A quick glance through the Amercian Studies Association Conference
program makes it clear that American Studies is nothing if not
interdisciplinary.  The printed program advertises performances by
Holly Hughes and Carmelita Tropicana, as well as talks by scholars in
such diverse departments and programs as African American Studies,
American Studies, Art History, English, Film Studies, Folklore,
Gender Studies, History, The History of Science, Media Studies,
Political Science, Religious Studies, Social Medicine, Sociology, The
History of Consciousness, and The Humanities Research Institute.
Given such a wide range of  disciplines and departments, American
Studies methodologies are, by necessity, eclectic and diverse,
deriving from both the requirements of the disciplines they represent
(history, English etc) and the theoretical perspectives within those
disciplines that they embrace.

C626 introduces students to some of the varying methodologies and
perspectives used in the field.  Readings will include excerpts from
Susan Faludi’s work on masculinity, Stiffed, as well as excerpts from
Sylvère Lotringer’s  French Theory in America, Jean Baudrillard,
America, Lauren Berlant, The Queen of America Goes to Washington
City, Karen Finley, A Different Kind of Intimacy, Lotringer and
Kraus, Hatred of Capitalism: A Reader, and Robyn Wiegman, American
Anatomies;  articles by Bill Ellis, bell hooks, Adrian Piper, Coco
Fusco, Eric Lott, Cindy Patton, Robert McChesney, Wahneema Lubiano,
Chris Kraus, Dick Hebdige, Patricia Williams and Cornel West; and
postings from the IndyMedia Website and CTheory.  Books:Alice
Randall, The Wind Done Gone, Bernard Lefkowitz, Our Guys, Laura
McEnaney, Civil Defense Begins at Home, J. Andrew Ross, The
Celebration Chronicles: Life,Liberty and the Pursuit of Value in
Disney’s New Town.

In addition, a number of scholars will present their research to the
students. Eric Lott, Cindy Patton, and Robert McChesney will be
coming to IU as part of the American Studies colloquium series and
have agreed to hold discussions with the class.  A number of IU
American Studies  faculty will be invited to do informal
presentations for the class and participate in round table
discussions.  We have arranged a special seminar with Chris Kraus
(author, filmmaker, performance artist and one of the editors at
Semiotext(e) ). And there will be one or two specially-scheduled film
screenings.

Written work will consist of a series of very short (2-page) response
papers to individual readings and speakers, and a 10-page conference
paper suitable for presentation at the American Studies Conference.

Oral work—in addition to active participation in the discussions,
students will be asked to give a 15-20 minute oral presentation of
their papers, and to help focus at least 2 of the seminar meetings.