American Studies
Overview
American Studies is an interdisciplinary exploration - with an emphasis on history and literature - of the voices and visions that interpret and in turn shape the American experience. The search for a distinctive American culture has a long-standing tradition. How that experience is represented is influenced by the changing dynamics of domestic affairs and the geopolitics of United States foreign policy. The study of what it means to be "American" both at home and abroad is to understand the often conflicting voices and visions of Americans over time. Therefore, we encourage our majors to apply for international and domestic off-campus study.
The field is concerned with questions such as whether or not there is a national culture. Can we, for example, reconcile the tension between traditional narratives of individualism and self-reliance, and the counter-narratives of community and oppression? This discussion is particularly appropriate as we enter a new century of challenges in a post-Cold War world. The strengths of our department include courses offering multiple perspectives on American history, literature, culture, art, and politics.
Major Requirements
The American Studies major consists of a minimum of 10 courses (40 units). Students must complete five required courses: one introductory course in U.S. History; one introductory course in U.S. literature; one course on theory and methods (AMST 290); junior seminar (AMST 390) or approved 300-level AMST course; and the capstone senior seminar (AMST 490). In addition to these courses, students will take five electives. These will consist of two courses from each of the two thematic clusters ("cultural productions" and "historical perspectives"); and one additional elective.
REQUIRED COURSEWORK
Introduction to History
Choose one of the following:
| HIST 101 | United States Culture and Society I | 4 units |
| | Or | |
| HIST 102 | United States Culture and Society II | 4 units |
American Literature Survey
Choose one of the following:
| ENGL 189 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 units |
| | Or | |
| ENGL 289 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 units |
Theory and Methodology
The majority of students will fulfill this requirement by completing both AMST 290 and AMST 490. In rare circumstances, a student may substitute a theory and methodology course from another department for AMST 290 in consultation with their advisor and with approval from the chair of AMST.
| AMST 290 | American Studies Theory and Methodology | 4 units |
| AMST 490 | Senior Seminar | 4 units |
Junior Seminar
In lieu of taking AMST 390, students may take a 300-level AMST course from the list of courses below:
| AMST 310 | The American South | 4 units |
| AMST 320 | Graphic Narratives: From Pulp Fiction to Comix Literature | 4 units |
| AMST 325/BLST 325 | Toni Morrison and African-American Self-Fashioning | 4 units |
| AMST 346/ENGL 346 | Beautiful Democracy: 19th Century African American Literature | 4 units |
| AMST 376/BLST 376 | Slavery, Freedom, and American Memory | 4 units |
Cultural Productions
Students must select two courses from the list below:
Historical Perspectives
Students must select two courses from the list below:
Additional Electives
Students must take one additional elective chosen either from the list of approved electives below, or one of the thematic clusters above.
| AMST 101 | United States Redux: Introduction to American Studies | 4 units |
| AMST 295 | Topics in American Studies | 4 units |
| AMST 296/DWA 287 | Transnational Liberation: Black Radical Thought in the Middle East and North Africa | 4 units |
| AMST 375/PSYC 375 | Sociopolitics of Race: Color-blind/Color-insight | 4 units |
| HIST 312 | Race, Rights, and Revolution in the Atlantic World | 4 units |
| HIST 395 | Special Topics in History | 4 units |
| LLAS 385/PSYC 385 | Chicanx in Contemporary United States Society | 4 units |
| POLS 208 | Movements for Social Justice | 4 units |
| RELS 245/BLST 245 | African American Religious Traditions | 4 units |
| RELS 347 | Religious Liberty and the Law | 4 units |
SECOND-STAGE WRITING REQUIREMENT
The majority of students majoring in American Studies will satisfy the second-stage writing requirement by successfully completing AMST 390 with a B- or better.
Alternatively, a student may complete the Second Stage Writing Requirement in American Studies by taking one of the following courses and receiving a grade of B- or better, determined by the instructor of record, on a 15-page final paper.
| AMST 310 | The American South | 4 units |
| AMST 320 | Graphic Narratives: From Pulp Fiction to Comix Literature | 4 units |
| AMST 325/BLST 325 | Toni Morrison and African-American Self-Fashioning | 4 units |
| AMST 346/ENGL 346 | Beautiful Democracy: 19th Century African American Literature | 4 units |
| AMST 376/BLST 376 | Slavery, Freedom, and American Memory | 4 units |
COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENT
Students fulfill the Senior Comprehensive Requirement by successful completion of a paper and a presentation on a topic in the student's area of emphasis, as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the senior seminar (AMST 490).
HONORS
Students meeting college requirements for honors may apply for admission to the program by submitting a written proposal for an honors thesis by October 1 of their senior year. Those accepted may register for honors independent study (AMST 499) during the fall or spring semester of the senior year; the thesis should be completed no later than the beginning of April of the senior year.
Honors coursework
In general it is expected that honors students will take both:
For further information see the Honors Program and the department chair.
Minor Requirements
The American Studies Minor consists of a minimum of 3 required courses (US History, American Literature, and Methodology) and 2 electives for a total of 20 units.
COURSEWORK
Introduction to History
Choose one of the following:
| HIST 101 | United States Culture and Society I | 4 units |
| | Or | |
| HIST 102 | United States Culture and Society II | 4 units |
American Literature Survey
Choose one of the following:
| ENGL 189 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 units |
| | Or | |
| ENGL 289 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 units |
Methodology
Choose one of the following:
| AMST 290 | American Studies Theory and Methodology | 4 units |
| | Or | |
| AMST 390 | Junior Seminar | 4 units |
American Studies
Students must select two courses from the list below:
Courses
American Studies Courses
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Erica Ball, chair
Professor, American Studies
B.A., Wesleyan University; M.A., Ph.D., The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Courtney Baker
Associate Professor, American Studies
B.A., Harvard University; M.A., Ph.D., Duke University
Amy Tahani-Bidmeshki
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, American Studies
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., California State University, Los Angeles; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Xiao-huang Yin
Professor, American Studies; Affiliated Faculty, East Asian Languages and Cultures; Affiliated Faculty, History
B.A., Nanjing University; M.A., Ph.D., Harvard University
On Special Appointment
Adrienne Tien
Non-Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, American Studies
B.A., Wellesley College; M.S., Syracuse University
Advisory Committee
Sharla Fett
Professor, History
B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Stanford University; Ph.D., Rutgers University
James Ford III
Assistant Professor, English
B.A., Morehouse College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Notre Dame
Eric Newhall
Professor, English
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Jaclyn Rodríguez
Professor, Latino/a and Latin American Studies
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Michigan
John Swift
Professor, English
B.A., Middlebury College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Virginia
Raul Villa
Professor, English; Advisory Committee, Latino/a and Latin American Studies
B.A., Yale University; M.A., University of Michigan; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz