AMST 407
Imperialism and the United States (Senior Seminar in AMST) Fall 2009
Division II Exploring Diversity Initiative
Cross-listed HIST 369
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

In recent years, the U.S. has become involved in explicitly imperial projects around the world, engendering debate across the political spectrum over the proper role of imperialism in U.S. domestic and foreign policy. This course will explore this debate in historical depth, in order to specify the concept of “American Imperialism,” and to clarify the stakes of arguments between national citizens and imperial subjects. We will examine imperial tendencies of the U.S., as well as encounters with other empires, in a broad historical survey, from the colonial period to the recent past. Our aim is an understanding of how the United States has emerged historically through ecological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges within a framework of inter-imperial conflict. Foregrounding the U.S. in a world historical context, we will consider the domestic history of the U.S. as it has been shaped through encounters across political and cultural borders. This course will fulfill the Exploring Diversity Initiative, with a comparative study of imperial cultures that have interacted with the U.S., not only enriching our cultural awareness and understanding, but also shining a light on aspects of U.S. culture that are often hidden and invisible.
The Class: Format: discussion
Limit: 15
Expected: 10
Class#: 1160
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: evaluation will be based on class participation, weekly response papers, a cumulative review essay (5-7 pages), and a final paper (10-15 pages)
Prerequisites: open to juniors and seniors
Enrollment Preferences: American Studies majors
Unit Notes: meets Group F requirement in History major only if registration is under HIST
Distributions: Division II Exploring Diversity Initiative
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
AMST 407 Division II HIST 369 Division II
Attributes: AMST Comp Studies in Race, Ethnicity, Diaspora

Class Grid

Course Catalog Archive Search

TERM/YEAR
TEACHING MODE
SUBJECT
DIVISION



DISTRIBUTION



ENROLLMENT LIMIT
COURSE TYPE
Start Time
End Time
Day(s)