Murphy, Kosek, Osman

Consideration of American studies as an area for research and teaching; introduction to bibliography. Required of candidates for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of American studies.

Cultural Theory and American Studies (3)

McAlister, Anker

Major issues in critical and cultural theory as they relate to American culture. Various interpretive approaches including discourse analysis, cultural studies, new historicism, anthropological theory, etc. Prerequisite: AmSt 6100 or permission of instructor.

Theories and Practices in the Study of Media (3)

McAlister, Anker

Examination of theories and methods in the study of media and popular culture; case studies explore specific issues related to cultural products such as film, television, music, and the Internet.

Topics in American Studies (3)

Staff

May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

Research Seminar in American Studies (3)

Staff

May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

The United States in a Global Context (3)

McAlister

Analysis of the cultural constructions of the nation and international power, comparing the context of the 18th and 19th century, European colonialism, and U.S. expansion in the 20th century. The role of literature and mass media in furthering the logic of globalization. Readings are both theoretical and historical.

Readings in American Cultural History (3)

Staff

Studies in the cultural history of the United States, focusing on major historiographic debates and interventions. Examples of possible topics include cultural contact, the public sphere, and systems of religious and political belief. Same as Hist 6410.

Religion and American Culture (3)

Kosek

Interdisciplinary analysis of religious beliefs, practices, and representations in the United States, as well as intersections of the religious and the secular. Relationships of religion to race, gender, capitalism, science, mass media, and material culture. Same as Hist 6420.

Gender, Sexuality, and American Culture (3-3)

Murphy, Heap

The changing social organization, cultural representation, and meaning of gender and sexuality in the United States, with emphasis on their relationship to race, class, region, nationality, empire, and globalization. AmSt 6430: pre-Columbian settlement to 1876; AmSt 6431: 1877 to present. Same as Hist/WStu 6430- 31.

Readings on Women in American History (3)

Harrison

Same as Hist/WStu 6435.

Race in America (3)

Guglielmo

Interdisciplinary analysis of the history of race and its changing political, social, and cultural meanings in the United States. Transnational racial formations, struggles for and against civil rights, multiracialism, and interracialism. Same as Hist 6450.

American Social Movements (3)

Guglielmo

The history of social movements in the United States, with emphasis on civil rights, feminism, conservatism, and labor in local, national, and transnational contexts; the historical rise and fall of these movements and their larger impact on American life. Same as Hist 6455.

Cityscapes (3)

Osman

Interdisciplinary examination of the American city, including urban theory, history, planning, architecture, urban politics, and cultural representations of the city. Same as Hist 6470.

U.S. Urban History (3)

Staff

History of American urban life and culture from the Colonial era to the present, focusing on the transitions from pre-industrial to industrial and post-industrial forms, the social and spatial configuration of U.S. cities, and the urban politics of race, class, and gender. Same as Hist 6475.

Theory and Practice of Public History (3)

Staff

Theoretical and practical dimensions of public history, as illustrated by recent controversies surrounding public exhibitions and debates on revisionist history as well as more traditional means of presenting the past in public forums. Same as Hist 6480.

Historic Preservation: Principles and Methods (3-3)

Longstreth

The scope and purpose of the preservation movement in the United States, with focus on developments since the 1960s. Preservation theories, attitudes toward the past and toward design, the intent and impact of legislation, approaches to documentation, the concept of significance, and preservation as an instrument of change. Same as Hist 6495- 96.

Economics of Preservation (3)

Wagner

Analysis of economic techniques and benefits used to encourage the retention and reuse of historic buildings and districts in the United States. Emphasis on revitalization of older commercial centers and the Mainstreet program. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

The Politics of Historic Preservation (3)

Staff

Overview of the political issues, forces, events, and players that have shaped contemporary preservation practice, with an emphasis on public policy issues that have not been resolved and continue to confront preservation objectives. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

Field Methods in Architectural Documentation (3)

Ridout

In-depth thematic examination of cultural landscape, focusing on field techniques for recording, analysis, and interpretation of historic properties. Work at field sites is supplemented by lectures, discussion, and readings.

Seminar in American Architecture (3)

Longstreth

Advanced research problems addressing artistic, cultural, social, technical, and urbanistic aspects of American architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics vary. Prerequisite: AmSt 2520 or 2521 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

American Folklife (3)

Vlach

Research and discussion on the traditional cultures of various geographical regions of the United States. Analysis of folk art, craft, and architecture; regional and ethnic identities. Same as Anth 6561.

Folklore Theory (3)

Vlach

An intellectual history of American folklore research; analysis of particular theories and methods. Same as Anth 6562.

Topics in American Folklife (3)

Staff

A seminar devoted to a variety of subjects related to folklore and folklife, such as public folklore policy, folk music, or ethnic folklore and culture. Specific topic to be determined by the interests of available faculty and the needs of the folklife program.

Interpretation in the Historic House Museum (3)

Stapp

Same as Educ 6709.

Historical Archaeology Field Program (3)

Staff

Same as Anth 6835.

Independent Study (arr.)

Staff

Limited to master's and doctoral candidates. Written permission of instructor required.

Thesis Research (3-3)

Staff

Advanced Reading and Research (arr.)

Staff

Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit.

Dissertation Research (arr.)

Staff

Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit.

Ott

Opportunities for research and publication based on historical objects in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution.

Davis

Recognition and evaluation of domestic artifacts from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

Goodyear

Selected problems and themes in American cultural history involving the use of artistic materials in different media; emphasis on methodology and analytic techniques. May be repeated for credit. Same as AH 6255.