American Studies

From a comparative and multidisciplinary perspective, this intermediate-level course takes a gendered perspective to discuss some of the most important political, economic, and social problems of contemporary societies in the Americas. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, it assesses the quality of democracy from a gendered perspective, focusing on descriptive representation, elections, and voter behavior. In the second part, the course examines the gendered dimensions of public policy, with a focus on specific policy areas (e.g., poverty, healthcare, violence).

The focus of this course is on critically evaluating the place and meaning of American popular culture in contemporary life. In order to do so, students look at the complex historical and transnational roots of American popular culture. Students also discuss how American ideals, both constitutional (such as freedom of the press, and also the right to keep and bear arms) and mythic (the American Dream, the frontier, individualism) have influenced the place and content of popular culture in the US.

This course explores, giving them voice, how aboriginal Americans (also named First Nations, Tribal groups, Indigenous People, or Native-Americans) relentlessly attempted to “unsettle” their land and exposed the connectedness between violence to the earth and violence towards them. Far from feeding the trope of the “Indians in harmony with nature,” this course examines how their demand to preserve the ecological integrity of the land has been an act of political resistance. It develops a historical perspective on the specificity of Indigenous environmentalism in the United States, for the “healing” of land, non-human life and natural resources has been inherently tied to the ongoing land grabbing and exploitation of their territories. Ranging from History to Anthropology, Native-American Studies and Environmental History, this class historicize indigenous vulnerabilities to extreme weather, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and pollution from manufacturing and resource extraction. It engages in weekly conversations to unpack the ongoing struggle that indigenous and black communities have fought for the preservation of the right to bury their dead, breathe, and survive.

This course examines a selection of key historical periods between 1607 and 1877. Introducing students to the significant events that went on to shape 20th Century America, it engages with influential historical, political, and social works to present a pattern of national development leading from the Puritans through the formation of the Republic and the divisions caused by the Civil War, to the tumultuous political struggles during Reconstruction. The course addresses theories of democracy, of state power, and critically investigates arguments concerning race, gender, and identity as a whole.

This course offers students the opportunity to consider the nuances of American politics. Working across broad themes of democracy, inclusion, exclusion and power, the course provides a detailed examination of American politics.