas and practices and the way in which they shape the self-perception of U.S.-American culture and society, but also the image of the USA in the world. In follow-up sessions students will develop the individual topics and the debates further by addressing selected study questions in class, bringing in new material (from advertisement, political news and commentary to film and video) in order to expand their understanding of American cultural studies as a critical practice.

The course is meant to provide students on the master level who are interested in a more focused study of U.S.-American culture and society with a general overview its most signficant features and dynamics. It also aims at making them more familiar with some of the most important approaches and discussions that inform the field of American cultural studies. The emphasis therefore is less on theory, and more on concrete topics and critical debates, all of which are also of imminent current significance, as is obvious, for instance, in the actual presidential campaign.

Requirements:
Careful preparation of assigned readings for class discussion; regular attendance and active participation; short presentations or discussion statements; a final short writing assignment. There will be no seminar paper required, students who are planning to take this class for graded credits should be aware that grading will take both oral and written work over the course of the seminar into consideration. (All details will be discussed in the first session!!)

Main sources:
Neil Campbell, Alasdair Kean. American Cultural Studies. An Introduction to American Culture. 4th Ed. London: Routledge, 2016. (Course book, will be used in class extensively. Students taking this class should consider getting a personal print copy of this book; printing out the electronic version is only possible in small installments, and will take some time and technical finesse)
Heike Paul. The Myths That Made America. An Introduction to American Studies. Bielefeld: Transcript, 2014.


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