Department of American Studies

You will become familiar with the current literature in the field, the emerging themes and debates, and meet some of the authors. The reading load will be heavy: one book per week, and the discussions in class will require that you have a thorough understanding of the reading. I do not call on students to speak. Instead, we will take turns and begin alphabetically each week. This gives everyone an opportunity to speak, gives warning to everyone when they will speak, and creates opportunities for listening. Some writing will be required, but this will be based on the readings for class with only some supplemental reading. The final paper will not be a traditional research paper but instead will be a creative process in which you choose a group of class readings to further explore in the form of a final paper. Some of the topics we will cover include: pedagogy, museums, art, history of the Midwest, decolonization, gender, identity, literature, family, education, the carceral state, missing and murdered Indigenous women, Mexico, Canada, and legal history. Some of the authors include: Michelle Jacob, Jessie Ryker Crawford, Jarrett Martineau, George Ironstrack, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Joanne Barker, Norbert Hill Jr., Louise Erdrich, Brianna Theobald, Bev Sellars, Carolyn Parks Mintz, Sherene Razack, Shannon Speed, Connie Walker, and Robert J. Miller.