In this course students read six important volumes on American social and economic history. These Works cover very different themes and periods. Students are taught subjects as divers as American moral values, the impact of religion on public life, origins and consequences of slavery , the federal land policy, the railways, the big business and Franklin Roosevelt’s economic policies during the depression. The unifying theme of the course is the transformation of an Agricultural economy into an economic and industrial superpower, a process which occurred despite of continuing racial, ethnic and social strife.
Rooster
Semester I, see timetables.
Onderwijsvorm
Literature Seminar; attendance is compulsory ( see the rules and regulations of the Department of History, art. 2).
Leerdoelen
*general knowledge of crucial developments in American social and economic history *insight into the driving forces and impact of these developments *the ability to acquire, analyse and summarise said knowledge in relative short period of time
Literatuur
*R.W.Fogel, Without Consent or Contract. The Rise and Fall of America (New York and London 1989) Part One (p.1-198) *Gary Gerstle, American Crucible. Race and Nation in the Twentieth Century (Princeton 2001) *James A. Morone, Hellfire Nation. The politics of Sin in American History (New York 2003) *R. Marchand, Creating the Corporate Soul. The Rise of Public Relations and Corporate Imagery in American Big Business (University of California Press 2001) new edition. *D. Halberstam, The Fifties (New York 1993) *D.B.Kunz, Butter and Guns. America’s Cold War Economic Diplomacy (New York 1997)
Toetsing
Will be based on presentations and essays, participation in discussions and final paper
Informatie
With the tutors: g.c.quispel@hum.leidenuniv.nl and r.t.griffiths@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Overzicht
Presentations and essays, participation in discussion and a final paper.
Aanmeldingen Cursussen, Werkgroepen en Tentamens
MA course enrolment forms can be downloaded here.