Fall 2014 American Studies and Ethnicity Course Offerings
*Courses with an asterisk require pre-approval to count towards your major requirements. Always refer to the
course catalogue to find out how these courses count towards your major. Please see Ms. Cynthia Mata-Flores,
your academic advisor, before registering for one of these courses. She can be reached at cmflores@usc.edu, at her
office at KAP 450C, or by phone at (213)740-3198.
AMST 101gm
Race and Class in Los Angeles
Analysis of race and the economic, political, gender, and social
dimensions of contemporary Los Angeles including topics such as
residential segregation, economic inequality, and city politics.
Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140. (TTh 12:30-1:50 PM, Prof. Laura
Pulido)
AMST 135gm
Peoples and Cultures of the Americas
An introduction to cultures and people in the Americas, the social,
historical, economic, and cultural formations that together make
up the Latino/a American imaginary(TTh 9:30-10:50 Prof. Alicia
Chavez)
AMST 200m
Introduction to American Studies and Ethnicity
Introduction to American studies and ethnic studies. Provides an
overview of major theories, concepts, and issues. (TTH 12:301:50PM)
AMST 252gm
Black Social Movements in the U.S
This course examines black social movements for freedom,
justice, equality, and self-determination. Beginning with
Reconstruction, movements include labor, civil rights, radical
feminism, socialism, reparations, Black Nationalism, prisoner
rights, and Hip Hop(MW 10:00-11:50 Prof. Francille Wilson)
AMST 274gm
Exploring Ethnicity through Film
This course is an examination of the constructions of American
ethnicity/race in film. (TTh 12:30-1:50PM, Prof. Lanita Jacobs)
AMST 301g
America, the Frontier, and the New West
Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of American political,
cultural, and social life with a particular emphasis on the Western
United States as a region. Recommended preparation: HIST 100,
ENGL 263. (Prof. Simeon Man MW 10-11:50AM)
AMST 330m
Black Music and Political Imagination
Explores the changing political meanings of "black music”
throughout the 20th century, from freedom to a threat of civil
order, from racial integration to Black liberation.(TTH 12:30-1:50
Prof. Shana Redmond)
AMST 332gm Post-Civil Rights Black America
Analyzes the political, economic, and cultural experiences of the
post- 1965 period through an interrogation of contemporary
conditions , movements, and responses to power in Black
America.(W 2:00-4:50 Prof. Shana Redmond)
AMST 350
Junior Seminar in American Studies and
Ethnicity: Theories and Methods
Advanced study in interdisciplinary theories and methods for
analyzing race and ethnicity in the United States, including a
comparative study of topics such as inequality, gender, and class.
(T 2-4:50PM, Prof. David Roman)
AMST 365
Leadership in the Community—Internship
Eight to 10 hours per week in a community-based internship plus
two hour lecture. Theoretical and practical issues associated with
community leadership. (Th 2-3:50PM)
AMST 392
Undergraduate Research Methods
Examines processes of scholarly research; quantitative and
qualitative research methods; faculty mentorship; experiential
learning; research proposal writing; careers in research.
Sophomore or junior standing in the major. Departmental
approval. Graded CR/NC. (T 4-5:50 P.M)
AMST 448m
Chicano and Latino Literature
Development of poetry, essay, short story and novel of the
Chicano and Latino peoples of the United States, with particular
emphasis on the differentiating characteristics between the
multiple cultures that constitute the Latino populations.
Duplicates credit in former ENGL 448m. (TTH 12:30-1:50 Prof. Elda
Mari Roman)
AMST 490x
Directed Research
Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate
credit. (TBA)
AMST 492
Research Methods in American Studies and
Ethnicity
Develop the research proposal and methods for completing a
senior honors thesis; for students in one of the four PASE honors
programs. (T 2-4:50PM)
Other Courses of Interest
AHIS 370
Modern Art III: 1940 to the Present
Questions of social engagement and political structure address
this examination of major movements in art since 1940(Prof.
Suzanne Hudson MW 3:30-4:50p.m)
COLT 365
Literature and Popular Culture
Study of mass-reproduced verbal and visual art forms, such as
graphic novels, comics, animation, popular music, video, graffiti,
advertising. (MW 3:30-4:50 Prof. Mitch Du Plessis)
COMM 384
Interpreting Popular Culture
Popular culture as an indicator of cultural values, a producer and
reflection of cultural meaning, and a means of communication;
theory and case studies.(W 3:30-6:20p.m)
CTCS 393
History of the American Film, 1946–1975
Cinematic and extra-cinematic determinants of Post-Classical and
Modernist Hollywood studio and independent genres, styles, and
the star-phenomenon and their relationship to American history
and culture.(Prof. Drew Casper T 6-10p.m)
CTCS 402* Latin American Cinema after 1960
In the 1960s Latin American filmmakers rejected commercial
cinema and set out to make films appropriate to the historical and
contemporary conditions of a hemisphere shaped by colonialism,
slavery, revolution, and gross inequality. This course begins at
that pivotal moment before turning to survey contemporary Latin
American cinema. The bulk of this survey takes up three thematic
trajectories: the search for justice in the wake of dictatorial
regimes; gender and sexuality; and the relationship between
neoliberal politics, urban environments, and violence. We will
conclude the semester by considering the similarities and
differences—in terms of subject matter, funding strategies, and
modes of production—between the first Latin American new
wave of the 1960s and the latest surge in film production in the
region. (Prof. Laura Isabel M 2:00-5:50)
CTCS 407
African American Cinema
Intensive survey of African American cinema; topics include
history, criticism, politics, and cinema’s relationship to other
artifacts of African American culture.(W 10-1:50p.m Prof.
