Typically AMerican?

Darum sollten Sie dieses Seminar wählen:

America as the “land of plenty”, American success stories “from rags to riches”… How much truth is there in these notions of the US? Are they a thing of the past? Why is there no class system in the US? (or is there?) Is there still something like the American Dream? What exactly does “American” mean? Is American patriotism in any way different from that of e.g. the British? How does language reflect attitudes and ways of behaviour?

Das erwartet Sie inhaltlich:

In this seminar we will try and answer questions like these, using sources from past and present, including definitions of the American Dream by Adams from the 1930s, books by emigrants like Bill Bryson, humorous books like Xenophobe’s Guide to the US Americans, films like e.g. American Beauty and documentaries like Supersize Me or Bowling for Columbine, or videos on youtube that spread the picture that we have of the US. We will look at both the inside and outside perspectives, as well as at the changes of US American values over time.

Of course, you can also focus on literature and e.g. analyse typically American notions in a novel.

Hinweis:

The course language will be English and German, term papers (Seminararbeiten) should be written in English.You should like working with sources in the English language.