Studies in American Culture

Hist/English 3300-W

Spring 2005, T/Th 9:30-10:45

Dr. Ann McCleary

Office: TLC 3-211; office telephone 678-839-6041

Email: amcclear@westga.edu

Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 11-1:30 in the Center for Public History, Pafford 207, 678-839-6141 and by appointment

Course Objectives

The purpose of this class is to introduce you to an interdisciplinary study of American culture, including a study of the theories and methods used in the field and readings of significant works that have shaped it. This is a required course for a minor in American Studies

The academic field of American Studies evolved in the early twentieth century in an effort to bring together literature and history to better understand the American experience. Since that time, the field has grown to incorporate a variety of different disciplines, along with their varied philosophies and methodologies. With the changing historical context of the 1960s and 1970s, scholars have raised new questions and issues, about such topics as women, minorities, ethnicity, folklore, and everyday life.

In the course of this semester, we will focus on two major areas. First, we will define and explore American Studies as a field of study. What are the disciplines involved in this interdisciplinary study? What are the advantages of this interdisciplinary approach? We will be examining methodological studies that employ different theories and perspectives, and we will evaluate what we feel works most effectively. American Studies has been, and will probably remain, a field in constant search of itself; we will explore both the strengths and weaknesses of this study.

Secondly, we will focus on two important symbols that speak much about our culture and also dominate much of the American Studies scholarship. The first theme is that of the American West and related themes of the frontier, the cowboy, and the interpretations of America's western experience. This image of America's "garden" clashed with the idea of the machine in the nineteenth-century, a second important theme that we will examine. We will consider the impact that industrialization and technology has had on many facets of American life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the tensions between these symbols of the West and industrialization in modern America.

WAC Designation

A “W” designation means that this course is a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) course. WAC accepts as its guiding principle the idea that writing is a valuable tool for learning and communication. Therefore, the writing components of a course so designated are designed to communicate what you have learned. Students are required to take two “W” courses for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Learning Outcomes

1. Studies will demonstrate an understanding of the interdisciplinary field of American Studies, including its methods and theories, and the significant works that have shaped this field.

2. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze cultural myths and symbols to understand American culture

3. Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically about American history and culture

4. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both in written and oral form

5. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of the American West and the process of industrialization in the United States

Required Texts

Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America (New York: Oxford Press, originally published in 1964)

William Cronon, George Miles, and Jay Gitlin, editors, Under An Open Sky: Rethinking America's Western Past (New York: W.W. Norton, 1992)

Harriet H. Robinson, Loom and Spindle: Life Among the Mill Girls (Press Pacifica: 1976 reprint of 1898 edition)

Other readings on electronic reserve at the Ingram Library

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Class Participation (15% of final course grade)

Students are expected to attend and participate in class each day. Your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade if you have more than three unexcused absences.

This class will involve discussion of the assigned readings. Please read each assignment before that class period and come prepared to discuss the readings. In discussing many of these issues, there are no right or wrong answers. Your opinions count, so please bring them to class.

Small written assignments (20% of final course grade)

Students will write three short written assignments that will require you to analyze primary documents of American culture

1. A one to two-age, word-processed analysis of one example of western art due February 17 (5%)

2. A one to two-page, word-processed analysis of the lyrics for a contemporary country-western song of your choice due April 21 (5%).

3. A two-page review of an article published in the American Quarterly, the publication of the American Studies Association, due March 17 (10%). Each student will choose one essay (not a book review or other kind of review) from any year and address the following questions, and will be prepared to discuss these articles in class. Please note that these articles will be about 20 to 30 pages in length.

A. What is the author’s thesis?

B. What disciplines/methodologies does the author use to explore his/her subject matter?

C. What are your reactions to the author’s conclusions?

"Images of the American West" Paper (15% of final course grade)

The American West has long been a popular symbol of American culture. In this assignment, you will compare the movie Stagecoach, the novel The Virginian, or both with a recent interpretation (from the last ten years) of the American West -- a western movie, novel, or television program of your choice. In your paper, compare the images, characters, physical setting of the west, etc between the early twentieth century interpretations and your modern example. What do these two works say about the changes in American culture and the contexts in which they were created? This paper should be approximately four to five pages, single-spaced and word-processed, and should be your own ideas, not a research paper. Due February 1

American Studies Research Paper (20% of final course grade)

Pick any American "artifact" or "work" of American culture to analyze how it can be used to study and analyze American culture. You may choose a photograph, painting, novel, house or building, domestic or agricultural artifact, play, dance, musical instrument or song, even a museum -- use your imagination! This paper, which should be about five pages in length, offers you an opportunity to write an interdisciplinary interpretation of your own! All paper topics must be pre-approved by the instructor. These papers are not solely impressionistic, however; they will require some research into the particular aspect of American culture that you are examining. All papers shall be typed, double-spaced. Footnotes, citations, and bibliography must be included. More specific directions will be provided on a separate hand-out. Optional first draft due April 7. Paper due April 28

Examinations (Both worth 15% of final grade)

The midterm and final examinations will contain several essay questions related to the readings and classroom discussions. Both will be in-class exams.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

January 11 Introduction to the Course and Review of Syllabus

January 13 What is American Studies?

