LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Arno Heller Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Arno Heller

610012

American Utopias / American Dystopias

SE 2

wöch.

keine Angabe

Englisch

The U.S. have often been called a "realistic utopia" with the "American Dream" of success, individualism, and democracy as a driving force behind them. Optimism, the future-oriented belief in change and unlimited possibilities as central aspects of American thought have also found their way into literature and the popular media. On the other hand, the fear of an American nightmare – apocalypse, dystopia, entropy – has developed as an equally important dialectic counterpart. The seminar will investigate this seemingly paradoxical phenomenon within the wider context of American cultural history. Starting out from an introductory discussion of the theme it will concentrate on the in-depth analysis of particularly relevant utopian and dystopian works in literature, film, and cultural history.

Regular attendance and participation in the class discussions and group work; reading of the texts and viewing of the films in class; a 16-18 page paper in English in accordance with the MLA style sheet; a handout (2-3 pages); presentation of paper in class (20 minutes), also in cooperation with colleagues and in team groups; at least two appointments with SE leader, one before and one after the presentation in class.

written and oral

Among the works selected are: Edward Bellamy, _Looking Backward_, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, _Herland_, Kurt Vonnegut, _Player Piano_, B. F. Skinner, _Walden Two_, Ernest Callenbach,_ Ecotopia_ and Margaret Atwood, _The Handmaid’s Tale_.

Students must have completed their "1. Studienabschnitt"
Beginn: 11.10.2006