239954 Social and Cultural Studies: North America (S) (SoSe 2013)

This course will attempt to give you a broader understanding of how various Americans in the United States think about their nation and themselves and how they participate in shaping and passing on its culture(s). Of course, with over 300 million inhabitants representing all the races, religions and ethnicities on our planet, the existence of a common culture is a problematic and contested issue. Nevertheless, there are certain beliefs, values, ideas, and experiences that have played a central role in how Americans have interpreted their history and that continue to influence contemporary public discourse.

We will take as a starting point the challenges facing President Obama in his second term. We will evaluate the conclusions that can be drawn from the 2012 election and try to place these insights in the context of recurring themes and motifs in American culture. This will also lead us to examine the structure of government, the role of founding documents, and a range of historical and contemporary political issues, including gun control and imbalances in wealth distribution. We will also explore questions of diversity in terms of attitudes towards race, immigration, religion, regional differences and cultural geography, as well as the cultural dimensions of education in schools and universities. We will be concerned with some of the things Americans have in common with each other, what divides them and whether and to what extent the United States can or should be regarded as an "exceptional" nation.

Requirements for participation, required level

You should have completed the courses in Basic Modules 1-3, even if you have not yet passed the Language Proficiency Test.

Bibliography

American Civilization: An Introduction
by David Mauk and John Oakland

Fifth edition 2009 Routledge

Additional material will be provided in class or sent to students via e-mail.

Students are also expected to keep up with US current events in the media.