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American Studies

Chair

  • Susan Birrell

Professors

  • Susan Birrell (American Studies/Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies), Kim Marra (American Studies/Theatre Arts), Horace A. Porter (F. Wendell Miller Professor of English and American Studies), Lauren Rabinovitz (American Studies/Cinema and Comparative Literature)

Professors emeriti

  • Richard P. Horwitz, John Raeburn (American Studies/English), Albert E. Stone (American Studies/English)

Associate professors

  • Lafayette Adams (English/American Studies), Catriona Parratt, Laura Rigal (English/American Studies), Harilaos Stecopoulos (English/American Studies), Deborah Whaley (American Studies/African American Studies), Nicholas Yablon

Lecturer

  • Megan Chawansky
Undergraduate degrees: B.A. in American Studies, B.A. in Sport Studies
Undergraduate nondegree programs: Minor in American Studies, Sport Studies
Graduate degrees: M.A., Ph.D. in American Studies
Web site: http://www.uiowa.edu/~amstud

The Department of American Studies provides an interdisciplinary introduction to American culture, past and present. It helps students acquire a broad familiarity with the dynamics of cultural experience and explore aspects of life in the United States, such as sport, popular and fine arts, institutions, values, gender and ethnic relations, artifacts, and the everyday life of a diverse citizenry.

The department also is the administrative home of the American Indian and Native Studies Program, which offers a certificate for undergraduate and graduate students; see American Indian and Native Studies in the Catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

  • Major in American studies (Bachelor of Arts) 
  • Major in sport studies (Bachelor of Arts)
  • Minor in American studies
  • Minor in sport studies

Bachelor of Arts: American Studies

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in American Studies requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 36 s.h. of work for the major. Students must earn at least 24 s.h. for the major at The University of Iowa. All students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

The major in American studies stresses broad training in cultural analysis and communication. Although it offers no explicit vocational training, the program provides preparation for careers in business, education, government, journalism, or social service; for advanced study in the humanities, the social sciences, theology, or business; or for professional study in law or medicine. American studies students may arrange internships through the University's Pomerantz Career Center.

A distinctive feature of the American studies major is the opportunity to develop broad training in cultural analysis as well as emphasis of particular interests within the study of American culture. With the help of their American studies advisors, students may elect to pursue one of five focus areas within American studies, or they may create an individual plan of study. Each focus area allows students to group courses in American studies and other departments around a specific interdisciplinary theme, topic, or set of social issues; see "American Studies Focus Areas" below.

Shortly after declaring the major, a student should meet with his or her faculty advisor to explore the range of course work available and to begin shaping an individual plan of study. By the student's second term in the major, the student and advisor should have agreed upon a plan of study and focus area for completing the requirements for the major.

The major in American Studies usually requires the following 12 courses.

045:020 Sources for American Studies 3 s.h.
045:025 Diversity and American Identities 3 s.h.
045:090 Seminar in American Cultural Studies 3 s.h.
Three additional American studies core courses 9 s.h.
American history: two courses 6 s.h.
Special interest focus area: four courses in American studies and/or other departments 12 s.h.

American Studies Focus Areas

Students should consult regularly with the Department of American Studies about courses offered by American studies and other departments that count toward each focus area. A maximum of two courses from a single department outside American studies may be counted toward a single focus area.

ETHNIC STUDIES, DIVERSITY, AND DIFFERENCES

Students choose this focus to develop interdisciplinary understanding of an individual ethnic and/or racial group (e.g., Latino/a studies, Jewish-American studies) or to examine broadly gender, race, sexuality, social class, region, national origins, and age in the United States. Emphasis is on the historic emergence of categories of social difference, especially as revealed in cultural practices and artifacts, geography and cityscapes, leisure, and popular expression.

