American Culture Studies 340-AS2-2KA

The course is designed to develop the ability to analyze and interpret the products of American culture (film, music, poetry, and prose from news reporting to narratives to fiction). It will provide the basic terminology and vocabulary essential for discussion and analysis. material will span from the 18th century to the present, providing historical context and perspective by examining period documents and original texts, as well as contemporary commentary on the same. major currents of American thinking (attitudes toward religion, race, social and political responsibility,, etc) will provide the backdrop for historical examination.

The course is designed to develop the ability to analyze and interpret the products of American culture (film, music, poetry, and prose from news reporting to narratives to fiction). It will provide the basic terminology and vocabulary essential for discussion and analysis. Material will span from the 18th century to the present, providing historical context and perspective by examining period documents and original texts, as well as a selection of feature films and intermet sources. The course will enable students to gain an overview on the development of American culture from a historical perspective and provide basic knowledge on chronology, facts and the main cultural trends.

1. Highbrow, Lowbrow: The Emergence of Cultural Hierarchy In America, by Lawrence Levine, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 1988
2. A Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory, ed. Michael Payne, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996.
3. Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988
4. The American Tradition in Literature, Volumes 1 and 2, ed S. Bradley et al, New York: Random House, 1981.
5. The College Anthology of American Literature, ed. by Zygmunt Mazur, Kraków: Universitas 1998.
A People and a Nation. Vol. 1 & 2. Ed. By M.B. Norton et al, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1986

1. Highbrow, Lowbrow: The Emergence of Cultural Hierarchy In America, by Lawrence Levine, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 1988
2. A Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory, ed. Michael Payne, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1996.
3. Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988
4. The American Tradition in Literature, Volumes 1 and 2, ed S. Bradley et al, New York: Random House, 1981.
5. The College Anthology of American Literature, ed. by Zygmunt Mazur, Kraków: Universitas 1998.
A People and a Nation. Vol. 1 & 2. Ed. By M.B. Norton et al, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1986

Final written exam with a selection of open ended questions concerning the lecture topics.

Final written exam with a selection of open ended questions concerning the lecture topics.