American Studies
Diverse People,...
Diverse Methods,...
Diverse Opportunities....
Welcome to the American Studies homepage! For many viewers, this may be not only your first time on this page, but also your introduction to the field....
What is American studies? It is the cultural study of the United States (and the territory that would become the US and the settings that show the influence of US culture) using many academic disciplines. We use all these fields of study because, after all, life itself is interdisciplinary: at any one time, we are living out influences from the historical, literary, psychological, economic, political, religious, scientific, and other influences all around us. A more informal expression of our method is that in American studies, we use many perspectives to try to understand what makes America tick.
In a sense, you are already a student of American studies, if you live in the US, or have visited here, or just feel the impress of its culture. Whenever you shop, vote, travel, or read, you are involved in the process of culture watching. The academic program in American studies lets you bring that informal viewing to another level, by providing more information, by establishing contexts around your impressions, by building up your ability to evaluate your experiences critically.
