GPA

3.63

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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.