Course Objectives:

All sections of American Studies 201 share these general objectives:

1. To introduce American Studies as an interdisciplinary mode of inquiry and develop a working vocabulary for doing American Studies.

2. To foster knowledge about American society and culture and the values and beliefs that have given meaning and shape to the experience of its peoples.

3. To examine ways in which Americans have responded to dominant or mainstream social institutions and values.

4. To develop skills in analysis and synthesis, particularly as applied to the close reading of American texts in their social and cultural contexts.

5. To develop skills in written and oral communication.