LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Mag. Georg Engel Mag. Georg Engel

610010

Discourse/Identity: American Cultures: The American Presidency: Between Power Game and Spectator Sport

PS 2

5

wöch.

semestral

Englisch

Developing an awareness and understanding of how the political/presidential power game is actually played in a world increasingly dominated by the media and media perceptions.

In a presidential election year, it is particularly relevant to focus on the American presidency in all its different aspects. This proseminar will first deal with the on-going election campaign: the candidate selection process, national conventions, (vice-) presidential TV debates, political advertising, campaign rhetoric, web-campaigning, inauguration/ inaugural addresses. The second part will concentrate on the presidential power establishment and the constitutional powers of the President and their limitations within the political system of "checks and balances". Here we will concentrate on the process of decision-making and how the power game is played. In this context, we will also look at the presidency as the permanent battleground for power by the political parties and its widely different and differing factions. Overall, we want to focus more on the President’s persuasive and communicative power (rhetorical as well as visual) and the Republicans’ permanent campaign against Obama from the day of his inauguration than on the mere facts of constitutional power.

Finding relevant information/material (of sufficient credibility); effective presenting of a paper; developing debating skills within the peer group; analyzing presidential rhetoric and persuasive means; writing a research paper.

Final exam and research paper

Materials needed for the course will be handed out in class or placed on e-campus.

Anmeldevoraussetzung/en im BA: positive Beurteilung des Pflichtmoduls 19 Anmeldevoraussetzung im Lehramtsstudium: VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies Entspricht im Lehramtsstudium (344): PS2: American Culture
Beginn: 2.10.2012