American Culture: Engaging Difference and Justice

This course offers an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of American culture with an emphasis on questions of difference, justice, and power. We will concentrate on approaches, methods, and themes of interest as we assemble critical skills for making interpretive arguments about aspects of culture in their historical moment. While assembling a toolkit of interpretive moves we can make on American culture and working to build stronger analyses, we will also consider how American society and culture have been defined by differences of race, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, religion, and other socio-cultural categories. We will consider how American Studies scholars have combined theory and praxis in order to expose injustice in the nations past and present; form communities based on principles of inclusion and solidarity; and create just conditions for citizenship and humanity. The materials we analyze will include examples from film, television, music, literature, theater, comics, photography, advertising, among others. Each unit will be organized around a question that generates further questions, analysis, and discussion. The questions include, for instance, Why is Indigenous Studies central to American Studies?, What does visual culture tell us about race in modern America?, and How do we see race and religion after 9/11? During the semester, we will also attend a number of events sponsored by American Studies, AADS, and other interdisciplinary departments, centers, and programs that represent a variety of interests, subjects, and approaches. This course satisfies the university Cultural Diversity requirement. For English majors this course also satisfies the Literature Across Worlds requirement.Note for American Studies Minors: Students can take either ENGL2278 or or ENGL 2277: Introduction to American Studies to satisfy the introductory course requirement. (Students cannot receive credit for both courses.)