AMERICAN STUDIES

Chair:
    Erika Doss, Ph.D.

    Dept. Tel. (574) 631-7316

The Program of Studies. The Department of American Studies offers summer courses designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students. Courses deal with various aspects of American culture and society.

Course Descriptions. The following course descriptions give the number and title of each course. Lecture hours per week, laboratory and/or tutorial hours per week, and semester credit hours are in parentheses. The University reserves the right to withdraw any course without sufficient registration.

CRNs for independent study courses may be obtained from the department office, from the Summer Session office, or from insideND.

AMST 30362. Labor and America since 1945
(Cross-listed with GSC 30309, HIST 30856, IIPS 30922)
3 credits, Graff (3-0-3)
8:55–11:25 TR 6/17–7/31
CRN 3555; ID # AFAM 30276 01
Last “add” date: 6/22
“Drop” dates: refund, 6/26; last 7/10
Enrollment Limit: 2
This course explores the evolving relationships of American workers to politics, the economy, and the wider culture since 1945. The United States emerged from World War II as the strongest global power, and its citizens subsequently enjoyed a long postwar economic boom that created what we might call the first truly middle-class society in world history. At the heart of that new society was the American labor movement, those unions like the United Auto Workers and the United Steel Workers who ensured that at least from of the postwar profits made it into the wallets of workers and their families. Today, however, unions represent only 8 percent of workers in the private sector. What accounts for the decline of organized labor since the 1950s? What has the decline of the labor movement meant for workers specifically, and the American economy and politics more broadly? How and why have popular perceptions of unions changed over time? What has been the relationship of organized labor to the civil rights movement, feminism, and modern conservatism? What is “globalization” and what has been its impact upon American workers? Through an exploration of historical scholarship, memoirs, and Hollywood films, this course will try to answer these questions. Students interested in politics, economic development, International relations, social justice, human rights, peace studies or mass culture are particularly welcome. NOTE: This course fulfills the university history requirement NOTE: This course fulfills the university history requirement or IIPS Area C.

AMST 30610. Immigration in Global Perspective
(Cross-listed with ANTH 30305, IIPS 30927, SOC 30015)
3 credits, Albahari (3-0-3)
1:15–3:45 TW 6/17 to 8/1
CRN 3718; ID #AMST 30610
Last “add” date: 6/22
“Drop” dates: refund, 6/26: last, 7/10
Enrollment limit: 1
How do people in immigrant-receiving countries shape their attitudes toward immigrants? What are the differences between refugees and other migrants? How is immigration related to urban “immigrant riots?” And what can anthropological studies of borders and national policies tell us about the transnational world in which we live? We will examine these and related questions, and more generally the causes, lived experiences, and consequences of migration. We will acquire a sound understanding of migration in its social, political, legal, and cultural facets. Fieldwork accounts from countries of origin and from the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan will enable us to appreciate both global and U.S. distinctive trends. Rather than merely learning a collection of facts about immigrants, we will address how migration intersects with gender and class; the mass-media; border enforcement; racism; the economy; territory and identity formation, and religion.

AMST 45900. Publishing Internship
3 credits, Staff (V-V-3)
CRN 2965; ID # AMST 45900
Prior permission of instructor required.

AMST 45901. Community Service Internship
3 credits, Schmuhl (V-V-3)
CRN 1015; ID # AMST 45901
Prior permission of instructor required.

AMST 45902. Historical Research Internship
3 credits, Schlereth (V-V-3)
CRN 1016; ID # AMST 45902
Prior permission of instructor required.

AMST 45903. News Internship
3 credits, Storin (V-V-3)
CRN 1017; ID # AMST 45903
Prior permission of instructor required.