IDS 333A A Global “America”, “America” and “Americans” in and of the World

3 Credit(s) WC

This course uses an interdisciplinary American Studies approach to explore the complex ways in which “America” and “Americans” have been constructed and understood within the context of a long-standing and ongoing global and transnational exchange of ideas, peoples and goods. By focusing attention on a range of non-US cultures and tracing the connections between them and what is often considered “American” culture (in the areas of demographics human rights popular culture and food ways) the course highlights two main points: The ways in which “American” identities as well as cultural economic political, intellectual practices and products have been shaped by peoples and cultures around the world and how peoples and cultures around the world have understood appropriated been influenced by or responded to the presence of “American” people cultures and practices historically and today. Centrally, this course focuses on the fact that understanding non-US cultures is essential to understanding both “America” and “Americans”. Key course themes and concepts include globalization trans-nationalism and intercultural knowledge. Course materials and methods are drawn from a range of disciplines including literature visual culture sociology, history, political science, journalism and music. Students will collaborate with university students outside of the US and examine the global culture and history of Salem itself over the past 400 ears. Three lecture hours per week.