Bachelor 2020/2021

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

Instructors: Alexey Bakulev, Alina Budnikova, Kseniia Kindenova

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

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 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. 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 discussions, presentations, and projects along with doing quizzes and writing essays.

Learning Objectives

• familiarizing students with the U.S. traditions, customs, 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
• developing intercultural competence and forming a clear picture of the key types, forms, and issues of intercultural communication though the reflective analytical and synthetic perception of the native culture and the U.S. culture
• motivating students for further professional development in the field of American Studies

Expected Learning Outcomes

• be aware of distinctive features of the U.S. world, i.e. daily life, values, mentality, and national character
• be familiar with American social and cultural context
• be aware of the role of stereotypes and culture codes in intercultural communication
• be able to interpret culture-specific language units denoting historic, cultural and social connotations
• know key concepts of the U.S. history and culture
• be able to analyze processes and trends in the modern U.S. social and cultural context
• make operational use of authentic language means fostering mutual understanding within intercultural communication
• obtain problem-solving skills applicable to intercultural communication
• apply the knowledge and skills obtained in the course to solving tasks in foreign language teaching, translation and interpretation and intercultural communication
• learn the role of Columbus in American history
• be able to investigate the roots of the continent colonization
• be able to analyze key stages of the 13 colonies’ fight for independence and emergence of the U.S.A.
• be aware of America’s principal values and their impact on the emergence of American mentality
• be familiar with the key principles of the U.S. political system
• 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 able to analyze the “Mexican issue” in the U.S.
• be able to interpret the history of the Feminist and Civil Rights Movements
• be able to provide analysis of the U.S. foreign policy during the periods of isolationism and interventionism
• be aware of the U.S. role during the World Wars
• be aware of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
• 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 interpret the history, current state and prospects of Russia – U.S. relations.
• be familiar with America’s modern life, namely social security, healthcare, education, research, mass media, etc.

Course Contents

• Topic 1. Introduction to the course
  The section introduces students to the course objectives, expectations, outcomes, reading list, grading system.
• Topic 2. Genesis of the American nation
  The topic focuses on an introduction to America in the Pre-Columbus era and investigates roots of the continent colonization.
• Topic 3. American fight for independence
  The topic analyzes key stages of the 13 colonies’ fight for independence and emergence of the U.S.A.
• Topic 4. American national identity
  The topic deals with America’s principal values and their impact on the emergence of American mentality.
• Topic 5. American democracy
  The topic focuses on the key principles of the U.S. political system. Students get a deeper understanding of American democracy and its specific features, namely voting system.
• Topic 6. Law in the USA
  The section covers the U.S. legislative system, i.e. role of the government in law making, and role of law in American life. An emphasis is placed on the right to keep and bear arms.
• Topic 7. Black Lives Matter: the past and the present
  Students are made aware of the role of African Americans in the U.S. history, i.e. fight for the abolition of slavery, emancipation, and equal rights. Students also look at the modern context, especially in terms of (no) racial discrimination.
• Topic 8. Multiculturalism in the USA
  Students are introduced to the concept of multiculturalism in the U.S. focusing on the Melting Pot and Salad Bowl paradigms and touching on the “Mexican issue” in the U.S.
• Topic 9. Gender in the USA
  The topic spans the history of the Feminist and Civil Rights Movements.
• Topic 10. The US foreign policy: isolationism to interventionism
  The topic focuses on the U.S. foreign policy and provides analysis of the US foreign policy shift. It investigates the different circumstances that were behind the alteration of the US foreign policy from isolationism toward interventionism. Students are made aware of the U.S. role during the World Wars and its involvement in the Vietnam War.
• Topic 11. American foreign policy in the Middle East
  The topic focuses on the U.S. foreign policy. Emphasis is placed on the U.S. involvement in military conflicts in the Middle East and response to the threat of international terrorism.
• Topic 12. The USA and Russia: the past, the present, and the future
  Students are introduced to the history, current state and prospects of Russia – U.S. relations.
• Topic 13. Modern life in the USA
  The section familiarizes students with America’s modern life, namely social security, healthcare, education, research, mass media, etc.

Assessment Elements

• Class participation
• Module tests
• Review / Essay
  Students attend (offline or online) any cultural event linked to the U.S. history and culture, e.g. an art exhibition, a lecture, a theater performance, a workshop, etc. A movie does not qualify as a cultural event. They then write a 700-900-word long review of the event. The pictures/photos can be attached. Reviews can be submitted at any time, but no later than the 6th seminar.
• Presentation OR Cultural event review
• Project
  The projects are presented at the ultimate seminar. The overarching topic of the project is “Russia and the U.S.: what’s next?” Project preparation planning: (1) pick any aspect of the Russia – U.S. relations (sport, science, art, etc.); (2) do research into the history, current state, and further development of the Russia – U.S. relations within the chosen aspect; (3) analyze the advantages and disadvantages for both Russia and the USA in the context of the aspect analyzed; (4) present the research outcomes in the form of a research portfolio; (5) prepare a short presentation to be delivered at a seminar; (6) prepare a video on the topic to be played at the seminar that aims at encouraging the Russia – U.S. relations within the chosen aspect; (7) get ready for a follow-up discussion. Each group can work on and defend no more than 8 projects. The timing for presentation, video, and discussion is 20 minutes (max 10 min for presentation, 5 min for video, and 5 min for discussion).
• Exam
  Экзамен проводится в письменной форме через платформу SmartLMS. К экзамену необходимо подключиться за 15 минут до начала. Компьютер студента должен удовлетворять требованиям: https://elearning.hse.ru/data/2020/05/07/1544135594/Технические%20требования%20к%20ПК%20студента.pdf Для участия в экзамене студент обязан: заранее зайти на платформу, провести тест системы, включить камеру, микрофон, приступить к выполнению заданий. Во время экзамена студентам запрещено: общаться (в социальных сетях, с людьми в комнате), списывать, передавать свой вариант экзамена другим людям для его выполнения, пользоваться словарями, переводчиками или другими источниками. Во время экзамена студентам разрешено: использовать чистый лист бумаги в качестве черновика. Кратковременным нарушением связи во время экзамена считается прерывание связи до 5 минут. Долговременным нарушением связи во время экзамена считается прерывание связи 5 минут и более. При долговременном нарушении связи студент не может продолжить участие в экзамене. Процедура пересдачи аналогична процедуре сдачи.

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (1 module)
  0.4 * Class participation + 0.25 * Exam + 0.2 * Module tests + 0.15 * Review / Essay
• Interim assessment (2 module)
  0.3 * Class participation + 0.25 * Exam + 0.2 * Module tests + 0.1 * Presentation OR Cultural event review + 0.15 * Project

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• - A Few Lessons from American History: Reader for Students of English - Общество с ограниченной ответственностью «Издательство «СТАТУТ» - 2014 - 80с. - ISBN: 978-5-8354-1011-8 - Текст электронный // ЭБС ЛАНЬ - URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/61518

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