LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Mag. Dr. Andreas Leisner Mag. Dr. Andreas Leisner

610013

Critical Interfaces: American Cultures: Centuries of Audacity: A Survey of American Dreams and Nightmares

PS 2

5

Block

semestral

Englisch

America has meant – and still means – many things to many people. From the very beginning it extended promises: of wealth, fortune, and success. The course intends to trace the meandering path that this mythological land of milk and honey has taken throughout history and which historical phases contributed to or detracted from its myths and founding ideas. Hence, students will be asked to deal with a variety of sources, ranging from the early colonial period and the meanings of the Puritan errand through the foundational phases of the 18th century, the time of territorial expansion in the 19th, and the development of the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries. The aim is to establish an overview of American history by analyzing and discussing significant texts of various sorts – from political documents to works of literature and film – to establish a general idea of the values and ideals at the helm of the American enterprise. The variety of texts available for discussion will enable participants to balance romanticized and sobering views on the course topic to arrive at a more elaborate understanding of American culture.

Introduction to the topic, discussion, presentation of papers

Active participation, written papers, presentation of papers in class

Provided at the beginning of the semester

Anmeldungsvoraussetzung/en im BA: positive Beurteilung des Pflichtmoduls 19 Entspricht im Lehramtsstudium (344): PS2: American Culture
Beginn: 6.5.2011