Courses Offered
American Studies
A list of regularly offered courses follows. The indication of when a course will be offered is based on the best projection of the department and can be subject to change.
Please note the key for the following abbreviations: (A) Arts; (H) Humanities; (S) Social Sciences; (N) Natural Sciences with Laboratory; (LS) Language Studies requirement; (NSP) Natural Science in Perspective; (NW) Non-Western Cultures requirement.
AMS100. Introduction to American Studies. (S) Offered in 2009—2010
An interdisciplinary introduction to American identity. Examines expressions of national identity in arts and popular culture. Pays particular attention to race, ethnicity and gender from the 19th through the early 20th centuries. Kaliss
AMS107. American Dreams. (H) (W) Spring 2010
A first-year seminar that investigates the varied cultural meanings of the American Dream. Examines the classic definition of success as expressed in the writings of Benjamin Franklin, Horatio Alger, Jr. and Booker T. Washington. Explores competing definitions, as well as critiques, of Americas cultural mythologies of success. Syllabus has included literary and popular fiction and non-fiction by E. L. Doctorow, Barbara Ehrenreich, Richard Nixon, Norman Vincent Peale and films by Robert Altman and Michael Moore. Same as ENG 107. Frick
AMS110. America in the Age of Nixon. (H) (W) Fall 2009
To understand why Richard Nixon haunts U.S. culture, this seminar explores the variety of conflicting stories told about the man in non-fiction, fiction, drama and film. His contentious public life spanned from Cold War crusades against communism, the political and social upheaval of the 1960s, the Vietnam war, Watergate and the conservative resurgence of the 1980s. Consequently, the debate over Nixon mirrors a struggle to define national identity—what the U.S. was, what it is and what it should become. Same as ENG 110. Frick
AMS150. Introduction to African-American Studies. (S) Fall 2009
The development of the United States as a global and multiracial society. Topics can include the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries; Pan Africanism, mass media in the African Diaspora; the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights movement. Same as AFS 150. Kaliss
AMS160. Rights and Representations. (S) (W) Spring 2010
This seminar studies social, legal and political controversies surrounding representation in American history and contemporary culture, with particular focus on race and gender. It offers an introduction to First Amendment jurisprudence and explores these key questions: Do representations (or depictions in literature, film and music) injure individuals and groups? How are rights to free speech balanced against equal protection in American law? This class focuses on how social groups—on the left and right in American politics—have tried to use the law to suppress harmful expression. Same as WGS160. Kibler
AMS167. Introduction to American Spiritualities. (H) Fall 2010
Surveys the dominant tradition of American religious practice: spirituality. The goals of this course encompass the study of different forms of spirituality in the United States past and present. The course will familiarize you with mainstream as well as alternative spiritual practices, from Puritan Devotions and the Lakota Sundance to evangelicalism, political radicalism and various modes of artistic production. The course seeks to trace major outlines of development from past to present and to illuminate the meaning of spirituality for our time and in relation to American history. Same as RST 167. Lardas Modern
AMS203. Cultural History of American Religion. (H) Fall 2010
Examines the relationship between religion and culture in the United States from approximately 1492 to the present. In addition to looking at liturgical forms of religion and surveying various religious movements and groups, we will explore 1) how cultural forms serve as vehicles of religious meaning; 2) how religious values are expressed and/or criticized in everyday social life; and 3) the interaction between religion and developments within the political, social, economic and philosophical spheres. Same as RST 203. Staff
AMS213. Black American Film. (S) Offered in 2009—2010
An introduction to film studies using black film as a genre of Hollywood and independent film. Covers the work of Oscar Michaux through the blaxploitation films of the 1970s and beyond. Explores films as social commentary in their particular historical contexts. Particular attention is given to screen analysis of segregation, sexuality, class differences and more. Same as AFS/TDF/WGS 213. Staff
AMS216. Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance. (H) Offered in 2009—2011
An introductory examination of the major writers of the Harlem Renaissance. We will read some of the representative texts and analyze how they engaged imaginatively the cultural, political and aesthetic concerns of the movement. Same as AFS/ENG 216. Bernard
AMS235. U.S. in Global Context. (S) Offered in 2009—2011
Although many consider globalization a late 20th century phenomenon, the history of British America and of the United States has always been inextricably tied to global systems, events and developments. This course will look at how an American culture has been forged in a world context by exploring key economic and political developments that bind the U.S. and its history to the rest of the world. Reilly
AMS236. U.S. Empire. Offered in 2009—2011
From the Mexican War through World War II (1845—1945) the U.S. developed the intellectual and diplomatic arguments of empire while acquiring the territory necessary for achieving global predominance. This course examines this rise to world power, including territorial expansion, European diplomacy, world wars and the exertion of influence into Mexico from a historical perspective that includes both critics and supporters of U.S. world involvement. Same as HIS 236. Stevenson
AMS238. Dance on the American Musical Stage. (A) Offered in 2010—2011
A lecture-survey, supplemented by studio experiences, of musical stage dancing in America from the colonial period to the present. Dance styles covered include acrobatic, ballet, ballroom, melodrama, exotic, folk, jazz, modern and tap. Same as TDF 238. Brooks
AMS243. American Art. (A) Fall 2010
Historical and aesthetic consideration of architecture, painting, decorative arts and sculpture produced in the United States from colonial settlement through the 1913 Armory Show. Course themes include the social functions of works of art, the relationship of U.S. and European cultures, the role of art in building a national identity, the development of an infrastructure of art institutions and the contrast and connection between popular and elite art. Same as ART 243. Clapper
