AMST 491WAmerican Studies Perspectives

3-6 credits · American Studies · Penn State

This writing-intensive course covers perspectives and approaches of American Studies scholarship regarding themes, issues, and problems in American culture and their applications in society. It serves as a capstone course for American Studies majors who are required to take two sections on different themes, issues, and problems. It is open to other majors seeking exposure to the interdisciplinary methods and concepts of American Studies in addition to interpretative explorations of American society and culture. Examples of themes, issues, and problems that are covered in the course and represent key concepts in American Studies include "The American Dream," "Nature and Wilderness in American Culture," "The American Way of War," and "American Borders and Frontiers in the American Imagination." Methods that are typically covered include rhetorical/symbolic analysis, ethnography of cultural scenes, and comparative analysis of a cultural collection. Concepts include American exceptionalism, colonialism, materialism, individualism, and consumerism in a global context. A variety of evidence is typically used in the course including historical documents, literature, artifacts, oral expressions, photographs and graphics, and popular film and television. The course includes exposure to applications of American Studies knowledge in various institutions and careers such as museums and heritage organizations, government, communications, and education.