THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
THE AMERICAN STUDIES CENTER
 

The Courses for American Studies Minor Offered from 1999-2000 for the First Year, English Major – American Studies Minor

AMERICAN STUDIES: Culture and Values (An Introduction to American Studies), the first semester -  click here for more

Defining American Studies as an intellectual movement and academic subject and identifying the major factors in its cultural and institutional history. The methodology and techniques in applying the principle of interdisciplinarity, focusing on the contribution brought by the ‘Myth and Symbol School’. The thesis of United States exceptionalism reflected in the attempts at defining the national identity and character and in the process of construction and circulation of the American myths. Re-defining American Studies under the impact of political activism and post-structuralism. The diversification, through the orientation of research toward the investigation of race, class, gender, ethnic and sexual orientation differences, as well as towards popular culture. The new methodologies put forward by literary and cultural studies. Using electronic resources.

AMERICAN STUDIES: Culture and Values (Cultural Traditions: The Native Americans), the second semester

The main Native-American cultural traditions in the context of the colonization of the New World, from the first contact through the stages of a controversial history with the ‘West’. The shaping role of the presence of the ‘Indian’ in creating a mythologized America and the utopian character of its imagery. Representations of cultural otherness both in tribal narrative traditions and in the cosmopolitan literature of the recent years. Identifying the place that Native American writers occupy within the present-day American literary canon and the recurrent themes of the so-called ‘ethnic’ prose – the mythical component, the oral character and the exploration of identity.

AMERICAN STUDIES: History and Politics (American Life and Institutions), the first semester -  click here for more

Introducing the main American institutions from a perspective that establishes a balance between the political dimension and the social and cultural space. Identification of the main manifestations of the American way of life, presentation of the governing system, analysis of the mechanism of power and techniques of selecting political leaders. The way American justice works is presented in close connection with two aspects – the extension of civil rights and the rise of criminality. The learning system is briefly analyzed in contrast to its European counterpart. The symbols of American popular culture are presented next to a close analysis of the mass media. Religious manifestations are discussed against the background of an analysis of the phenomenon of immigration and ethnic diversity. Spare time is presented as a projection of a mindset dominated by individualism, competition and commercial persuasion.

AMERICAN STUDIES: History and Politics (The Constitution of the United States and Society), the second semester -  click here for more

An analysis of the way in which the main features of the legal system have shaped American society. A discussion of the main components of the system: British law and the American constitution. The implications of federalism. The relationship between legal precedent and legislative position, applicable on the idea of unmediated democracy. The impact of the second constitutional revolution on American society and the social issues resulting from the large-scale application of the First Amendment. Attempts at reforming legal procedures and the opposing factors from within the American political system. An analysis of the way in which the special provisions of the electoral legislation of the United States have created a two-party political system and its implications on the American political context.

AMERICAN STUDIES: Society and Communication (Language and communication), the first semester
Making the students familiar with the features of American English, as it is being used at present in American society.
Theoretical landmarks: defining the notion of communication, types of communication, its functions and the way in which it is achieved, the barriers imposed on communication.
A short introduction of several notions of socio-linguistics. Main features of the interaction between linguistic and social variables.
The difference between American and British English, on a phonetic, morphological, syntactic and semantic level and the consequences of this difference. An analysis of verbal and written communication in contemporary American society based on examples taken mainly from the American mass-media.

AMERICAN STUDIES: Society and Communication (The Sociology of Social Change), the second semester

A short introduction to sociology; teaching several basic concepts in the field of sociology, as well as those of status, role, social change, classes, modernization,
nation-state, social mobility, migration etc. Investigating certain social phenomena from within the process of globalization and communist transition, such as: the revival of nationalism, the struggle for reconstructing social and cultural identity, regional conflicts.