In this seminar we will engage decisive moments and core issues in US cultural and political history by asking for how they have shaped, or expressed, American national (self-)perceptions. Doing so will not only allow us to work on a deeper understanding of the cultural history of the United States, or to engage both the myths of ‘America’ and the contradictions and tensions they entail. It will hopefully also enable us to better understand the current political, social and cultural moment in the US and its broader implications. On a methodological level, focusing on US culture, society, history, and politics through its myths will allow us to practice the kind of interdisciplinary inquiry that has been, and continues to be, a hallmark of American studies.
- Trainer/in: Sebastian M. Herrmann