Professors: Robert E. Bonner, Director, Clifford E. Clark, Jr.
Assistant Professor: Sharon Atsuko Akimoto
Fred C. Andersen Fellow in American Studies: Marisela Marquez
This program is designed to encourage and support the interdisciplinary study of American culture. It draws upon the expertise of faculty in various disciplines and strives to understand the institutions, values, and beliefs that have shaped the experiences of U.S. residents. Recognizing the diverse and pluralistic nature of our society, the American Studies program enables the student, with the help of two faculty advisors, to construct an interdisciplinary major around topics of the student's own choice such as poverty, ethnicity, film, religion, gender roles, environmental thought or some other aspect of the U.S. experience. The program supports interdisciplinary courses taught by Carleton faculty and it brings to campus nationally known visiting artists and scholars under the auspices of the Fred C. Andersen Foundation.
To major in American Studies students must fill out an application form that may be obtained from the Director. The form asks the student to specify the general topic or focus for the major, at least two disciplines in which he or she will work, and two faculty advisors who will supervise their program. In addition, all majors must complete ten courses in the following three general areas:
American Studies 115, Introduction to American Studies; American Studies 345, Topics and Perspectives in American Studies; and American Studies 400, Colloquium and Integrative Exercise in American Studies
Students must take three survey courses. Two of these three survey courses should be part of a two-term sequence in one department. The third survey course should be a one term course in a different department.
Students must take at least three courses that deal centrally with the American experience and at least one interdisciplinary course offered by Carleton faculty as an American Studies course or by the visiting scholar under the American Studies program.
Among courses that might fulfill this requirement are the following, by department:
American Studies: Introduction to Chicano Studies
Art History: American Art to 1940
Economics: American Economic History
Educational Studies: Schooling and Opportunity in American
Society
English: American Nature Writing
Environmental Studies: Water and Western Economic Development
Geology: Introduction to Environmental Geology
History: Gender and Work in US History (Not offered in 1997-1998.)
Media Studies: Hitchcock: The Classic Films (Not offered
in 1997-1998.)
Music: Bluegrass and Country-Western Music (Not offered in 1997-1998.)
Philosophy: Twentieth Century Anglo-American Philsophy (Not offered in 1997-1998.)
Political Science: Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
Psychology: Psychology of Prejudice
Religion: Religion in America
Sociology/Anthropology: American Society: An Evolutionary,
Materialist Perspective