AMERICAN ARTS, LITERATURE, AND POPULAR CULTURE

Students who choose this focus examine artistic creations to discover how they are shaped by cultural preconceptions, norms, and standards, and how in turn these expressive forms affect ongoing developments in cultural life. Emphasis is on skills in the formal analysis of artistic artifacts, historical inquiry, and cultural contextualization.

AMERICAN SOCIETY, POLITICS, AND EVERYDAY LIFE

Students who choose this focus consider the dynamics of social change, the emergence and fate of political movements, and the forms and practice of everyday life in America. The area encompasses the tradition of revolution in America, the effects of technological and economic change, and the roles of the family, workplace, and community from the colonial era to the digital age.

THE POLITICS OF NATURE: ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, AND LANDSCAPE

Students who choose this focus explore how Americans from pre-Columbian times to the present have shaped and regarded the natural environment. Topics might include the perception of wilderness in early America; the relationship of Native American peoples to the land; the impact of industrialization and urban growth on the environment; the emergence of a cult of nature; the treatment and representation of animals; the mass production, distribution, and consumption of food; and the growing movement for sustainability in agriculture, architecture, urban planning, and individual lifestyles.

SPORT AND POPULAR AMUSEMENT

Students who choose this focus examine the various sports, recreational activities, and popular amusements enjoyed in the United States from colonial and early America to the present. They examine the relationship between work and play, the role of technology and the media, the commercialization of sport, and the politics of gender, race, class, sexuality, and disability.

INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED FOCUS AREAS

Individually designed focus areas may concentrate on an interdisciplinary topic, theme, group of people, or time period. Students who wish to design their own interdisciplinary focus area should consult with their American studies advisor for appropriate courses.

Bachelor of Arts: Sport Studies

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in sport studies requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 45 s.h. of work for the major (30 s.h. in sport studies and 15 s.h. in an outside specialization area or a minor). At least 24 s.h. of credit for the major must be earned at The University of Iowa. Students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

Admission to the sport studies major is selective; see "Admission to the Sport Studies Major" below.

The sports studies major is for students who want to examine sport in its historical and contemporary cultural contexts. Course work provides students with the critical skills necessary to understand the cultural significance of sport as it relates to the media, the economy, the political system, and the educational system. A focus on the race, class, and gender differences in the sport experience is central to the major.

Many students use their experience in the program to prepare for graduate school. For others, the required second concentration area or minor serves as an introduction to careers in a number of fields, such as sport journalism, sport management, or coaching.

The major in sport studies requires the following course work.

SPORT STUDIES FOUNDATION

Students should complete the foundation courses as early as possible.

Both of these:

028:074 Inequality in American Sport 3 s.h.
045:001 Understanding American Cultures 3 s.h.
SPORT STUDIES CORE

Students must complete one course from each of the following four content areas (total of 12 s.h.).

Diversity in sport—one of these:

028:078 Women, Sport, and Culture 3 s.h.
028:079 Race and Ethnicity in Sport 3 s.h.

International dimensions—one of these:

028:176 Sport and Nationalism 3 s.h.
028:177 Sport in the Western World 3 s.h.

Contemporary sport in America—one of these:

028:175 Sport and the Media 3 s.h.
028:188 American Sport Since 1900 3 s.h.

History of sport and leisure in America—one of these:

028:178 American Sport to 1900 3 s.h.
028:179 The American Vacation 3 s.h.
ELECTIVES

Students must complete at least 12 s.h. of approved elective courses; the department suggests courses from the following list. Students also may include courses from the sport studies core (above) that they have not already taken.

