Transcultural American Studies
(Cultural Studies)
Instructor: Günter Lenz, Harris Fellow
Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2 – 4pm
Location: TBA
Description:
In recent years, American Studies scholars have redefined the theoretical and political objectives of their work in a postnational, comparative mode and analyzed the implications and repercussions of worldwide migrations, diasporas, and transnational communties for cultural studies. The sequence of conferences and seminars of The Futures of American Studies Institute, organized by Donald E. Pease and Robyn Wiegman at Dartmouth, brought together a wide range of scholars from all over the world who discussed the key concepts of American Studies in the context of globalization and of the different versions of cultural difference and intercultural exchange. The seminar will address some of these key terms, focusing on three case studies of transnational American Studies:
(1) diaspora: the Black Atlantic as a counterculture of modernitys,
(2) cultural hybridities and border discourses,
(3) transculturations: popular culture – the "Americanization" of Europe and the "Europeanization" of American culture. The selection of texts combines theoretical essays and chapters from books from both sides of the Atlantic as well as three novels and one multi-genre, bilingual "testimonial" book The goal of the seminar is to explore the contours, analytical strategies, and visions of transatlantic, transcultural, dialogical American cultural studies and to enable students to conceive a small research project of their own in their vein.
Course Readings
(Books to be purchased at Wheelock):
- Charles Johnson, Middle Passage (1991, new ed. 1998)
- Caryl Phillips, Crossing the River (1993)
- Alfredo Véa, La Maravilla (1994)
- Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza (1987)
- Course Reader
Course Requirements
Each class session will be introduced by a presentation by one or two students. This presentation should consist of about five to ten questions and aspects relating to the text(s) assigned for the session. The presentation of the questions and aspects to be discussed in class may be complemented by short accounts of additional material or short responses to individual authors, problems, or arguments. All students are encouraged to meet with the instructor and discuss their class preparation and presentation.
Seminar Essay Topic: Due on Thursday, October 27th. Each participant will write a brief proposal for the final seminar paper in which s/he
(1) outlines the questions to be addressed in the essay and its thesis or argument;
(2) briefly discusses the text(s) or other material to be analyzed in the essay;
(3) suggests a list of approximately 5 books and/or essays to be consulted in completing the essay.
The proposal should be about 2 typed, double-spaced pages long, including the short bibliography.
Seminar Essay: Due on Tuesday, November 29th. Each participant will write a seminar essay of about 10 to 12 double-spaced pages. The seminar paper should follow the MLA Guide to Research Papers in format for notes, works cited, quotations, etc..
Course Syllabus
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