LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Mag. Georg Engel Mag. Georg Engel

610010

"The Woman by His Side": First Ladies in American History

PS 2

wöch.

keine Angabe

Englisch

Whereas the role and powers of the American President are laid down in the Constitution, the First Lady has no defined role, although she probably is the person closest to the President and with the most potential power and influence over him. Nowadays she has an office of her own in the White House Establishment and fulfills a number of roles expected of her. Although these roles have evolved from historical precedent, it is up to each First Lady to carve out a role suitable to her own personality and to put a characteristic stamp of her own on the public perception of her persona. We will examine a number of First Ladies and the roles they developed for their political work within their historical context — sometimes a burden they could not shake off.

Selected American First Ladies and the roles they developed and played for themselves from Martha Washington to Laura Bush.

Finding relevant information/material (of sufficient credibility); effective presentation in class; developing debating skills within the peer group; writing a research paper; formulating essential results in a final test.

Short lecture inputs; analysis of political texts (written, oral, visuals, video); student presentations; discussion; final exam.

Introductory literature: Carl Sferrazza Anthony, First Ladies. The Saga of the Presidents’ Wives and Their Power 1789-1961, 2 vols, 1992.

Students must have passed the "Introduction to American Literature and Culture" to attend this course
Beginn: 6.3.2007