0 or 3 credits
Fall 2025 Lecture Distance Learning Lower DivisionJEDIWritten Communication
This course examines the evolution of American culture as the United States transitioned from a relatively isolated country at the end of the 19th century to an active shaper of a global community by the 21st century. We will examine ways in which American Culture shaped and was shaped by international relationships that transcend nation states. We will explore reactions to, and the results of, the spread of American culture both inside and outside the United States. By studying traditional cultural forms like art, music, design, literature, film, and technology the course will build a foundation from which to understand the configuration of American culture. Yet the course will also emphasize American culture expression, that in the forms of television, advertising, sport, cartoons, social media, video games, fashion, food, drugs, and automobiles, have transcended the geographical boundaries of the United States to engage in global interplays of material cultural exchange.
Learning Outcomes1Identify the major themes and issues prompted by the term American Culture.
2Assess the multiple processes by which people express, institutionalize, celebrate, and contest American identities.
3Appreciate the cultural diversity of the American experience, especially in terms of class, ethnicity, gender, and race.
4Recognize important issues that occur among peoples in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world.
5Develop the skills to analyze aspects of American culture using interdisciplinary source materials, research methodologies, and intellectual approaches.
6Reach independent conclusions based on that analysis, and communicate them effectively verbally and in writing.
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