Fordham University: Approaches to American Studies, Fall 2012
From Keywords
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Approaches to American Studies---AMST-3010---Fall 2012
Glenn Hendler, Instructor
Course Description
An introduction to the interdisciplinary perspectives and methods of American studies, required of all American Studies majors, and typically taken in the junior year. In this course, students will gain: • Knowledge about the history of American studies as an interdisciplinary movement—its major schools of thought, some of its influential figures, recent and emergent developments, and the conflicts and controversies that have animated work in the field; • Understanding of several of the methodologies American studies scholars use to analyze American culture; • Awareness of some of the major theories that influence and underpin American studies scholarship. In the end, students will have developed the skills and knowledge necessary both for informed, rigorous reading of current publications in the field and for the production of original research of their own in future classes, including (for majors) the senior thesis This year, the course is organized around a theme that was the subject of the September 2011 issue of American Quarterly: sound. Sound studies is a new rubric within American studies, but the field has long been interested in studying the sensory experiences of everyday life, music popular and otherwise, and technologies that produce and reproduce sound. Over the course of the semester we will trace the history of American studies scholars’ engagement with sound, explore the methodological and theoretical tools they have deployed in their analyses, assess the value of various keywords they have used to interpret sound in the United States, and accumulate an archive of primary sources—texts, sites, events, figures, and objects—that help us ask new questions about American culture.
Class Keywords
Follow this link to collect and discuss usages of the keyword body:
Write, edit, and discuss the keyword essay on body by clicking on this link:
Follow this link to collect and discuss usages of the keyword culture:
Write, edit, and discuss the keyword essay on culture by clicking on this link:
Follow this link to collect and discuss usages of the keyword public:
Write, edit, and discuss the keyword essay on public by clicking on this link:
Follow this link to collect and discuss usages of the keyword race:
Write, edit, and discuss the keyword essay on race by clicking on this link:
Instructions for First-Time Users
Students: Students enrolled in this class need to create an account, and then email me your user name so I can give you privileges to edit and create pages. I recommend choosing a name that I can recognize, but remember that anyone in the world can access this site, so it would be best not to use your first and last name. If I were a student, I'd be "GlennH." Please note: You can only modify pages once I have activated your account.
- To create an account, click on the link in the top right-hand corner of this page.
- Submit all the information requested on the registration page. Make sure to remember your user name and password.
- Email me your user name so I can activate your account. You will not be able to edit pages in this Collaboratory until you have received a reply to that e-mail.
- Even before I activate your account, you're welcome to experiment with editing pages in the Sandbox. Check out the Help and FAQs pages for tips on how to format pages.
- Once you get an email reply from me, you'll be able to edit pages.
Other Visitors to the Site: If you're not enrolled in this class, you can still read and comment on the work we're generating throughout the semester. This is a work in progress, so please check back for new additions and developments. You're also welcome to me with any questions or comments about our course.
Test area--do this after you've received an e-mail from Professor Hendler saying you're approved
As soon as you've been approved as a collaboratory participant (and to make sure you have been approved), go into the page linked below. In it you'll find the e-mail addresses of all members of the class, including yours. Open the "edit" tab for the page, change the e-mail address to your actual name, and feel free to add a couple of words afterward. For example, if your name is Jane Doe, you'll change "jdoe@fordham.edu" to Jane Doe, and can add "was here" after your name. Save the page, and you should see a sentence that says "Jane Doe was here." If you can't make this change, you aren't properly signed in or haven't been approved yet. Make sure you're signed in, and if you are, check with me to get yourself approved as a participant.
- Note: It 'is' possible to get an e-mail when pages are changed. In preferences, click "Email me on page changes."
Helpful Tips and Links
- The best browsers to use for editing are the most recent versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer because they support the MediaWiki editing toolbar. Other browsers may not support the toolbar. However, it's very easy to add and edit text without the toolbar. For very simple coding instructions, check out the Cheat Sheet of Wiki Markup Language.
- Another editing option is the Wiki Edit app for iPads.
- A page for new users, with basic information about how to do the things you need to do.
