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AMSTUD 1B: Media, Culture, and Society (COMM 1B)

The institutions and practices of mass media, including television, film, radio, and digital media, and their role in shaping culture and social life. The media's shifting relationships to politics, commerce, and identity.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-A-II, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 18A: Jazz History: Ragtime to Bebop, 1900-1940 (MUSIC 18A)

From the beginning of jazz to the war years.
Terms: Win | Units: 3 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, GER:EC-AmerCul, WAY-A-II
Instructors: ; Low, M. (PI); Haines, Z. (TA)

AMSTUD 57S: "Don't Tread on Me!": The Spirit of 1776 in U.S. Politics & Culture, From the Constitution to Jan 6 (HISTORY 57S)

Are the people responsible for the American Revolution demigods or devils? What did they really believe, and what would they think of the United States today? The answers to these questions have been fraught - yet important - since the Revolution. This course explores the many ways in which the memory of the Revolution has been interpreted, appropriated, and remixed. We will explore the politics of memory, interrogate America's relationship to its founding, and study rhetoric from across the political spectrum - from abolitionists to fascists to Hamilton and beyond.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors: ; Depew, J. (PI)

AMSTUD 73: Mexican Migration to the United States (CHILATST 173, HISTORY 73, HISTORY 173)

(History 73 is 3 units; History 173 is 5 units.) This course is an introduction to the history of Mexican migration to the United States. Barraged with anti-immigrant rhetoric and calls for bigger walls and more restrictive laws, few people in the United States truly understand the historical trends that shape migratory processes, or the multifaceted role played by both US officials and employers in encouraging Mexicans to migrate north. Moreover, few have actually heard the voices and perspectives of migrants themselves. This course seeks to provide students with the opportunity to place migrants' experiences in dialogue with migratory laws as well as the knowledge to embed current understandings of Latin American migration in their meaningful historical context.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-EDP, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 91A: Asian American Autobiography/W (ASNAMST 91A, CSRE 91D, ENGLISH 91A)

This is a dual purpose class: a writing workshop in which you will generate autobiographical vignettes/essays as well as a reading seminar featuring prose from a wide range of contemporary Asian-American writers. Some of the many questions we will consider are: What exactly is Asian-American memoir? Are there salient subjects and tropes that define the literature? And in what ways do our writerly interactions both resistant and assimilative with a predominantly non-Asian context in turn recreate that context? We'll be working/experimenting with various modes of telling, including personal essay, the epistolary form, verse, and even fictional scenarios. First priority to undergrads. Students must attend the first class meeting to retain their roster spot.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: WAY-CE, WAY-EDP
Instructors: ; Lee, C. (PI)

AMSTUD 99: American Studies Senior Colloquium

This workshop course offers a supportive, open-ended intellectual maker space where upperclass American Studies students can develop individual capstone projects in conversation with fellow majors and with guidance from the program's capstone mentor.
Terms: Aut, Win | Units: 1-2 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 4 units total)
Instructors: ; Bolten, R. (PI)

AMSTUD 100: Introduction to Asian American Studies (ASNAMST 100)

What is meant by the term Asian American? How have representations of Asian Americans influenced concepts of US citizenship and belonging? What are the social and political origins of the Asian American community? This course provides a critical introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Asian American studies. Drawing on historical, creative, and scholarly texts, the course examines the history and possibilities of Asian American community. To do this, we place the Asian American experience within a transnational context, paying particular attention to the ways that Asian American lives have been shaped by the legacies of US wars in Asia and by the history of US racism. In the process, we examine the role that representations of Asian Americans have played in shaping the boundaries of US citizenship and belonging. Throughout the course, we utilize our discussions of Asian American racialization and community formation to think critically about the social and political ramifications that the designation Asian American entails.
Terms: Win | Units: 4 | UG Reqs: WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
Instructors: ; Dinh, T. (PI)

AMSTUD 101A: Indigeneity and Colonialism (CSRE 101A, FEMGEN 101A)

This course charts processes of imperialism, colonization, and displacement. By looking at the history of colonialism with a focus on its impact on communities of color (e.g., slavery and genocide) and the legacy of colonization embedded in current systems of oppression (e.g., borders and dispossession), students will gain an understanding of how these systems work in tandem, how they continue to impact marginalized communities, and how they each can be traced back to issues of racial capitalism. The course concludes with studies in decolonial projects and epistemologies.
Terms: Win | Units: 5

