1
AN13000BA and AN18008BA:
American Civilization
Spring 2009/2010
Time & place: Tuesday 12-13:40 Rm. 119
Instructor:
Matthew Britschgi office 108/2
office phone: 512-900 /Ext. 23092 e-mail: britschgi.m@gmail.com
Office hours: Tuesdays: 9:00-10:00, 14:00-15:00
Description of the course
This seminar course is designed to improve first-year students’ language skills through
acquainting them with some of the core topics of American civilization, including geography and
regionalism, government, basic political concepts, politics and the Constitution, society, national
holidays, and everyday life. Special emphasis will also be put on certain aspects of American
English. Students will be graded on the strength of their class performance, an individual short
presentation, two response papers and in-class tests (quizzes and end-term test).
REQUIREMENTS
Class attendance and participation in the discussion of the topics at hand are ESSENTIAL,
and considered an important part of the final grade. In addition, each student will give a max.
10-minute presentation during the semester on a pre-approved topic, prepared on the basis of
the instructions discussed during the first class. There will be short quizzes (not necessarily
announced in advance) and a comprehensive end-term test. Students will have to hand in
TWO response papers during the semester. The details of the specific assignments and other
issues will be discussed during orientation.
Presentation
Each student is required to choose a presentation topic from the issues indicated under the
weekly discussion topics, or recommended either by the instructor or the students themselves.
Presentations should be 10-15 minutes in length and should be interactive (with thoughtprovoking questions to the class or various activities) to generate discussion. A typed handout
strictly not longer than one page should be handed in to the instructor ONE WEEK before the
presentation for review and suggestions. Only handouts approved by the instructor can be
presented. The handout should be only a guideline to the presentation and not a word-by-word
transcript. You must not read out your presentation. The content of your talk, your performance
and presentation skills as well as your pronunciation will be evaluated. If someone does not show
up when his/her presentation is due and does not notify the instructor in advance, he/she will lose
all the credit points on the assignment.
Short Quizzes
Students will write short tests or quizzes based on the readings and materials, including the US
map, the Facts and Figures handout, the Election Glossary and vocabulary from the textbook.
2
Response Papers
Students will be required to write TWO response papers of at least one full page based on
their readings, opinion and possible questions concerning the issues discussed. This should
not be a simple summary of the text but should include reflections of the student on the
particular topic, its context, a comparison between the United States and Hungary, and even
“think-tank” questions for in-class discussion. The originality of the papers will be
evaluated. Plagiarized papers are unacceptable. Plagiarism will automatically result in
‘fail.’
The response papers are to be typed (double-space, Times New Roman 12), printed, and
handed in at the beginning of the class on the day that they are due. Late submissions are
unacceptable, and will cause the student to lose all the credit points on the assignment.
End-term Test
The end-term test will be a comprehensive test which may include and all of the material
covered during the semester. There is no excuse for absence on this occasion.
Evaluation
The final grade will be calculated based on the following formula: class participation (25%),
presentation (15%), short quizzes (20%), response papers (10%) and the end-term
paper (30%). Grades will be assigned according to the following conversion formulae: 060% = fail; 61-70% = satisfactory; 71-80% = average; 81-90% = good; 91-100% = excellent.
Important Note: More than three absences, no matter the reasons, will result in a “not
fulfilled” grade.
Further Rules
It is an essential part of the course requirements to attend all class meetings. If you must miss
a class because of illness or emergency, please let me know, and make arrangements to
complete any work missed.
Again, students may not miss more than three classes under any circumstances. Students
are kindly requested to contact their instructor at least a day before class if they are to make a
presentation but cannot attend. Missed quizzes may not be made up.
Academic dishonesty or Plagiarism (failure to acknowledge and note the use of another
writer’s words and ideas) is both unethical and illegal and will result in a failure of the
course. This applies to both the response papers and the presentations.