AMS245. Baseball in American Literature and Culture. (H) Offered 2009—2011
How do the history of baseball, writings about baseball and the playing of the national pastime reflect and shape American values, social conflicts and identity? An exploration through readings in baseball literature and history. Topics include: American idealism and the American Dream; democracy and free enterprise; race and class conflicts; hero worship; patriotism; ethics (including corruption and disillusionment); and masculine identity. Same as ENG 245. OHara
AMS251. Modern American Drama. (A) Fall 2010
A literary and theatrical examination of representative American drama from the Revolution to the present, emphasizing developments since 1920. The focus of this study is on how and why Americans have been depicted onstage as they have and the powerful effect this range of depictions has had on American identity and the American imagination. Same as ENG/TDF 251. Davis
AMS256. African-American Literature I. (H) Fall 2009
Significant writers from the colonial period through the 19th century are studied to establish the Black literary tradition in the developing nation. Same as AFS/ENG 256. Bernard
AMS257. African-American Literature II. (H) Spring 2010
Selected writers from the Harlem Renaissance through the Black Aesthetics movement comprise the modern Black literary tradition in America. Same as AFS/ENG 257. Bernard
AMS260. Archaeology of North America. (S) Spring 2011
This course surveys the prehistory of Native American peoples in Canada and the United States from their arrival on this continent more than 12,000 years ago to their encounters with Europeans. Through the use of a regional approach to the study of indigenous peoples, this course will survey a wide variety of prehistoric Native American peoples including those in the Arctic, Northwest coast, Southwest and Northeast. By uncovering the diversity of Native American lifeways in the past, this course provides the foundation for understanding the rich heritage of contemporary Native American peoples. Prerequisites: ANT100, ANT102 or permission of the instructor. Same as ANT 260. M. A. Levine
AMS261. North American Indians of the Eastern Woodlands. (NW) (S) Spring 2010
A survey of the past and present diversity of indigenous peoples in the Eastern Woodlands of the United States and Canada. The focus is on the prehistoric archaeology of the region, the consequences of European colonization on native groups and the struggles and achievements of indigenous peoples today. An examination of issues ranging from the controversy that surrounds the initial settlement of the Eastern Woodlands by Native Americans to contemporary debates on federal recognition and sovereignty. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or 102. Same as ANT 261. M. A. Levine
AMS265. Hispanic Cultures of the U.S. (NW) (S) Fall 2009
The border between Mexico and the United States has become a loaded political symbol. This course is about the Spanish-speaking people who have crossed this border or had the border cross their ancestors following the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which marked the end of the Mexican-American War. We shall examine the reasons inside and outside of the United States for the massive migration across this border from Mexico and Central America. Prerequisite: ANT 100 or permission of the instructor. Same as ANT 265. Taggart
AMS280. American Landscape. (S) Spring 2010
An interdisciplinary study of the American landscape as it has evolved over centuries of human habitation. Examines three main themes: the domesticated and designed landscape of the mid-19th century; the crusade to preserve nature and the establishment of national and state parks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the sprawling, seemingly formless automobile-dominated landscape of the late 20th century. Same as ENV 280. Schuyler
AMS300. The Urban Experience. (S) Fall 2009
An interdisciplinary approach to the evolution of American metropolitan areas as physical spaces and social-cultural environments. Topics include the economy of cities, urban politics and cultural conflict, immigration, city planning, suburbanization and the modern metropolis. Schuyler
AM310. American Masculinities. (S) Fall 2009
This course explores the importance of masculinity and its various constructions in American history and the contemporary period. We begin by examining the theoretical and historical foundations of American masculinities. We will focus on key ways in which men (and women) sustain and recreate masculinities. Topics include manhood and the workplace, politics, sports, courtship, fatherhood, military, immigration and ethnicity, crime and prisons and religion. Same as HIS/WGS 310. Deslippe
AMS320. Women in American Society and Politics since 1890. (S) Fall 2009
An interdisciplinary study of the various ways women have participated in American society and politics. Topics include the suffrage movement, modern modes of political participation and the New Deal and World War II. Critical analysis of the meaning of feminism and special attention to the post—1945 period. Same as HIS/WGS 320. Westkaemper
AMS322. Buddhism in North America. (H) Fall 2010
Focuses on some of the distinctive forms that Buddhism has taken in North America. Discusses a number of traditions, including Theravada, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, comparing their American versions with those in Asia and addressing the transformations of various Buddhist traditions to accommodate American lifestyles and views. Also addresses a number of issues pertinent to Buddhism in America and the West, such as Buddhist identity, ethnicity, gender issues, authority and social activism. Same as RST 322. McMahan
AMS327. Cinema and the American Jewish Experience (S) Spring 2010
Course explores representations of American Jewish life, culture and religion in cinema. Using an historical perspective, it analyzes the different ways in which Jewish identity and culture have been represented in American film. Looks at history of Jews in the United States, Jewish involvement in the film industry and anti-Semitism. Films viewed weekly, including feature films and several documentaries, in class and in an extra viewing session. Same as HIS/JST/RST 327. Hoffman
AMS350. Studying the American Experience. (S) Fall 2009
An examination of the principal methods and paradigms used in conceptualizing, researching and writing in American Studies. Usually completed in the junior year. Topics vary. Deslippe
AMS390. Independent Study.
