COURSE UNIT TITLE

: AMERICAN STUDIES METHODS AND THEORY

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
AKE 6073 AMERICAN STUDIES METHODS AND THEORY COMPULSORY 3 0 0 8

Offered By

American Culture and Literature

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR LEMAN GIRESUNLU

Offered to

American Culture and Literature

Course Objective

This course introduces graduate students to a variety of theoretical approaches in the study of American Studies: from Myth and Symbol school onwards.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   1 Students will acquire knowledge regarding core readings in American Studies Methods and Theory.
2   2 Students will acquire skills of writing book reports.
3   3 Students will acquire skills in engaging in class discussions, and presentations.
4   4 Students will acquire skills of critical thinking.
5   5 Students will acquire/add to their skills in advanced academic research.
6   6 Students will acquire skills in synthesizing current issues in the area of American Studies along theoretical positions.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 1) Introduction
2 2) Henry Nash Smith, The Virgin Land, (1967) Philip J. Deloria, Broadway and Main: Crossroads, Ghost Roads, and Paths to an American Studies Future American Quarterly, Volume 61, Number 1, March 2009, pp. 1-25 (Article) Judith Halberstam, Beyond Broadway and Main: A Response to the Presidential Address Lecture/ book presentation/ Class discussion
3 3) Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Idea in America (1967) Lecture/ book presentation/ Class discussion
4 4) Michael Kammen, People of Paradox (1980). Jay Mechling, Mind, Messages, and Madness. Gregory Bateson Makes a Paradigm for American Culture Studies Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
5 5) Patricia Nelson Limercik, The Legacy of Conquest: the Unbroken Past of the American West (1987). Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
6 6) Alan Trachtenberg, Brooklyn Bridge: Fact and Symbol (1979) Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
7 7)Cecilia Tichi, Shifting Gears: Technology, Literature, Culture in Modernist America (1987) Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
8 8) Paper proposal due. Midterm
9 9) Richard Rorty, Philosophy and Social Hope (1999) Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
10 10) Eduardo Mendieta (ed.), Take Care of Freedom and Truth Will Take Care of Itself (2006). Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
11 11) John Carlos Rowe, Literary Culture and U.S. Imperialism: From the Revolution to World War II (2000). Yu-Fang Cho, Domesticating the Aliens Within: Sentimental Benevolence in Late Nineteenth-Century California Magazines American Quarterly, Volume 61, Number 1, March 2009, pp. 113-136 (Article) Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
12 12) Anette Kolodny, The Lay of the Land: Metaphor as Experience and History in American Life and Letters Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
13 13) Gene Wise, From `American Studies to American Culture Studies: a Dialogue Across Generations 1979. Gene Wise, Some Elementary Axioms for an American Culture Studies 1977. Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
14 14) Ceceilia Tichie, Shiftign Gears Lecture/book presentation/ Class discussion
15 15) General evaluation-- In class exam--Wrap up Papers Due Closing remarks

Recomended or Required Reading

Philip J. Deloria, Broadway and Main: Crossroads, Ghost Roads, and Paths to an American
Studies Future
American Quarterly, Volume 61, Number 1, March 2009, pp. 1-25 (Article)
Judith Halberstam, Beyond Broadway and Main: A Response to the Presidential Address
American Quarterly, Volume 61, Number 1, March 2009, pp. 33-38 (Article)
Yu-Fang Cho,Domesticating the Aliens Within: Sentimental Benevolence in Late
Nineteenth-
Century California Magazines American Quarterly, Volume 61, Number 1, March
2009,
pp. 113-136 (Article)
Jay Mechling, Mind, Messages, and Madness. Gregory Bateson Makes a Paradigm for
American Culture Studies
Gene Wise, From `American Studies to American Culture Studies: a Dialogue Across
Generations 1979
Gene Wise, Some Elementary Axioms for an American Culture Studies 1977. etc.
Henry Nash Smith, The Virgin Land, (1967)
Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Idea in America (1967

A core curriculum book list and
an updated contemporary publications list in the area
will be provided with the class syllabus prior to each semseter.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1) All selected teaching material; written and visual are notified prior to the semester.
However during the semester syllabi maybe altered with due notice.
2) Students are expected to attend class prepared for a rigorous class discussion.
3) All assigned homework and book reports are due prior to the start of each class session.
4) Late papers will recieve a reduction in grade.
5) Students are expected to abide by the academic code of ethics.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 STT TERM WORK (SEMESTER)
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.35 + STT * 0.25 + FIN* 0.40
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.35 + STT * 0.25 + RST* 0.40


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Midterm in class exam: will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. Prior to the submission of the final paper students will submit their proposal, and paper drafts at due times indicated in the syllabus. Book reports : Students will be expected to elucidate upon major arguments of their assigned books; offer a critical examination of the text, and place the work within contemporary debates. Book reports will be presented in class as well as submitted in print format . Two book reports will constitute part of the total grade which will add up to the in class exam, to be counted towards the Midterm grade. Research paper : (10 pages minimum in MLA style) A Final paper should focus upon a major issue in American culture displaying an understanding of past, and present methodologies in the area of American
Studies contributing to the process of meaning making. The topic of analysis should display thorough and proper scholarship, abiding by academic standards of research and ethics. Final in-class exam : will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. Weekly book presentations and subsequent class discussions enable active participation into class (Homework assignments and presentation guidelines will be further provided in the syllabus )

Assessment Criteria

1) Book reports are expected to display accurate understanding of reading assignments; and to display rigorous academic research placing the work into critical perspective.
2) Book reports are submitted in written to the class instructor prior to due class discussions/presentations
3) Paper proposals should display the aim and scope of the research to be conducted.
4) Paper proposals should be inclusive of an annotated bibliography.
5) Paper proposals are submitted in written to the class instructor at due date.
6) Paper draft assessment monitors student progress during research, and offers guidance.
7) Final paper projects are expected to display genuine synthesis of theoretical material along issues proposed.
8) Final paper projects should be inclusive of a bibliography page.
9) Final paper projects should be submitted in MLA format.
10)Final paper projects, all class assignments, and conduct should abide by academic rules of ethics.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1.Class attendance is compulsory (%70)
2. Students who have already fulfilled attendance but have failed the course at an earlier semester, and are held exempt from participation to the class, will be expected to stay updated with the current semester's course content, as it may be subject to alteration.
3.All student conduct, projects, class assignments, should adhere with academic rules of ethics

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Faculty of Letters

Office Hours

To be announced

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparation for midterm exam 1 26 26
Preparation for final exam 1 26 26
Preparation for quiz etc. 1 26 26
Preparing assignments 1 26 26
Homework Preparation 1 26 26
Midterm 1 3 3
Quiz etc. 1 5 5
Final 1 20 20
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 200

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

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LO.255555555555
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