Tardiness and early departures are not allowable. They are offensive to your fellow students
and to the instructor because they disrupt class work. If you have a compelling reason for
arriving late or leaving early, speak with your instructor about the problem. If you regularly cut
the beginning and/or the end of class sessions, it can add up to unexcused full-class-time
absences.
Readings
The basic textbook for the course is American Civilization by David Mauk and John Oakland
(New York: Routledge, 2009). The necessary readings from this text will be made available via
the instructor’s AAI homepage. Additional materials will also be distributed in class or made
available digitally at the same homepage. Students are also encouraged to check other sources
available at the Institute Library and on the internet, especially in connection with their
presentation topics.
3
4
Schedule of classes and topics
Week 1 (February 9)– Orientation and introduction to the course and introductory
discussion. Sign-up for presentation dates and preliminary topics Note: this is an
important meeting; attendance is required!
Bring a printed copy of this syllabus to the class!
Week 2 (February 16)– The American Context (symbols of the country, the national
anthem, the flag, the great seal of the USA, etc., sub-cultures of the US)
Reading: from ch. 1
Week 3 (February 23)– The Country (American geography, cultural regions, national
parks)
Reading: from ch. 2.
Possible Presentation topics: the national parks in the US, regions of the US, American
English and regional variation.
Week 4 (March 2)– The people (settlement and immigration, definitions of immigration,
early periods of immigration from Colonial times to 1870s, New immigration)
Readings: from ch. 3
Possible Presentation topics: (pioneers and the frontier, Ellis Island, specific immigrant
groups ie Chinese, Hungarians etc.
Week 5 (March 9)- The people (women and ethnic minorities: Native Americans, AfricanAmericans, Hispanic-Americans, discrimination and civil rights)
Readings: from ch. 4
Possible Presentation topics: Native Americans in US culture, the Black Civil Rights
movement, Hispanic-Americans in the US, minorities in politics
Week 6 (March 16)– Political Culture (political institutions, the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights, the federal government, the system of checks and balances and the separation of
powers)
Readings: from ch. 5&6
Possible Presentation topics: the Bill of Rights, a brief history of the US Constitution,
president vs. prime minister, comparison of House and Senate
Week 7 (March 23)– Elections (presidential and midterm elections, the stages of presidential
elections: announcement, primaries, national convention, TV debates and campaigns, election
day, electoral college, inauguration)
Readings: from ch. 5&6
Presentation topics: Barack Obama’s campaign, money and politics, America’s electoral
calendar, making sense of the electoral college
Week 8 (March 29-April 5) –CONSULTATION WEEK and EASTER HOLIDAY
5
Week 9 (April 6) – American values (individual freedom, self-reliance, competition, equal
opportunity, the “protestant work ethic”, volunteerism, patriotism and the American Dream)
Readings: TBA
Presentation topics: patriotism in popular culture, the American Dream
Week 10 (April 13) – The legal system (the sources of US law, the system of federal and
state courts, crime and punishment, death penalty, law enforcement)
Readings: from ch. 8
Presentation topics: lawsuits and individual responsibility, (in)famous crimes and trials,
death penalty, drug prohibition
Week 11 (April 20) – Religion (Puritanism, religious plurality, American churches)
Readings: from ch. 13
Presentation topics: religious denominations and sects (ie the Mormons, the Amish, the
Baptists) Moslems in America
Week 12 (April 27) – Everyday life I: Education and Sports (education: public and private,
higher education; scholarships, standardized tests; sports: the big 4)
Readings: from ch. 11, 14
Presentation topics: baseball, American football, outdoor recreation, American higher
education, foreign students in the US
Week 13 (May 4) – Everyday life II: Media and Popular Culture (television in the US,
Newspapers and magazines, Hollywood, American Music)
readings: TBA
presentation topics: American cultural hegemony, old media vs new media, the Internet and
freedom of speech
Week 14 (May 11) – End-term Test
Week 15 (May 18) -- Evaluation