AMSTUD 106B: Black Mirror: A.I.Activism (ARTHIST 168A, CSRE 106A, ENGLISH 106A, SYMSYS 168A)

Lecture/small group course exploring intersections of STEM, arts and humanities scholarship and practice that engages with, and generated by, exponential technologies. Our course explores the social ethical and artistic implications of artificial intelligence systems with an emphasis on aesthetics, civic society and racial justice, including scholarship on decolonial AI, indigenous AI, disability activism AI, feminist AI and the future of work for creative industries.
Terms: Win | Units: 3 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-EDP
Instructors: ; Elam, M. (PI)

AMSTUD 109: Militant Mischief: Radical Humor as Civil Disobedience in Postwar America

It is Halloween, 1967. Thousands of hippies costumed as witches and warlocks encircle the US Pentagon to perform a mock exorcism in protest of the Vietnam War. It is 1968, and a contingent of feminists crash a beauty pageant, and allegedly burn their bras to raise consciousness about the objectification of women. As a demonstration against animal cruelty, radical environmentalists in the 1980s dump red paint on celebrities wearing fur coats. All of these theatrical protests speak to a subtradition of postwar American political activism that blurs the boundaries between pranking and protest. In this course, we will explore how American activists have weaponized humor in protest movements through the use of guerrilla theatre, pranks, hacking, and memes. Focus will be directed towards movements that are serious but not sober, and the tradition of carnivalesque activism that links the anti-war movement, women's liberation and abortion activism, eco-radicalism, and Black Lives Matter. Altogether, this course will take humor seriously as a key component in the protest movements that have sought to change the landscape of modern American culture.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors: ; Greer, J. (PI)

AMSTUD 110A: The Development of the Southeast Asian American Communities: A comparative analysis (ASNAMST 110)

This course will examine the establishment of the Cambodian, Hmong, and Vietnamese communities in the US. We will focus on the historical events that resulted in their immigration and arrival to the US as well as the similarities and differences in the ways in which they were received. In addition, the course will focus on issues that impacted in the development of these communities focusing on the social, political, and economic processes by which new immigrant groups are incorporated into the American society. The second part of the course will be devoted to analyzing contemporary issues including but not limited to: class status, educational attainment, ethnic identity, racialization, second generation, mass media representation, poverty, and economic mobility.
Terms: Win | Units: 3
Instructors: ; Do, H. (PI)

AMSTUD 123X: Introduction to American Politics and Policy: In Defense of Democracy (POLISCI 102, PUBLPOL 101, PUBLPOL 201)

American democracy faces a series of unprecedented challenges. This course will identify the greatest areas of weakness in the American political system, make sense of the most pressing threats facing democracy, and contemplate how democracy can be strengthened. With this them - in defense of democracy - in mind, we will examine several questions: What guiding principles, norms, and institutions organize and structure American politics, and how do they affect the health and effectiveness of American democracy? What do patterns of political participation and representation in the United States tell us about the health of our democracy? How do partisan and social identities breed hostility and antagonism among the mass public? How does information from the media and other sources advance or frustrate democratic outcomes? What does increased violence - political, racially motivated, or otherwise - reveal about the trajectory of democracy in the United States? This is a course built on the science of politics, and our aim is to bring the scientific study of politics to bear on these pressing questions.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 124A: The American West (ARTHIST 152, ENGLISH 124, HISTORY 151, POLISCI 124A)

The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North America: its history, physical geography, climate, literature, art, film, institutions, politics, demography, economy, and continuing policy challenges. Students examine themes fundamental to understanding the region: time, space, water, peoples, and boom and bust cycles.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, GER:EC-AmerCul, WAY-A-II, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 128B: Back to the Future: Media, Art, and Politics in the 1980s (COMM 128, COMM 228, COMM 328, HISTORY 258A, HISTORY 358A)

(COMM 128 is offered for 5 units, COMM 228 is offered for 4 units. COMM 328 is offered for 3-5 units.)This seminar covers the intersection of politics, media and art in the U.S. from the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Topics include globalization and financialization; the rise of the New Right; the personalization of media technology, from television to computing; postmodernism and political art; feminism, queer, and sex-positive activism; identity politics and the culture wars. Open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5

AMSTUD 135: Deliberative Democracy and its Critics (COMM 135W, COMM 235, COMM 335, ETHICSOC 135F, POLISCI 234P, POLISCI 334P)

