Introduction to American Studies

Introduction to American Studies (AMCV 0190C)

Instructor: Evangelia Mazaris

This course examines the historical context for contemporary political issues including immigration, global warming, and "the war on terror" to better understand how the American past has shaped the American present. We will examine films, literature, and visual arts in the contexts of history and cultural criticism.

This course is an interdisciplinary exploration of American cultures, the significance of American experiences, and the productions of American imaginations. We will examine films such as Pocahontas and Raiders of the Lost Ark, literature by authors including Langston Hughes and Helena Maria Viramontes as well as works of history, cultural criticism, and the visual arts to introduce key concepts and methodologies of American Studies.

Throughout this course we will ask: What does it mean to be an American? How has ethnic and racial diversity shaped the American experience? What do the experiences of diverse groups of American inhabitants tell us about the nation’s past?