Bachelor
2022/2023
History and Culture of the USA
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Elective course (Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication)
Area of studies:
Linguistics
Delivered by:
School of Foreign Languages
Where:
School of Foreign Languages
When:
1 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
52
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course “History and Culture of the U.S.A.” is taught to freshmen majoring in foreign languages and intercultural communication. The aim of the course is to establish the context of understanding of the cultural, historic, economic, and political background of the U.S.A. as a country whose language is the target language of students’ professional scrutiny. Course materials include a variety of primary and secondary sources that explore the phenomena discussed from different perspectives to enhance students' analytical, critical thinking and media literacy skills. Special attention is paid to a comparative analysis of the U.S. – Russia relations. The course features both lectures and seminars, which enables students to interiorize the “American component” of their intercultural communicative competence through involvement in class discussions, case-study, quizzes, tests and writing critical reviews.
Learning Objectives
- familiarizing students with the U.S. traditions, culture, politics and policies, economy and history
- developing skills of social and cultural analysis of historic milestones of the U.S. emergence, growth and modern status
- enhancing critical thinking to come to independent conclusions about the U.S. sociocultural and political phenomena through the acquisition of media literacy skills
- developing intercultural competence and forming a clear picture of the key types, forms, and issues of intercultural communication through the reflective analytical and synthetic perception of the student's local culture and the U.S. culture
- motivating students for further professional development in the field of American Studies
Expected Learning Outcomes
- apply the knowledge and skills obtained in the course to solving tasks in foreign language teaching, translation and interpretation and intercultural communication
- be able to analyze key stages of the 13 colonies’ fight for independence and emergence of the U.S.A.
- be able to analyze processes and trends in the modern U.S. social and cultural context
- be able to analyze the U.S. involvement in military conflicts in the Middle East and its response to the threat of international terrorism
- be able to analyze the “Mexican issue” in the U.S.
- be able to interpret culture-specific language units denoting historic, cultural and social connotations
- be able to interpret the history of the Feminist and Civil Rights Movements
- be able to interpret the history, current state and prospects of Russia – U.S. relations.
- be able to investigate the roots of the continent colonization
- be able to provide analysis of the U.S. foreign policy during the periods of isolationism and interventionism
- be aware of America’s principal values and their impact on the emergence of American mentality
- be aware of distinctive features of the U.S. world, i.e. daily life, values, mentality, and national character
- be aware of the key principles of the U.S. legislative system
- be aware of the role of African Americans in the U.S. history
- be aware of the role of stereotypes and culture codes in intercultural communication
- be aware of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
- be aware of the U.S. role during the World Wars
- be familiar with American social and cultural context
- be familiar with America’s modern life, namely social security, healthcare, education, research, mass media, etc.
- be familiar with the key principles of the U.S. political system
- know key concepts of the U.S. history and culture
- learn the role of Columbus in American history
- make operational use of authentic language means fostering mutual understanding within intercultural communication
- obtain problem-solving skills applicable to intercultural communication
Course Contents
- Topic 1. Introduction to the course
- Topic 2. Genesis of the American nation
- Topic 3. American fight for independence
- Topic 4. American national identity
- Topic 5. American democracy
- Topic 6. Law in the USA
- Topic 7. Black Lives Matter: the past and the present
- Topic 8. Multiculturalism in the USA
- Topic 9. Gender in the USA
- Topic 10. The US foreign policy: isolationism to interventionism
- Topic 11. American foreign policy in the Middle East
- Topic 12. The USA and Russia: the past, the present, and the future
- Topic 13. Modern life in the USA
Assessment Elements
- Сontinuous assessment M1Involves class participation (taking part in discussions, debates, round-table talks, case studies; independent preparation for seminars (information search; reading papers; watching videos; annotating and rendering the obtained materials)) and SMART LMS written assignments submission.
- Continuous assessment M2Involves class participation (taking part in discussions, debates, round-table talks, case studies; independent preparation for seminars (information search; reading papers; watching videos; annotating and rendering the obtained materials)) and SMART LMS written assignments submission.
- Module test M1The module test is taken online via SMART LMS platform. The test comprises multiple choice / fill in the gaps / TRUE/FALSE / open questions to be answered in writing.
- Module test M2The module test is taken online via SMART LMS platform. The test comprises multiple choice / fill in the gaps / TRUE/FALSE / open questions to be answered in writing.
- Critical reviewA graded written paper aimed at analysing current U.S. social, political, economic, cultural affairs using relevant primary and/or secondary sources.
- ExamExam comprises 5 open questions to be answered in writing.
Interim Assessment
- 2022/2023 2nd module0.1 * Сontinuous assessment M1 + 0.15 * Module test M2 + 0.2 * Exam + 0.2 * Continuous assessment M2 + 0.2 * Critical review + 0.15 * Module test M1
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- A Few Lessons from American History: Reader for Students of English . — Москва : СТАТУТ, 2014. — 80 с. — ISBN 978-5-8354-1011-8. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/61518 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Loewen, J. W. (2007). Lies My Teacher Told Me : Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (Vol. Touchstone trade pbk. ed). New York: The New Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=516592