This course examines the theory and practice of deliberative democracy and engages both in a dialogue with critics. Can a democracy which emphasizes people thinking and talking together on the basis of good information be made practical in the modern age? What kinds of distortions arise when people try to discuss politics or policy together? The course draws on ideas of deliberation from Madison and Mill to Rawls and Habermas as well as criticisms from the jury literature, from the psychology of group processes and from the most recent normative and empirical literature on deliberative forums. Deliberative Polling, its applications, defenders and critics, both normative and empirical, will provide a key case for discussion.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-ER, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 145: Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley. The site and source of vibrant economic growth and technological innovation. A disruptive force in social, economic, and political systems. An interface between technology and academia, with the the quirky influence of the counterculture in the background. A surprisingly agile cultural behemoth that has reshaped human relationships and hierarchies of all sorts. A brotopia built on the preferences and predilections of rich, geeky white guys. A location with perpetually sunny skies and easy access to beaches and mountains. This seminar will unpack the myths surrounding Silicon Valley by exploring the people, places, industries, and ideas that have shaped it from post-WWII to the present. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject and considers region's history and development; the products of Silicon Valley, from computers and circuit boards to search algorithms and social networks; and Silicon Valley's depictions in photography, film, television, and literature.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors: ; Kessler, E. (PI)

AMSTUD 149: Scams, Hoaxes, and Cons

From Herman Melville to Elizabeth Holmes, this course looks at the history of fakes and fraudsters in American culture, and how they continue to trick, unsettle, and fascinate us. How does a conman pick his mark? How does this relationship reinforce or subvert systems of power, race, gender, and class? What does a scam or hoax-and our willingness to trust in it-tell us about what we value or believe? Possible texts include writings by James Frey, Patricia Highsmith, and Mark Twain; films Nightmare Alley, The Sting, and The Blair Witch Project; and episodes from the recent television series The Dropout.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors: ; Bolten, R. (PI)

AMSTUD 150B: Nineteenth Century America (CSRE 150S, HISTORY 150B)

(Same as HISTORY 50B. 150B is 5 units; 50B is 3 units.) This course is a survey of nineteenth-century American history. Topics include: the legacy of the American Revolution; the invention of political parties; capitalist transformation and urbanization; the spread of evangelical Christianity; antebellum reform; changing conceptions of gender, sex, and family; territorial expansion, Indigenous dispossession, and Manifest Destiny; the politics and experience of Indian removal; slavery and emancipation; the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Redemption; the crises and corruption of the Gilded Age; the Populist insurgency; Chinese exclusion; allotment and reservation life; and the emergence of the United States as a modern nation state.
Terms: Win | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, GER:EC-AmerCul, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 155: American Constitutional History from the Civil War to the War on Poverty (HISTORY 155)

This course addresses U.S. constitutional history from the post-Civil War Reconstruction period through the mid-20th century. Because of the breadth of the subject matter, the view will necessarily be partial. In particular we will take as our focus the way the Constitution has provided a point of political mobilization for social movements challenging economic and social inequality. Topics covered include: Civil War Reconstruction and restoration; the rise of corporate capitalism and efforts to constrain it; Progressive Era regulation; the New Deal challenge to federalism and the anti-New Deal backlash; government spending; WWII and the Japanese Internment; the Civil Rights Era, and the War on Poverty. Readings will include both legal and historical materials with a focus on the relationship between law and society. Elements used in grading: Class Participation, Attendance, Written Assignments, Final Paper. Paper extensions will be granted with instructor permission. No automatic grading penalty for late papers. Cross-listed with the Law School (LAW 7008),
Terms: Win | Units: 5

AMSTUD 161: The Politics of Sex: Gender, Race, and Sexuality in Modern America (CSRE 162, FEMGEN 61, FEMGEN 161, HISTORY 61, HISTORY 161)

This course explores the ways that individuals and movements for social and economic equality have redefined and contested gender and sexuality in the modern United States. Using a combination of primary and secondary sources, we will explore the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality in the politics of woman suffrage, racial justice, reproductive rights, and gay and trans rights, as well as conservative and right-wing responses. Majors and non-majors alike are welcome.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, GER:EC-Gender, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
Instructors: ; Iker, T. (PI)

AMSTUD 162B: Campaigns, Voting, Media, and Elections (COMM 162, COMM 262, POLISCI 120B)

