Our perceptions of ourselves and our country are not necessarily
shared by others around the world.  It’s important to understand how
others see us if we are to be successful, both individually and
nationally, in the globalized 21st century.  This course will
explore how others around the world see us by focusing on selected
current issues, involving the U.S., as reported in the world’s
press. The class will select two to four issues or controversies
involving the United States that are receiving world-wide attention
in Fall, 2005.  Examples may include:  the war in Iraq and the war
on terrorism, the Bush administration and foreign policy in general,
the U.S. as a global economic force and various aspects of American
popular culture.  Ultimately, the issues will be selected on the
basis of (1) their currency, (2) the amount of attention they are
receiving in world media and (3) the interests and background of
students who enroll in the class. The course is in part historical,
in part political, in part an example of media studies, likely in
part economic and certainly cultural.