The Idea of the West

Begin Reading: Owen Wister, The Virginian

Part 1: The American West

January 18-20: The Western Movie

View in Class: John Wayne, in "Stagecoach;” Continue reading: The Virginian.

January 25: The Western Novel: The Virginian

Complete reading: The Virginian

January 27: Blazing Saddles: A Parody of the Western

View: Part of the movie Blazing Saddles in class

February 1: Western Movies: discussion about your papers

Due: Images of the American West paper

February 3: The Frontier Ideal in Popular Culture: Cowboys, Buffalo Bill, and Frederick Jackson Turner

Ann Fabian, "History for the Masses: Commercializing the Western Past," in Cronon, Open Sky, 223-238

February 8-10: The Western Journey and the American West as "Garden"

Read: Marx, Machine in the Garden, pp. 3 - 144

February 15-17: Artists of the American West

View in class: "The West of the Imagination"

Martha A. Sandweiss, "Views and Reviews: Western Art and Western

History," in Cronon, Open Sky,

Assignment due February 17: one- to two-page analysis of an example of western art; choose one example of western art from books on reserve. Please attach a xeroxed copy of the artwork with your paper

February 22-24: New Visions of the American West: The New Western History

Read: William Cronon, George Miles, and Jay Gitlin, "Becoming West: Towards a New Meaning for Western History," in Cronon, Open Sky, 3-27; Katherine G. Morrissey, "Engendering the West," in Cronon, Open Sky, 132-14; Sarah Deutsche, "Landscapes of Enclaves: Race Relations in the West, 1865-1990," in Cronon, Open Sky, 110-131

March 1-3: The West through Folklife and Material Culture: Artifacts as Cultural Documents

Read: John Kouwenhoven, "American Studies: Words or Things, " E. McClung Fleming, "Artifact Study: A Proposed Model:’ Henry Glassie, "Folk Art;" Glassie and Kniffen, "Building with Wood in the Eastern United States: A Time-Place Perspective," all on reserve

March 8: Midterm Examination

Part 2: The Machine

March 10: An American Love of Technology?

View: Yesterdays Tomorrows

March 15: The "Machine" in America

Read: Leo Marx, Machine in the Garden, 144-226.

March 17: Discussion of American Quarterly Article Reviews

Due: Written review of American Quarterly article

March 22-24: Spring break

March 29-31: The Promise of Industry: The Lowell Experiment

Read; Robinson, Loom and Spindle, ix-36, for Tuesday and 37 - 78, 120-8 for Thursday

April 5: Industrialization and Factory Life at the turn of the 20^th century: A View through Photography

Peter Sexias, "Lewis Hine: From 'Social' to 'Interpretive' Photographer," on reserve

April 7: The Sears Catalog and Consumerism

Read: "Carroll Pursell, "The Decade of Prosperity and Consumption;" and pages from the Sears Catalog on reserve

April 12: The Technological Revolution in the Home

Read: Ruth Schwartz Cowan, "The 'Industrial Revolution' in the Home: Household Technology and Social Change in the Twentieth Century

Part 3: The Twentieth Century: Cultural Conflicts between the Machine and the Garden

April 14: The 1930s and Disillusionment with the Machine: WPA Photographers document the American countryside

Read: Carroll Pursell, "Depression: Study and Subsidy," on reserve

April 19: American response to the Nuclear War: a view from Popular Culture

Read: to be announced

April 21: Return to Rural Values: The Rise of Country Music

Read: Bill C. Malone, "Mountaineers and Cowboys: Country Music's Search for Identity," and Richard Nevell, "Western Square Dancing, on reserve

Written Assignment due: short reaction paper to contemporary country music and dance

April 26: The Marlboro Man: An American Icon?

Bring: Marlboro Man advertisements or other contemporary advertisements that feature images of cowboys or the American West

April 28: Modern Myths and Symbols

Read: Joseph F. Trimmer, "Monuments and Myths: Three American Arches,"on reserve

Visit: McDonald's and be prepared to talk about your experiences and observations at the golden arches

Assignment due: American Studies research paper

May 6: Final Exam, 11-1