(Graduate students enroll in COMM 262. COMM 162 is offered for 5 units, COMM 262 is offered for 4 units.) This course examines the theory and practice of American campaigns and elections. First, we will attempt to explain the behavior of the key players -- candidates, parties, journalists, and voters -- in terms of the institutional arrangements and political incentives that confront them. Second, we will use current and recent election campaigns as "laboratories" for testing generalizations about campaign strategy and voter behavior. Third, we examine selections from the academic literature dealing with the origins of partisan identity, electoral design, and the immediate effects of campaigns on public opinion, voter turnout, and voter choice. As well, we'll explore issues of electoral reform and their more long-term consequences for governance and the political process.
Terms: Win | Units: 4-5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI

AMSTUD 165: History of Higher Education in the U.S. (EDUC 165, EDUC 265, HISTORY 158C)

Major periods of evolution, particularly since the mid-19th century. Premise: insights into contemporary higher education can be obtained through its antecedents, particularly regarding issues of governance, mission, access, curriculum, and the changing organization of colleges and universities.
Terms: Win | Units: 3-5

AMSTUD 185: American Studies Internship

Restricted to declared majors. Practical experience working in a field related to American Studies for six to ten weeks. Students make internship arrangements with a company or agency, under the guidance of a sponsoring faculty member, and with the consent of the director or a program coordinator of American Studies. Required paper focused on a topic related to the internship and the student's studies. May be repeated for credit.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum | Units: 1-3 | Repeatable for credit

AMSTUD 199B: American Studies Honors Seminar

*Required for all American Studies honors students
Terms: Win | Units: 1
Instructors: ; Kessler, E. (PI)

AMSTUD 200UR: Doing (Sub)Urban History (HISTORY 200UR, URBANST 100UR)

This course explores the attempts by scholars to understand the political, economic, and social development of cities, suburbs, and metropolitan regions from the nineteenth century onward. How have historians examined the evolution of metropolitan spatial forms over time? How have they approached the analytical challenge of handling the diversity in popular experiences and aspirations of urbanites? What of the relationship between industrialization and class formation, state building and culture, surveillance and resistance, banking and racism? Readings consist of some primary sources, classic works, and recent interpretations in the field of (sub)urban history. Although we will largely focus on urban processes within the United States, we will also draw on select examples from urban centers from around the globe. This course forms part of the "Doing History" series: rigorous undergraduate colloquia that introduce the practice of history within a particular field or thematic area.
Terms: Win | Units: 5

AMSTUD 208: Women of the Movement (AFRICAAM 208, FEMGEN 208, FEMGEN 308, HISTORY 268, HISTORY 368, RELIGST 208, RELIGST 308)

This seminar will examine women and their gendered experience of activism, organizing, living, and leading in the Modern Civil Rights Movement. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.
Terms: Win, Spr | Units: 3-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-EDP

AMSTUD 246: Constructing Race and Religion in America (CSRE 246, HISTORY 256G, RELIGST 246)

This seminar focuses on the interrelationships between social constructions of race and social interpretations of religion in America. How have assumptions about race shaped religious worldviews? How have religious beliefs shaped racial attitudes? How have ideas about religion and race contributed to notions of what it means to be "American"? We will look at primary and secondary sources and at the historical development of ideas and practices over time.
Terms: Win | Units: 4-5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
Instructors: ; Lum, K. (PI); Mueller, J. (PI)

AMSTUD 250: Senior Research

Research and writing of senior honors thesis under the supervision of a faculty member. The final grade for the thesis is assigned by the chair based on the evaluations of the primary thesis adviser and a second reader appointed by the program. Prerequisite: consent of chair.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum | Units: 1-15 | Repeatable for credit

AMSTUD 250J: Baldwin and Hansberry: The Myriad Meanings of Love (AFRICAAM 250J, CSRE 250J, FEMGEN 250J, TAPS 250J)

This course looks at major dramatic works by James Baldwin and Lorraine Hansberry. Both of these queer black writers had prophetic things to say about the world-historical significance of major dramas on the 20th Century including civil rights, revolution, gender, colonialism, racism, sexism, war, nationalism and as well as aesthetics and politics.
Terms: Win | Units: 4
Instructors: ; Brody, J. (PI); Jones, T. (TA)

AMSTUD 274C: Mexican American History (CHILATST 274, HISTORY 274C, HISTORY 374C)

This course will explore the history of Mexican migrants and Mexican Americans from 1848 to the present.
Terms: Win | Units: 4-5 | UG Reqs: WAY-EDP
Instructors: ; Minian Andjel, A. (PI)
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