Description

What is American about America? If there is such a thing as “Americanness,” where is it located and how can we study it? In this class you will learn how to interpret American culture and analyze the ways it shapes, mirrors, and challenges American ideals and values. We will start by studying the evolution of the discipline of American Studies to reflect on what we talk about when we talk about America, and how we talk about it. By analyzing key narratives, ideas and objects in American history (e.g. the Frontier, the Melting Pot, the Brooklyn Bridge) and their foundational role in the process of nation building, we will probe the concept of “American” culture.

Students will be expected to develop and refine their skills of cultural analysis, synthesis, and interpretation. This is a reading-intensive class. Each student’s presence and intellectual contributions, therefore, are valued and expected at every class meeting.

Disciplines

• Études anglophones

Bibliographie

Bibliography and texts will be provided at first meeting. 

Contacts

• Elsa Grassy