American studies
Modern American History, Literature and Culture
Module code: T7083
Level 4
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar, Workshop
Assessment modes: Essay
The modern United States emerged in the years after the American Civil War.
On this module, you’ll assess forces that shaped the country in the 19th and 20th centuries. You’ll focus on its internal transformation and its powerful influence on the rest of the world.
You’ll learn how gender, class, race, religion and nationality shaped new historical and cultural developments and the emergence of new literary genres. You’ll engage with the latest interdisciplinary research on the history, culture and literature of modern America and study a diverse range of voices through different sources and texts. You’ll develop the knowledge to analyse and place them in their relevant contexts.
Topics include:
- the Civil War
- Reconstruction
- industrialisation
- ecology
- westward expansion
- the Depression and the New Deal
- the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance
- World Wars
- the Cold War and Red Scare
- American society in the 1970s.
Module learning outcomes
- Understand relevant concepts in the interdisciplinary study of modern American history, literature, and culture.
- Evaluate key developments and diverse perspectives in the history, culture, and literary genres of modern America from 1865-2001.
- Interpret the relevant social and cultural contexts in which historical sources and literary texts were produced and read.
- Articulate clear and persuasive written argument based on close textual analysis.
- Use digital tools and information literacy skills to create and communicate knowledge in academic and professional settings.
- Practice independence and personal development through fieldwork.