American Culture

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American Culture

May be elected as an area concentration program administered by the American Culture Program

The Program in American Culture exposes students to the interdisciplinary study of U.S. society and culture. Our courses integrate a rich array of materials, themes, and approaches from many fields: not only historical and literary study, but also visual studies, musicology, film and media, anthropology, and others. The curriculum of the Program emphasizes the multicultural diversity of American society, paying particular attention to ethnic, gender, and other forms of social difference and inequality. At the same time, it stresses the importance of studying U.S. nationhood, including Americans' (sometimes conflicting) ideals and experiences of what it means to be American. Our courses are designed to explore these issues in both historical and contemporary settings.

Although the concentration in American Culture offers considerable flexibility and intellectual diversity, it is also designed to foster a community of learning among undergraduates. The Program aims to be an interdisciplinary "village" within the larger College, in which concentrators share the opportunity for intensive study, conversation, and research about American society and culture.

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Latino Studies

May be elected as an area concentration program

(G410 Mason Hall, 764-9934 or 763-0031). A component of the Program in American Culture, Latina/Latino Studies is designed to give students an opportunity to develop cultural competence on the diverse groups that comprise the U.S. Latino/a populations, that is, Mexican-Americans or Chicano/as, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans, Central Americans, and other peoples of Spanish, Indian and African descent. Soon to become the largest minority group in this country, Latino/as have not only made contributions to U.S. society with their work, values, cultural traditions and linguistic heritage, they have also participated in the making of this country's history. As such, no understanding of the United States can be complete without accounting for the roles Latinos/as played. On the other hand, to understand the diverse Latino/a experiences in the United States, it is essential to have a knowledge of the Latin American cultural, social, and political context that has fueled Latino/a migration to the United States. In this sense, the Latina and Latino Studies Program offers a variety of courses, some focusing on particular national groups, others based on a particular discipline, and many others organized around specific comparative topics or issues. Examples of courses in Latina/Latino Studies include: History of U.S. Latinos, Latinas in the United States, American Immigration, The Politics of Language and Cultural Identity, Women in Prison, Schooling and Community, Latino Performance Arts, Latinos in Film, La Latina, Empowering Latino Families and Communities, Chicano Literature, Migrant Bodies, Hybrid Texts, Puerto Rican Literatures: The Island and the Mainland, Cuba and Its Diaspora, and others.

Latina/Latino Studies can be an optional focus for concentrators in American Culture who opt for the Ethnic Studies Track. It can also be elected as a concentration program itself.