NORAM1506: American Civilization (kulturkunnskap): Fall 2011
Lecturer: David Mauk - office hours, NTs hus rm 1112 – Wed. by appt; 2285 8083; [email protected]
Group leaders: Mark Luccarelli, [email protected] Kristin van der Tuuk [email protected] and
Peter Grepperud [email protected] See Class Fronter for announcements
LECTURES: every Thursday, 9:15-10:00 PM (Sophus Bugges hus, Aud I)
DISCUSSION GROUPS: one each week, starting in week 34.
Group 1: Wed 10.15-11 , Sem Rm 2; P. A. Munchs hus [PAM]; Grp 2. Thurs 13:15 -14:00, Sem Rm 1 PAM;
Wed 10.15-11, Sem Rm 5 PAM; Grp 3: Tues 15.15-16, Sem Rm 9 Sophus Buggges hus; Grp 4: Tues 11.15-12,
Sem Rm 1 PAM; Grp 5 Lektorprogram, Wed 17:15 -18:00, Sem Rm 13 PAM; Grp 6 Lektorprogram, Wed. 16:15
-17:00, Sem Rm 3 PAM; Grp 7, Thurs. 11.15-12, Sem Rm 3 PAM;Grp 8 Grp 8 Wed 12:15 -13:00, Sem Rm
10 PAM
Course Description:
The course is a semester-long examination of society, social history, central customs, and institutions in the
United States.
Required Reading:
Mauk and Oakland: American Civilization, An Introduction Fifth Edition, London and New York:
Routledge, 2009. ISBN - 0-415-35831-0 (ca 350 pages)
O‟Callaghan: An Illustrated History of the USA London: Longman, 200? [last printing]
ISBN – 0-852-74921-2
(ca 140 pages)
Additional chapters, articles, documents, and websites will be handed out in groups or lectures or posted on
Fronter; Students are also expected to read about and follow current events in the USA through the media and are
advised to read the American news regularly through such publications as Newsweek, Time, USA Today, and The
International Herald Tribune, which are locally available or can be read at internet sites. Short texts (handouts)
may also be required reading for lectures and/or the discussion groups.
Course Expectations of Students:
1) Studying the scheduled reading assignments and current events before lectures and discussion groups.
2) Learning from week to week the explanations of and supplements to the textbook that are given through
lectures, discussion groups, internet pages and Class Fronter (CF).
3) Actively participating in discussion groups - asking questions and taking part in debate - to practice
speaking the register of the English language needed for the course written work and exam and to test your
understanding of the reading and lectures.
4) Writing a 5-page essay to be handed in to your group leader by 23.59 on Friday, October 28
(re-submission date for failures –23.59 on November 18) To qualify to take the exam students must earn a
passing grade on the essay.. There may also be short writing exercises in the groups.
5) The exam is structured to test students‟ critical comprehension of material from both group discussions and
lectures. All of the “pensum” readings listed below are REQUIRED and very useful for doling well on the exam.
Calendar of Lectures and Discussion Groups
Subject to change should circumstances require
Date
Lecture & Group Topics
Reading
Week 34 Aug 25 “Introduction: America - Images, Realities & Institutions” Mauk & Oakland (M & O),
Chapter 1, & half of Chapter 2)
Groups WILL meet this week from Tuesday, August 23 through Thursday August 25.
Week 35 Aug 30 - Sep 1 “The Country: Physical Features, Resources, Climates and Contemporary Regional
cultures; Worlds the Indians Made” M & O, end ch 2; O‟Callaghan, 1-20, 65, 8
Week 36 Sep 6-8 “The People: Early Encounters, the Founders; the First and Second Waves of Immigration”
M & O, Study relevant parts of Ch 3 O‟Callaghan, 36-53; In groups: Sectionalism and national conflict;
Nativism 1790s to 1860s.
Week 37 Sep 13-5 “The People: The 3rd & 4th Waves & Reactions to Immigration; Restriction Movements
& Defining Who can be Americans” Study relevant parts of Ch. 3 O‟Callaghan, 76-83
In groups: from National Origins Quotas to the 1965 Act & Beyond
Week 38 Sep 20-22 “The People: Native-American, African- American, and Asian-American History”
Relevant parts of Ch. 4, O‟Callaghan, 44-57, 66-71, 104-107, 112-115
In groups: The People: Women‟s History, Latino-American History
Relevant parts of Ch 4
Week 39 Sep 27-29 “Political Institutions: Origins, Constitutional Framework, Parties, Congress”
Relevant parts of Ch. 5; Callaghan, 24-37
In groups: federalism; checks & balances; separated branches
Week 40: Oct 4-6 “Political Institutions: The Executive, & Judicial Branches; Presidential Elections”
In groups: judicial activism & restraint; elections - primaries & finances Relevant parts of Ch. 5
Week 41 Oct 11-13 Foreign Policy: “America‟s Role in the World: The Eighteenth to the Twenty-first
Centuries” Ch. 7; In groups: phases in federalism to the present (State & Local Government) Ch. 6
ESSAY DUE BY 23.59 on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28
Week 42 Oct 18-20 The Legal System: The Perennial Struggle for Civil Rights in a Litigious Society”
Ch. 8; O‟Callaghan, 84-93, 104-111 In groups: Interpreting landmark US foreign policy statements
in terms of guiding principles and foreign policy practices
ESSAY DUE BY 23.59 on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28!
Week 43 Oct 25-27 “The Economy, Private Enterprise, Economic In equality, Government Regulation,
Public Debt; Ch. 9; In groups: federalism and the law; crime & punishment O‟Callaghan, 72-75, 80-83
Week 44 Nov 1-3 “Social Services: “The Rise and Fall of the Welfare System” Ch. 10 O‟Callaghan, 92-103
In groups: Economic Attitudes: Equality of Opportunity vs Equality of Result (for example, health care
and health insurance)
Week 45 Nov 8-10 Education: “Pluralism in Education: Lessons in Diversity” Ch 11
In groups: Localism in education
RE-SUBMISSION DATE FOR ESSAY FAILURES –23.59 on November 18
Week 46 Nov 15-17 “The Media: Free or „Embedded‟? - Pluralistic Diversity, Public Attitudes, and
National Security” Ch. 12
In groups: the media & American life, i.e. the media and politics, ethnicity, religion etc
RE-SUBMISSION DATE FOR ESSAY FAILURES –23.59 on November 18
Week 47 Nov 22-24 “Religion in America: Historic Persecution brings Hard-won Tolerance, Exceptional
Religiosity, & „Culture Wars‟” Ch. 13
In groups: the basics of church, state, & politics; mainstream Judeo-Christian Denominations vs.
Evangelistic Believers on social issues
Thursday morning, week 50: December 8 - 4-hour written EXAM