06E:165 Sports Economics 3 s.h.
06T:151 Professional Sports Management 3 s.h.
16A:139 The Social History of American Baseball 3 s.h.
019:091 Media History and Culture 3 s.h.
019:095 Media and Consumers 3 s.h.
019:164 Images and Society 3 s.h.
20E:075 Ancient Sports and Leisure 3 s.h.
026:102 Introduction to Ethics 3 s.h.
027:076 Psychological Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity 3 s.h.
028:171 Baseball in America 3 s.h.
028:084/045:084 Sport and Film 3 s.h.
028:180 Theory and Ethics of Coaching 3 s.h.
028:191 Sport Studies Internship 3 s.h.
028:193 Independent Study arr.
028:194 Honors Project 1-3 s.h.
034:066 Social Inequality 3 s.h.
045:065 Disney in America 3 s.h.
045:152 Fairs and Amusement Parks 3 s.h.
OUTSIDE SPECIALIZATION AREA OR MINOR

All sport studies students must complete 15 s.h. of course work in a specialization area outside the major (e.g., American studies; business; gender, women's, and sexuality studies; journalism and mass communication). Work for the specialization must include 6 s.h. earned in 100-level courses or in courses that are designated advanced by the department or program that offers them. Specialization area courses may not be taken pass/nonpass.

Students select their specialization area in consultation with their advisor, and they must have their advisor's written approval for specialization.

Students also may satisfy the specialization requirement by earning a minor in another discipline. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he or she has satisfied the requirements for the minor.

Admission to the Sport Studies Major

Admission to the sport studies major is selective. To declare the major, students must have completed at least 24 s.h. of course work and must have an overall g.p.a. of at least 2.50. Students who meet these requirements may declare the major at the Academic Programs & Student Development office or through their advisors at the Academic Advising Center. Students who do not have a g.p.a. of at least 2.50 but would like to be considered for exceptional admission should file a written appeal that includes relevant documentation or evidence to the Department of American Studies.

B.A. with Coaching Authorization or Endorsement

Students may prepare for coaching by completing additional course work that also qualifies them for a coaching authorization from the State of Iowa. The following courses are recommended.

027:053 Human Anatomy 3 s.h.
027:057 Basic Athletic Training 3 s.h.
027:117 Human Growth and Motor Development 3 s.h.
028:180 Theory and Ethics of Coaching 3 s.h.

Students who successfully complete the requirements for the coaching authorization must submit an application to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. For more information, visit Coaching Authorization FAQs on the board's web site. 

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.)

Bachelor of Arts: American Studies

Before the third semester begins: at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: declaration of the major, discussion of a plan of study with an American Studies advisor, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least six courses from the plan of study and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least nine courses from the plan of study

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Bachelor of Arts: Sport Studies

 
Before the third semester begins: completion of at least 30 semester hours

Before the fifth semester begins: acceptance into the sport studies major and completion of at least 60 semester hours

Before the sixth semester begins: area of specialization determined

Before the seventh semester begins: completion of at least six sport studies courses and at least 90 semester hours

Before the eighth semester begins: completion of at least eight sport studies courses and at least three courses in the area of specialization

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate 

Honors

Honors in American Studies

The American studies honors program offers students the opportunity to pursue special interests in individual, in-depth research. Honors students must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires that students maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information).

Under the guidance of the undergraduate honors advisor, honors students define a research project. Project proposals ideally are made by the end of the junior year. Each student completes the project under the guidance of a supervising faculty member and may register for up to 6 s.h. in 045:095 Honors Project.

Results of the research project are presented in a senior essay to a committee of three faculty members, including the supervising faculty member, the honors advisor, and a third faculty member of the student's choice. (When the honors advisor is the supervising faculty member, the student may select the other two faculty members.) The student's committee may choose to hear an oral defense of the final project, usually in the 12th week of the last semester.

Honors in Sport Studies

The sport studies honors program offers students the opportunity to pursue special interests in individual, in-depth research. Honors students must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires that students maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information).

Under the guidance of an undergraduate advisor, honors students define a research project. Project proposals ideally are made by the end of the junior year. Each student completes the project under the guidance of a supervising faculty member and may register for up to 3 s.h. in 028:194 Honors Project.

Honors students must make an oral or poster presentation of the honors thesis in a venue approved by the supervising faculty member.