Christine Acham)
CTCS 412*
Gender, Sexuality and Media
Examines how gender and sexuality are figured in cinema
and television with an emphasis on the development of
feminist media theory.
(Prof. Kara Keeling T 2:00-5:50 )
ENGL 263
American Literature
Intensive reading of representative writers.
(David Roman, TTH 12:30-1:50PM or Michelle Gordon, TTH 1112:20PM, or Richard Berg, MWF 12-12:50p.m)
ENGL 375
Science Fiction
Investigation of the scope and possibilities of British and
American science fiction as a genre, with some attention to its
historical development. (MWF 10 Prof. Mich Du Plessis)
ENGL 392
Visual and Popular Culture
Course in the theory and practices of "popular culture,"
highlighting modern and comtemporary culture, film, video and
popular music, as well as narrative forms. (MW 12-1:50PM Prof.
Alice Gambrell)
ENGL 442
American Literature, 1920 to the Present
American poetry, fiction, and drama since World War I with
special attention to Eliot, Frost, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, O'Neill,
Stevens, Faulkner, and Nabokov. (MW 2-3:20PM Prof. William
Handley)
ENGL 481
Narrative Forms in Literature and Film
Critical approaches to narrative form in literature and film;
readings and films from several genres and periods, emphasis on
gender, ethnic, and cultural studies.(Prof. Tania Modleski TTH
12:30-1:50p.m)
HIST 100gm
The American Experience
Patterns of American development from Colonial times to the
present. Duplicates credit in former HIST 200. (MW 12-1:50p.m
Prof. Perl-Rosenthal)
HIST 355
The African American Experience
An historical and social analysis of the African-American
experience from Colonial times to the present. Duplicates credit in
former HIST 250. (T 2-4:50 P.M Prof. Francill Wilson)
HIST 380
American Pop Culture
Rise of popular culture (sports, amusement parks, movies, and
television) and its significance in American society from mid 19th
century to the present. Duplicates credit in former HIST 255. (TTH
9:30-10:50 A.M Prof. Glenda Goodman)
JS 428
Blacks and Jews: Conflicts and Alliances
Examination of the relationship between the American Jewish and
African-American communities and what it teaches about race
and coalition politics in American society. (TTH 2-3:20 P.M Prof.
Bruce Phillips and Leah Hochman)
MUSC 400m
The Broadway Musical: Reflection of American
Diversity, Issues and Experiences
Selected Broadway musicals serve as a catalyst for inquiry into
human diversity, cross-culturalism, and significant social and
political issues. (TTH 4-5:50PM Prof. Parmer Fuller)
MUSC 422
The Beatles: Their Music and Their Times
Music, lyrics, recordings, production techniques, career strategy,
social ramifications, and especially the technological impact of the
musical group known as The Beatles. (MW 4-5:50PM Prof. Bill
Biersach)
MUSC 450m
The Music of Black Americans
The musical contribution of Africans and African Americans to
American society. Musical genres and the relationship between
music and society will be topics for examination.
(MW2-3:50 P.M Prof. Ronald McCurdy)
POSC 424m
Political Participation and American Diversity
Examines how diverse groups in the U.S. interact with the
American political system. (TTH 12:30-1:50PM)
PSYC 462m
Culture and Mental Health
The influence of culture, ethnicity, race and gender on human
behavior. Mental health issues relevant to ethnic minorities in the
U.S. Recommended preparation: sophomore standing or higher;
PSYC 100. (TTH 10-11:50A.M Prof. Steven Lopez)
SOCI 342* Race and Ethnic Relations
This course explores historical and contemporary experiences of
American Indians, African Americans, Asian Americans and
Mexican Americans from a sociological perspective. We will also
explore some of the experiences of white ethnic groups, for
example, Irish and Italian Americans. Specifically, we will study
the underlying issues that characterize the relations between and
among different racial and ethnic groups in our country. (TTH
(9:30-10:50 Prof. Elaine Kaplan)
SOCI 365* Visual Sociology of the Urban City and Its Residents
Visual sociology is an area of sociology concerned with the visual
dimensions of social life. Being visual means learning a craft that
allows you to bring your world alive with the use of the camera.
In this context, the camera is analogous to a tape recorder.
One way of helping students develop a sociological imagination
about everyday things that they might otherwise take for granted
is to show them how photographs and video clips of these
everyday things are rich repositories of information that can be
used in theory and analysis. Just imagine what students can
discover about their own surroundings. (T 2:00-4:50 Prof. Elaine
Kaplan)
SPAN 413m
Social and Geographic Varieties of Spanish
Historical, social, and cultural elements represented in the
dialectal diversity of the Spanish language; fieldwork in bilingual
communities in the United States. Majors prepare assignments in
Spanish, non-majors in English. Conducted in Spanish and English.
(TTH 11-12:20PM Prof. Gabriela Zapata)
THTR 405m* “Performing Identities”
This course explores the live performance medium as a creative
means of social redress and personal expression. It engages with
the medium's potentials to reflect, critique, construct, and enact a
performing artist's emergent identities. Course materials range
from solo shows in the early twentieth century to contemporary
dramatic texts for ensemble work; from the socially engaged
genre of self-performance to the mediated identity performances
in pop culture, in addition to numerous theoretical essays and
videotaped performance documents. Equal emphasis will be
placed on the aesthetic dimension and the sociocultural and
historical backgrounds of selected performance texts. In our
glocalized era, the course encourages the students to appreciate
the challenge and pleasure of experiencing diversity in
interpersonal encounters across various boundaries.
(MW 3:30-4:50pm, Prof. Meiling Cheng)