In this course the instructor will facilitate discussions among students on history of the US print culture from its colonial period to the post-WWII period. Each student will be required to read some materials related to the topic and give some presentations on them.
This course aims to highlight the ways in which the US republic of letters has long been created and recreated, affecting the people’s feelings and thoughts.
At the end of this course students will:
・ acquire the knowledge of various publications, publishers, and printing technology.
・ learn the skills of both distant reading and close reading.
・ be able to make sophisticated comments on not only artworks, but also socio-political issues in the US.
US cultural and literary studies, studies on print culture, publications, publishers, and printing technology
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
In each session, the instructor will give lectures on historical background, and students will be requested to read texts related to the lectures. All participants will read them prior to the class, listen to a presentation by one of the students and have a further discussion either in Japanese or in English.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Introduction | Define print culture |
Class 2 | Books in the colonial period | Learn what books were like in the colonial period |
Class 3 | Books in the antebellum period | Learn what books were like in the antebellum period |
Class 4 | Books in the Reconstruction period | Learn what books were like in the Reconstruction period |
Class 5 | Books in the modernist period | Learn what books were like in the modernist period |
Class 6 | Books in the postmodernist period | Learn what books were like in the postmodernist period |
Class 7 | Review and discussion part I | Discuss what the US print culture is all about |
Class 8 | Review and discussion part II | Discuss what the US print culture is all abou |
Materials will be provided during class.
Related books and articles will be mentioned when necessary.
class participation: 50%, Final paper: 50%
Nothing required
ryamane[at] ila.titech.ac.jp