NORAM1506: American Civilization – Fall 2012
Course Description
The course is a semester-long examination of society, social history, central customs, and
institutions in the United States.
Required Reading
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Mauk, David, and John Oakland. American Civilization: An Introduction. 5th ed.
London: Routledge, 2009.
O‟Callaghan: An Illustrated History of the USA London: Longman, 1990.
Horwitz, Richard P., ed. The American Studies Anthology. Lanham: SR Books, 2004.
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.
Lecturer
Trond Nerland – TN – office hours, Niels Treschows 1014 – Thursdays 13:15 – 14.00
and 16:15 – 17, by appointment. Please use SMS: 916 17 427, or email:
[email protected] – when using SMS, please remember to give your name!
Group leaders:
Mia Jønnum – MJ – [email protected]
Espen Goffeng – EG – [email protected]
Trond Nerland – TN – [email protected]
Class Fronter: Check it for announcements.
Plenary lectures: every Thursday, 12:15-13:00 (Sophus Bugges hus, Aud I)
Discussion groups
In Sophus Bugge’s Hus (PAM). Begins week 35, thereafter every second week – 37 – 39
– 41 – 43 – 45 – 47.
Group 1 - TN: Thurs 14.15-16 – PAM 138 – Seminar room 10
Group 2 – MJ Tues 10:15 -12 – PAM 138 – Seminar room 10
Group 3 – EG Wed 16.15-18 – PAM 185 – Seminar room 15
Group 4 – EG – Mon 10.15-12 – PAM 102 – Seminar room 2
Group 5: Lektorprogram – MJ – Thurs 10:15 -12 – PAM 141 Seminar room 9
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Group 6: Lektorprogram – MJ – Tues 12:15 -14 PAM 135 Seminar room 7
Group 7 – EG – Wed 10.15-12 – PAM 166 – Seminar room 12 Attendance obligatory!
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 language, knowledge, and understanding – through speaking the register of
the English language needed for the written course work and the written exam and to test
your understanding of the reading and lectures. Read the required weekly reading to be
prepared for the group sessions.
4) Writing a 5-page essay to be handed in to your group leader on CF no later than
23.59 on Friday, October 26 – with re-submission date for failures – no later than 23.59
on Friday November 16. These deadlines are absolute.)
To qualify to take the exam students must earn a passing grade on the essay. Do not
plagiarize written text from other authors. Add a list of sources used. There may also be
short writing exercises in the groups.
5) The exam is structured to test the students’ critical comprehension of material from
both group discussions and lectures. All of the “pensum” readings listed below are
REQUIRED and very useful for doing well on the exam.
6) Attendance: Required, minimum 80% . This includes absences for illness. If you miss
a day, it is your responsibility to do extra reading and work to learn that material.
Calendar of Lectures and Discussion Groups
Subject to change should circumstances require
Week 34 “Introduction: America - Images, Realities & Institutions” Mauk & Oakland (M
& O), Ch. 1, & half of Ch. 2, pp. 23-35, pp. 371-374 (The Declaration of Independence).
Horwitz, pp. ix, Introduction, pp. xvii- xxxvii. No group session.
Week 35 “The Country: Physical Features, Resources, Climates and Contemporary
Regional cultures; Worlds the Indians Made” M & O, Ch. 2, pp. 35-52; O‟Callaghan, pp.
1-20. Horwitz, pp. 83-98. First group session.
Week 36 “The People: Early Encounters, the Founders; the First and Second Waves of
Immigration” M & O, Ch 3, pp. 53-63; O‟Callaghan, 36-53; Horwitz, On Being an
American, pp. 50-60.
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Week 37 “The People: The 3rd & 4th Waves & Reactions to Immigration; Restriction
Movements & Defining Who can be Americans” M & O, Ch 3, pp. 63 – 75;
O‟Callaghan, 76-83; Horwitz, pp. pp. 23-32. Second group session.
Week 38 “The People: Native-American, African- American, and Asian-American
History” M & O, Ch 4, pp. 77 – 110; Ch. 4, O‟Callaghan, pp. 44-57, 66-71, 104-107,
112-115.
Week 39 “Political Institutions: Origins, Constitutional Framework, Parties, Congress”
M & O, Ch 5, pp. 113 – 151; Callaghan, 24-37 Third group session: federalism; checks
& balances; separated branches, judicial activism & restraint; elections - primaries &
finances.
Week 40: “Political institutions: state and local government, phases in federalism to the
present M & O, Ch. 6, pp. 153 – 170. Callaghan?
Week 41 Foreign Policy: “America’s Role in the World: The Eighteenth to the Twentyfirst Centuries” M & O, Ch. 7, pp. 171 – 196. Fourth group session.
Week 42 The Legal System: The Perennial Struggle for Civil Rights in a Litigious
Society” M & O, Ch. 8, pp. 197-223; O’Callaghan, 84-93, 104-111.
Week 43 “The Economy, Private Enterprise, Economic In equality, Government
Regulation, Public Debt; M & O, Ch. 9, pp. 225-250. O‟Callaghan, pp. 72-75, 80-83
Fifth group session: federalism and the law; crime & punishment, economy.
Essay due by 23.59 on Friday, October 26
Week 44 “Social Services: “The Rise and Fall of the Welfare System” M & O, Ch. 10,
pp. 251-275; O‟Callaghan, pp. 92-103.
Week 45 Education: “Pluralism in Education: Lessons in Diversity” M & O, Ch. 11, pp.
277-301. Sixth group session: Localism in education, economic attitudes: Equality of
Opportunity vs Equality of Result (for example, health care and health insurance)
Week 46 “The Media: Free or “Embedded‟? - Pluralistic Diversity, Public Attitudes, and
National Security” M & O, Ch. 12, pp. 303-324.
Re-submission date for essay failures –23.59 on Friday November 16.
Week 47 “Religion in America: Historic Persecution brings Hard-won Tolerance,
Exceptional Religiosity, & “Culture Wars,” Ch. 13, pp. 325-346.
Seventh group session: the media & American life, i.e. the media and politics, ethnicity,
religion.
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Week 50 – Exam: December 17: 4-hour written exam.
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