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School of Law, Politics and Sociology

American Political Culture (T7059E)

American Political Culture

Module T7059E

Module details for 2022/23.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 4

Module Outline

American political culture is rooted in a shared set of ideals, including liberty, equality, social justice, democracy, and individualism. These are not always realised in practice and this module will allow students to explore how electoral politics and the democratic process have been promoted and challenged in American culture. Drawing on a wide range of American Studies methodologies and theories and offering a cultural-historical approach, this survey will focus on the subjective side of American politics, examining debates around memory, militarism, race, gender, religion, nativism, populism and identity, and how they have been expressed in beliefs, attitudes and cultural practice from the 1750s to the age of Trump.

Module learning outcomes

Identify the key cultural forms through which US politics has been debated and represented

Critically apply knowledge and understanding of the ‘political culture’ of the United States.

Analyse and critically evaluate representations of American politics in a variety of cultural forms (film, autobiography, song, fiction, drama).

Identify and research a key issue or question relating to the culture of US politics

TypeTimingWeighting
Coursework100.00%
Coursework components. Weighted as shown below.
EssayT1 Week 7 30.00%
EssayA1 Week 2 70.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Autumn SemesterLecture2 hours11111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Dr Katharina Rietzler

Assess convenor, Convenor
/profiles/349425

Dr Charlie Jeffries

Assess convenor
/profiles/580214

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