Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Option: Mass Culture and the Modern United States, 1877-1939
School	History and Cultures
Department	History
Module Code	09 38818
Module Lead	Dr. Nathan Cardon
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module traces the rise of a national popular culture in the United States from the end of Reconstruction to the start of the Second World War. It examines the ways individuals, groups, corporations, and government agencies influenced American life and culture. The module looks at some of the key debates that have shaped the field (highbrow v. lowbrow, performers v. audiences, and market forces v. artists) and pays close attention to the role of race, ethnicity, gender, and class in shaping American culture. In the half-century after 1877 the combination of mass industry, immigration, and culture forged a new understanding of what it meant to be an American. Within this cultural landscape Americans and recently arrived immigrants (re)defined and produced the modern United States. Topics may include: vaudeville, World's Fairs, ragtime and jazz, the 'lost generation,' flappers, and the cultural front.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Analyse and explain key events and historical processes relevant to the subject under scrutiny. Analyse and explain reasons for and implications of these events and processes. Identify the main scholarly views on the subject under investigation. Work with an appropriate degree of learner independence to explain and analyse the material under scrutiny. Communicate explanation and analysis of the subject clearly and effectively in writing.
Assessment	38818-01 : 3,000 word essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: S1 = 1 x 3,000 word essay (100%)
Other
Reading List