INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN
STUDIES I
Aspects of American Culture
AMST 211—Fall 2010
VOICE: 17438775 (W) 39631156
(H)
An interdisciplinary course
that examines the ways different disciplines have approached the study of
American culture. Students are
introduced to the main cultural movements in American history and to
contemporary intellectual debates within the field.
Grading
Policy: 15% for Attendance*; 15% for the Class
Presentation; 15% for the Midterm Exam; 15% for the Research Paper; and 40% for
the Final Exam. A Guidelines sheet will be distributed outlining the
requirements for your Class Presentation and for your Research Paper.
Grading
Scale:
93-100=A; 90-92=A-; 88-89=B+; 83-87=B; 80-82=B-; 78-79=C+; 73-77=C;
70-72=C-; 68-69=D+; 63-67=D; 60-62=D-; 0-59=F
Attendance
Policy*: Attendance in class is mandatory. It is the student’s responsibility to sign
the attendance sheet each day of class; failure to sign the attendance
sheet—even if in attendance—will be counted as an absence. If your unexcused absences exceed 25% of the
total number of lectures of the course in this semester, you will be
automatically withdrawn from the course and be given a grade of (WF) which will
be counted towards your GPA. As well,
you are expected to follow the syllabus and accordingly be prepared for each
day's class. This means that you must
read the pre-assigned readings before class so that you will be prepared to
discuss and debate in class the subject matter scheduled for that day and
answer questions related to the issues being covered.
* Absence from class may be made up by preparing a two-page, typed (i.e. using maximum 12 point font size and maximum
double-spaced text with one-inch margin on all sides), summary on the missed material scheduled to be covered the
day(s) of your absence. The summary must
be in your own words and must not be copied material from the text(s),
the internet, or any other source(s). All
summaries must be turned in to me by the last day of classes if you want
credit for your absences.
Cell
Phone Policy: TURN OFF all cell phones during
class. Any student whose cell phone
rings, sounds alarm, or makes any noise whatsoever during class must immediately
leave the classroom for that day. This
policy applies to any electronic device students carry with them.
Texts:
InfoUSA: Information
NOTE: All class
readings from InfoUSA are also available
online and can be printed from the AMST 211 class webpage: [http://userspages.uob.edu.bh/cscpo/amst211.htm]
Handouts Provided From:
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sept. 19: Introduction to American Studies I
Sept. 21: The Self-Made Man
Film: Benjamin
Franklin, DVD (Part 1)
Sept. 23: The Gentleman
Farmer
Film: Benjamin
Franklin, DVD (Part 2)
Sept. 26: The Historical
Context of the
Sept. 28: The Historical Context of the
Sept. 30: The Historical
Context of the
Oct. 3-Nov. 25: Withdrawal
period with (W)
Oct. 3: Benjamin Franklin's Phenomenal Influence on American
Culture
Film: Benjamin
Franklin,
Oct. 5: Development of Political Parties & The
Peaceful Transfer of Power
Film: Thomas
Jefferson,
Oct. 7: Development of
Political Parties & The Peaceful Transfer of Power
Film: Thomas
Jefferson,
Oct. 10: Slavery & The Abolitionist Movement
Oct. 12: Individualism
Oct. 14: What Kind of
Government Should Command a Man’s Respect?
Oct. 17: What Kind of
Government Should Command a Man’s Respect?
Oct. 19: All Men and
Women Are Created Equal—Guest lecture by Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland
Oct. 21: This Fourth of
July is Yours, Not Mine
Oct. 24: This Fourth of
July is Yours, Not Mine
Oct. 26: Freedom for
Slaves as A Goal of the Civil War
Oct. 28: The
Proposition That All Men Are Created Equal
Oct. 31: The American
Family—Guest lecture by Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland
Nov. 2: Education—Guest
lecture by Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland
Nov. 4: Education
Nov. 7: Self-Help &
Economic Success—Guest lecture by Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland
Nov. 11: Midterm Exam
Nov. 14-18: Mid-Semester
break holiday—[no classes]
Nov. 16: Arafah Holiday—[no classes]
Nov. 17-19: Eid Al-Adha holiday—[no classes]
Nov. 21: Class Divisions
Nov. 23: Race Divisions
Nov. 25: Race Divisions
Nov. 28: Class &
Race Divisions
Nov. 30: Class &
Race Divisions—Guest lecture by Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland
Dec. 2: Gender Divisions
Dec. 5: Gender
Divisions
Dec. 7: Al-Hijra New Year 1432
holiday—[no classes]
Dec. 9: The Melting Pot
Reconsidered
Dec. 12 : The Wild West
Dec. 14: The Wild West [continued]—Guest lecture by
Fulbright Scholar Laura L. Garland [Research Papers Due]
Dec. 16-17: National Day of Bahrain holidays—[no classes]
Dec. 16-17: Ashura holidays—[no
classes]
Dec. 19: Theories of Culture
Dec. 21: Theories of Culture [continued] [Last Day for In-Class Presentations]
Dec. 22: Last day for submitting enforced withdrawal
forms
Dec. 23: Theories of Culture [continued]
Dec. 26: Theories of Culture [continued]
Dec. 28: Theories of Culture [continued]
Dec. 30: Theories of Culture [continued]
Jan. 23-