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Class Detail:
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FA 2011
American Culture
AMCULT
103
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First Year Seminar in American Studies
Section
002
History Through Literature
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Course Note:
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This course is designed to introduce students to a wide variety of topics and issues in American Studies in a seminar format from a Humanities perspective. It enables students to have contact with regular faculty in a small-class experience and to elicit their active participation in the topics under discussion.
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Credits:
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3
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Requirements & Distribution:
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HU
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Other:
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FYSem
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Waitlist Capacity:
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unlimited
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Advisory Prerequisites:
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Enrollment restricted to first-year students, including those with sophomore standing.
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Repeatability:
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May not be repeated for credit.
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Primary Instructor:
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Von Eschen,Penny M
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(real time availability for all sections)
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This course takes a broad sweep through the epic transformations in the United States and its intersection with the broader world over the past century through reading historical fiction (and one work of science fiction). We’ll identify and talk about the historical transformations, political and social conflicts, and profound ethical issues faced by characters in these books.
Required readings:
E.L. Doctorow: Ragtime
Philip Roth: The Plot against America
Graham Greene The Quiet American
Barbara Kingsolver The Poisonwood Bible
Marjane Satrapi Persepolis
Thomas Pynchon: Vineland
Octavia Butler; Parable of the Sower
Kamila Shamsie Burnt Shadows
Course Requirements: Assignments include weekly one-page response papers, a short paper, and a final creative project. Intended Audience: Enrollment restricted to first-year students Class Format: The class is primarily discussion based, but we will sometimes augment the reading with film or music, drawing on cultural references within the novels or film adaptations.
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Course Syllabi
Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.
Search for Syllabus
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Textbooks/Other Materials (data maintained by department in Wolverine Access)
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Note:
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The books are listed in the order that we will be reading them. Any edition of the book is fine. You can find most of them used, or even new for under $10.00. Although I've listed the Complete Maus and Persepolis (volumes I & II, you may do better buying the volumes individually.
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ISBN: 9780812978186
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Ragtime, Author: by E.L. Doctorow., Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks 1st ed. 1975
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Required
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Other Textbook Editions OK.
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ISBN: 0060852585
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The lacuna : a novel, Author: Barbara Kingsolver., Publisher: Harper Perennial 1st Harper 2010
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Required
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Other Textbook Editions OK.
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ISBN: 0679406417
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Maus : a survivor's tale, Author: Art Spiegelman., Publisher: Pantheon Books 1st ed. 1997
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Required
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Other Textbook Editions OK.
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ISBN: 0375714839
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The complete Persepolis, Author: Marjane Satrapi., Publisher: Pantheon Books 1st ed. 2007
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Required
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Other Textbook Editions OK.
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ISBN: 0312551878
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Burnt shadows, Author: Kamila Shamsie., Publisher: Picador 1st Picado 2009
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Required
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Other Textbook Editions OK.
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