AMST2601 - American Foundations

Semester 1, 2010  |  Credit Points: 6

Coordinator: Melissa Hardie

Description

This unit introduces students to the contradictory richness of 'Americanness' from an interdisciplinary standpoint and prepares them for the Major in American Studies. It is divided into different modules, each addressing a core national myth. We will approach each module from a variety of angles: historiographical, literary and visual, opening lines of interrelation between historical and imaginary forms in the construction and ongoing redefinition of the United States.

Assessments

Close-reading exercise (1000 words); essay (2000 words); take-home exam (1500 words)

Classes

Two 1 hour lectures and one 1 hour tutorial per week.