AMERICAN CULTURAL STUDIES

The course is part of the graduate degree in American, European, and Postcolonial Languages and Culture, Language Sciences and Comparative International Relations (American curriculum). Its aim is to provide students advanced skill in and knowledge about the analysis of American culture through a multidisciplinary approach. Students are expected to develop autonomous critical skills and to be able to analyze and contextualize heterogeneous textual and visual cultural material, using a specific critical vocabulary.

This is an Advanced course in American cultural studies with the following learning goals:
a) development of students' critical skills by stimulating the elaboration of original ideas within a specific area of study
c) building students' analytical skills by adopting a multi- and interdisciplinary approach
d) development of independent and autonomous study through the possibility of personal research to be presented to the class.

Advanced knowledge of written and spoken English.
Ability to enrich the syllabus through individual research of material and independent study

The course focuses on the cultural representation of evangelical fundamentalism in the United States. The syllabus features heterogenous literary and visual materials.

Neil Campbell and Alasdair Kean. American Cultural Studies: An Introduction to American Culture (Chapter 4)
Harold Frederic, The Damnation of Theron Ware (1896), selection
Sinclair Lewis, Elmer Gantry (1927), selection
Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, Inherit the Wind (1955) plus film adaptation by Stanley Kramer (1960)
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963), selection
Lee Smith, “Tongues of Fire” (1990)
Alexandra Pelosi, Friends of God (2007)
Sigrid Nunez, Salvation City (2010)

Most materials along with further introductory and critical readings will be available on the course's moodle.

The oral exam lasts 30 minutes ca. In the exam, students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the content of the materials discussed in class (including the texts' plot), to compare them with each other and discuss them independently, to know the cultural-historical context of the texts, to be able to apply the theoretical tools of criticism, and to be able to reflect on the theoretical debates addressed in the course. Participation in class discussions will also be positively valued.

oral

The minimum grade is 18, the maximum grade is 30 cum laude. The grades will be assigned as follows:
A. band 18-22: sufficient content knowledge; limited ability to discuss independently, limited knowledge of theoretical tools, limited knowledge of the cultural-historical contexts and debates.
B. band 23-26: decent content knowledge; decent ability for independent discussion, decent knowledge of theoretical tools, decent knowledge of the historical-cultural contexts and debates.
C. band 27-30: good content knowledge; good ability for independent discussion; good knowledge of theoretical tools; good knowledge of the cultural-historical contexts and debates.
D. Cum Laude: awarded in case the content knowledge, independent discussion skills and knowledge of the theoretical tools, historical-cultural context and debates are excellent.

Seminar with class debates/discussions and active participation by students.

English

Please, check the announcements on the professor's page and on Moodle. Remember also to active and daily check your institutional mail (unive.it).

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development