Annotation
This course seeks to make the students familiar with some prominent and readily identifiable features of American society, culture and national identity, including the institutional foundations thereof. This is done via presentations and orchestrated discussions pertaining to representative topics such as the unifying American mythologies, melting pot versus salad bowl, minority rights, sport, culture and education, the left and fight in the context of American domestic and foreign policies, and political correctness. These are complemented by several online quizzes, which relate both to factual knowledge and linguistic prowess, and the final test. Teaching units:
1. Course introduction - previewed by an online quiz (Scorm): US historical milestones – listening and gap-filling
2. The Puritan legacy of Colonial America Online video lecture created by the teacher + topics for discussion
3. War of Independence – 2 contrastive viewpoints Thomas Paine: Common Sense (edited/abridged) Charles Johnson: A Soldier for the Crown
4. The Founding Fathers and their foundational mythologies- – 2 contrastive viewpoints Robert Hughes – American Visions Howard Zinn – excerpt (.pdf + audio)
5. US antebellum slavery and its abolition Online video lecture created by the teacher + topics for discussion Charles Johnson: Soulcatcher H. B. Stowe: Uncle Tom´s Cabin (two short excerpts + discussion topics)
6. Manifest Destiny Robert Hughes: American Visions (online video + Scorm quiz)
7. Anti-war manifestos A brief introductory lecture Close reading: Mark Twain, “The War Prayer”; Ambrose Bierce: Chickamauga (optional)
8. Melting Pot and Salad Bowl M.L. King: I Have a Dream Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet Listening and gap-filling (home assignment) followed by a discussion
9. Ideological polarity Intro: Religious right / secular left – explaining the basic terminology Home assignment: A televised debate between Jon Stewart and Michael Huckabee, centered on same-sex marriages
10. US Foreign Policy The World Policeman Debate
11. Political correctness in US public discourse Lecture: euphemistic expressions – outlining the basic terminology Home assignment: Matt Taibbi (interview in mp3 is downloadable from Moodle) Monitored and orchestrated discussion
12. Destroying the American Serengeti: the tragic downside of progress Home assignment: Dan Flores (4 excerpts from his audiobook are downloadable from Moodle)