American Studies
Overview
American Studies is an interdisciplinary exploration - with an emphasis on history and literature - of the voices and visions that interpret and in turn shape the American experience. The search for a distinctive American culture has a long-standing tradition. How that experience is represented is influenced by the changing dynamics of domestic affairs and the geopolitics of United States foreign policy. The study of what it means to be "American" both at home and abroad is to understand the often conflicting voices and visions of Americans over time. Therefore, we encourage our majors to apply for international and domestic off-campus study.
The field is concerned with questions such as whether or not there is a national culture. Can we, for example, reconcile the tension between traditional narratives of individualism and self-reliance, and the counter-narratives of community and oppression? This discussion is particularly appropriate as we enter a new century of challenges in a post-Cold War world. The strengths of our department include courses offering multiple perspectives on American history, literature, culture, art, and politics.
Major Requirements
COURSEWORK
The American Studies major consists of a minimum of 10 courses (40 units).
Introduction to History
| HIST 101 | United States Culture and Society I | 4 |
| | Or | |
| HIST 102 | United States Culture and Society II | 4 |
American Literature Survey
| ENGL 189 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 |
| | Or | |
| ENGL 289 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 |
Methodology
| AMST 290 | Rethinking the the United States: American Studies Theory and Methodology | 4 |
| AMST 390 | Junior Seminar | 4 |
| AMST 490 | Senior Seminar | 4 |
American Studies
Students must select two courses from the list below:
| AMST 101 | United States Redux: Introduction to American Studies | 4 |
| AMST 240 | African American Women Writers | 4 |
| AMST 242 | The Great Migration | 4 |
| AMST 260 | United States Latino Literature and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| AMST 270 | Asian American Literature | 4 |
| AMST 272 | Asian Immigrants in American Society | 4 |
| AMST 280 | The United States and East Asia | 4 |
| AMST 295 | Topics in American Studies | 4 |
Additional Electives
Students must select three additional courses from the list below:
| AMST 101 | United States Redux: Introduction to American Studies | 4 |
| AMST 240 | African American Women Writers | 4 |
| AMST 242 | The Great Migration | 4 |
| AMST 260 | United States Latino Literature and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| AMST 270 | Asian American Literature | 4 |
| AMST 272 | Asian Immigrants in American Society | 4 |
| AMST 280 | The United States and East Asia | 4 |
| AMST 295 | Topics in American Studies | 4 |
| AMST 310 | The American South | 4 |
| AMST 320 | Graphic Narratives: From Pulp Fiction to Comix Literature | 4 |
| AMST 346 | Beautiful Democracy: 19th Century African American Literature | 4 |
| AMST 375 | Sociopolitics of Race: Color-blind/Color-insight | 4 |
| HIST 312 | Race, Rights, and Revolution in the Atlantic World | 4 |
| HIST 395 | Special Topics in History | 4 |
| POLS 208 | Movements for Social Justice | 4 |
| RELS 245 | African American Religious Traditions | 4 |
| RELS 347 | Religious Liberty and the Law | 4 |
WRITING REQUIREMENT
Students majoring in American Studies will satisfy the final component of Occidental College's college-wide writing requirement by successfully completing both:
| AMST 290 | Rethinking the the United States: American Studies Theory and Methodology | 4 |
| AMST 390 | Junior Seminar | 4 |
Students must earn a grade of B- or higher. Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the college writing requirement and consult the department chair for additional information.
COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENT
Completion of a paper and a presentation on a topic in the student's area of emphasis as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the senior seminar (AMST 490).
Research proposals for the senior project are due October 1 of the senior year.
HONORS
Students meeting college requirements for honors may apply for admission to the program by submitting a written proposal for an honors thesis by October 1 of their senior year. Those accepted may register for honors independent study (AMST 499) during the fall or spring semester of the senior year; the thesis should be completed by the end of the senior year.
In general it is expected that honors students will take both:
For further information see the Honors Program and the department chair.
Minor Requirements
COURSEWORK
Introduction to History
| HIST 101 | United States Culture and Society I | 4 |
| | Or | |
| HIST 102 | United States Culture and Society II | 4 |
American Literature Survey
| ENGL 189 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 |
| | Or | |
| ENGL 289 | The American Experience in Literature | 4 |
Methodology
| AMST 290 | Rethinking the the United States: American Studies Theory and Methodology | 4 |
| | Or | |
| AMST 390 | Junior Seminar | 4 |
American Studies
Students must select two courses from the list below:
| AMST 101 | United States Redux: Introduction to American Studies | 4 |
| AMST 240 | African American Women Writers | 4 |
| AMST 242 | The Great Migration | 4 |
| AMST 270 | Asian American Literature | 4 |
| AMST 272 | Asian Immigrants in American Society | 4 |
| AMST 280 | The United States and East Asia | 4 |
| AMST 295 | Topics in American Studies | 4 |
Courses
American Studies Courses
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Xiao-huang Yin, Chair
Professor, American Studies; Affiliated Faculty, East Asian Languages and Cultures; Affiliated Faculty, History
B.A., Nanjing University; M.A., Ph.D., Harvard University
Erica L. Ball
Professor, American Studies
B.A., Wesleyan University; Ph.D., City University of New York
Courtney R. Baker
Associate Professor, American Studies
B.A., Harvard University; Ph.D., Duke University
Amy Tahani-Bidmeshki
Assistant Professor, American Studies, Mellon Post-Doc Fellow
B.A., Occidental College; M.A., CSU Los Angeles; PhD., UCLA
On Special Appointment
Adrienne Tien
Adjunct Assistant Professor, American Studies
B.A., Wellesley College; M.S., Syracuse University
Advisory Committee
Sharla Fett
Professor, History
B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Stanford University; Ph.D., Rutgers University
James Ford III
Assistant Professor, English
B.A., Morehouse College; M.A., PhD, University of Notre Dame
Eric Newhall
Professor, English
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., UCLA
Jaclyn Rodríguez
Professor, Latino/a and Latin American Studies
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Michigan
John Swift
Professor, English; Advisory Committee, Urban and Environmental Policy
B.A., Middlebury College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Virginia
Raul Villa
Professor, English; Advisory Committee, Latino/a and Latin American Studies
B.A., Yale University; M.A., University of Michigan; Ph.D., UC Santa Cruz