AMS391. Directed Reading.
Tutorial. Topics adapted to the knowledge and interests of the individual student. Admission by consent of the instructor.
AMS401. From Wilderness to Environmentalism. (S) Offered in 2009—2011
An investigation of attitudes toward the natural environment from a historical perspective and the evolution from conservation to contemporary environmental concerns. This course pays particular attention to places—the Hudson River Valley and the Chesapeake basin, for example—as well as to ideas and attitudes. Same as ENV 401. Schuyler
AMS420. Selected Topics in the Cultural and Intellectual History of the United States. (S) Offered in 2010—2011
Recent topics include: Lincoln and National Discourse. Same as HIS 420. Stevenson
AMS466. Love, Lust and Loss in Early American Lancaster. (H) Spring 2010
Desired and envied, Peggy Shippen and Ann Coleman were young women blamed for highly irregular behavior by famous men, Benedict Arnold and James Buchanan. The possibly banal or even complex realities of their lives are typically reduced to the melodramatic conventions of sentimental fiction. In this seminar, we will work in a number of registers: the historical (What happened?), the collision of historiography and genre (How are sentiment and sympathy used to imagine the lives of young women?) and the narratological (how do various narrative strategies tell truth, inspire action or support particular ideological positions?) Permission of the instructor required. Same as ENG/WGS 466. Battistini
AMS489. Senior Seminar. (S) Spring 2010
A capstone or integrative seminar. Topics vary. Schuyler
490. Independent Study.
Topics courses to be offered in 2009—2010
Building Lancaster.
Sports and American Society.
Girls Culture.
New American Wave: Films and Filmmakers 1968—1975.
APPROVED COURSES FOR AMERICAN STUDIES ELECTIVES
The courses listed below have been approved as American Studies electives by the American Studies Committee. They have been selected on the basis of being self-conscious about their American subject matter as a problem or issue or because of the questions they raise about American identity. Other courses that meet these criteria, such as topics courses, may be approved by the Chairperson of American Studies. Students should be aware that some of these courses have prerequisites.
ARTS AND HUMANITIES
AMS—Other elective American Studies courses, if appropriate.
ART 243. American Art.
ENG 206. American Tradition I.
ENG 207. American Tradition II.
ENG 208. American Tradition III.
ENG 252. American Novel.
ENG 263. Contemporary American Novel.
ENG 461—489. Authors seminars, where appropriate.
MUS 105. Jazz.
MUS 106. History of the Blues.
MUS 112. American Music.
PHI 317. 20th-Century American Philosophy.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
AMS—Other elective American Studies courses, if appropriate.
ECO 310. Labor Economics.
ECO 330. Public Finance and Social Choice.
GOV 203. American Political Tradition.
GOV 210. American Presidency.
GOV 211. Urban Government.
GOV 230. Foreign Policy Analysis.
GOV 231. National Security Policy.
GOV 312. The Congress.
GOV 313. The Bureaucracy.
GOV 314. American Constitution.
GOV 315. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
GOV 370, 470. Topics in American Politics.
HIS 331, 332. African-American History.
HIS 345. Recent America Since 1945.
HIS 409, 411. Selected Studies/Social and Political History.
HIS 420. Selected Studies/Intellectual and Cultural History of the United States.
STS 383. History of American Science and Technology.
SOC 210. Class, Status and Power.
SOC 330. Sociology of Medicine.
SOC 350. Sociology of Gender.
SOC 360. Race and Ethnic Relations.
SOC 420. Sociology of Education.
