LFU:online

Gaining an overview of US American DIY cultures; acquisition of methods of theorizing and analyzing do-it-yourself cultures; gaining a basic understanding of DIY in relation to industrial production, subcultural activity, the social creation of space, and actor-network relation

Our focus in this Proseminar will be on contemporary do-it-yourself cultures in the US. While DIY had been often relegated to the domain of enthusiastic dilettantism in its beginnings, amateurism, both in terms of ideologies and practice, has gained an ever stronger foothold on the cultural landscape with serious political, economic and environmental potentials. Thus, against the backdrop of Fordist regimes of accumulation (and their according determinants of professionalism, market ecologies, and production of cultural identities), we will examine do-it-yourself cultures in a variety of areas, such as fashion, music, urban gardening, fan fiction writing and computing. Although our main approach will be socio-historical and theory-driven analyses, opportunities for fieldwork and hands-on excursions are given.

Analyses, presentations, production of academic texts.

Active participation, presentation of research results, term paper of ca. 3,500 words

for the Bachelor Program (612): positive completion of compulsory module 14
for Bachelor Program Lehramt: positive completion of compulsory module 16
for the Teacher Training Program (Lehramtsstudium: 344): VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies

BA "old" (2009): PS2: Critical Interfaces: American Cultures
Teacher Training Program "old" (2001): PS2: American Culture

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program - BA/MA English and American Studies), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.