Faculty of Arts
American Studies
Module Catalogue
Semester 1 - 2015/2016
Module Code: AM1203
Module Name: America and Americanisation
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
15
1
Level 4
Dan Varndell
Module Description:
This module deals with Americanisation - the process by which American products (eg foods
such as Coke, burgers, pizza etc) and patterns of living (in popular entertainment, or autoculture) have been exported to and received by the rest of the world. Study will consider
this with regard to the history of this process and to theories such as globalisation. Case
studies will be made of particular examples in the UK, for instance McDonalds and shopping
malls, in which students will be invited to assess the impact of the United States on their
own lives.
Specific to:
American Studies
English with American Literature
English
Assessments:
001:
002:
Definitions dossier (1500 words)
Commentary (1500 words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
15/16
Semester
S1
50%
50%
Day
Time
Module Code: AM2504
Module Name: Literature and Film
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
15
1
Level 5
Jude Davies
Module Description:
This module introduces debates over the principles and processes of adaptation by
reference to specific critical discussions of literary work and film adaptations from a
comparatively wide chronological period (Ulysses; An American Tragedy / A Place in the
Sun; Gone with the Wind). Its main focus is on fairly recent films and their literary source (or
vice versa), such as The Stepford Wives, Romeo & Juliet, Clueless, Ten Things I Hate About
You, Brokeback Mountain, Fight Club, Pride and Prejudice, Election, Naked Lunch and
Daughters of the Dust. Films such as these are examined to show how a range of cultural
tendencies (such as multiculturalism, changes in gendered identity, the effects of space and
place on individuals) cross between these forms, being reshaped, to a greater or lesser
extent, in the process.
Specific to:
American Studies
American Studies Joint
English with American Literature
English
English Joint
Assessments:
002:
Written assignment: essay (2000
words)
Book/film report (1500 words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
15/16
001:
Semester
S1
50%
50%
Day
Time
Module Code: AM3512
Module Name: American Conspiracies
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
15
1
Level 6
Alasdair Spark
Module Description:
This module concerns the pervasive presence of conspiracy theories and their associated
fears and paranoias in the contemporary United States. UFO conspiracies, New World Order
conspiracies, 9/11 conspiracies, moon landing conspiracies, assassination conspiracies, all
have become more popular and more publicly accepted in the last 20 years. Why has the US
proved such a fertile ground for their generation? Is America peculiarly susceptible because
of its history, or does the popularity of conspiracy theories have more to do with how
information is conveyed in a low attention span/high technology society in which trust in
official narratives and explanations has collapsed? To investigate this, the module will
examine both classic (the JFK assassination for instance) and current conspiracy theories
(The Da Vinci Code). However, the concern is not to prove these theories true or false –
instead interest lies with the rise of a “conspiracy culture” in which doubt and a belief (or a
suspicion) that things are never what they appear to be and that there is always something
“behind the scenes”, has become increasingly powerful. The major focus of the module will
be on America, but we will draw conclusions with wider import about the contemporary
world.
Specific to:
American Studies
American Studies Joint
Assessments:
001:
002:
Written assignment: essay
Website exercise
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
15/16
Semester
S1
50%
50%
Day
Time