Minor in American Studies

The minor in American studies requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in American studies courses, including 12 s.h. in advanced courses taken at The University of Iowa. For the minor, courses numbered above 045:001 are considered advanced. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. Students interested in earning the American studies minor should consult with one of the department's faculty members.

Minor in Sport Studies

The minor in sport studies requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in University of Iowa sport studies courses (prefix 028), including at least 6 s.h. in 100-level courses. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. Transfer credit may not be counted toward the minor. Students select courses for the minor according to their interests and the recommendation of the undergraduate coordinator.

Certificate in American Indian and Native Studies

The Department of American Studies administers the American Indian and Native Studies Program, which offers a certificate for undergraduate and graduate students and a minor for undergraduates; see American Indian and Native Studies in the Catalog.

Graduate Programs

  • Master of Arts in American studies (with or without thesis)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in American studies (sport studies subtrack available)

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Master of Arts

The Master of Arts program in American studies requires a minimum of 36 s.h. of graduate credit and is offered with or without thesis. It may be a terminal degree or preliminary to a Ph.D. in American studies or another discipline.

All M.A. students take the following courses. 

045:200-045:201 Theory and Practice of American Studies I - Theory and Practice in American Studies II 6 s.h.
Two other core courses in American studies 6 s.h.

Students also select five to eight additional courses relevant to a topic or period of cultural history. These courses may be grouped to address more than one topic and must be chosen from more than one discipline; they usually include at least two courses in American history and courses focusing on American diversity.

Master's degree candidates must perform satisfactorily in 045:400 Masters Preparation (3 s.h.), which includes a comprehensive examination on course work and basic concepts.

Students who choose the thesis option may earn up to 6 s.h. for thesis work. Students interested in the thesis option should consult the program chair for details.

Joint M.A./J.D.

The Department of American Studies and the College of Law offer a joint Master of Arts/Juris Doctor. The M.A./J.D. program provides a broad cultural context for the study and practice of law. Similar joint programs can be arranged in other professional fields, such as journalism and social work.

Separate application to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the joint degree program. For information about the J.D., see the College of Law section of the Catalog.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy program in American studies requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may focus in American studies or choose the sport studies subtrack.

Each student works with his or her faculty advisor to map out a coherent plan of study that reflects the student's particular interests. Students are permitted considerable flexibility in constructing their study plan, but they must meet certain basic requirements, which include foundation courses, area foundation courses, two interdisciplinary fields of concentration, a research skills course, elective course work, and a dissertation.

The two fields of concentration may be defined to correspond with the student's strongest intellectual interests, but they must be interdisciplinary in concept and multidisciplinary in scope. Each must include course work from more than one of the University's departments and programs. The two concentration areas may, and usually should, have an intellectual relationship with each other.

Students are expected to address the cultural diversity of American life in their course work and reading.

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the following work. Some course requirements are different for American studies and sports studies.

Course Work
Required Foundation Courses

All students complete the required foundation courses and should take them as early as possible.

045:200 Theory and Practice of American Studies I 3 s.h.
045:201 Theory and Practice in American Studies II 3 s.h.
Area Foundation Courses

American studies students:

Two American studies graduate seminars 6 s.h.

Sport studies students:

028:276 Sport in U.S. Culture 3 s.h.
028:374 Seminar in Sport History 3 s.h.
First Field of Concentration

American studies students:

Courses in an interdisciplinary field with a historical concentration, designed with the advisor and approved by the department's Plan of Study Committee 18 s.h.

Sport studies students:

028:278 Seminar: Women in Sport 3 s.h.
028:378 Seminar in Cultural Studies of Sport 3 s.h.
Interdisciplinary sport studies courses 12 s.h.
Second Field of Concentration

American studies and sport studies students:

Courses in an interdisciplinary field designed with the advisor and approved by the department's Plan of Study Committee 18 s.h.
Research Skills

American studies students:

045:550 Dissertation Writing Workshop arr.

Sport studies students:

028:295 Sport Studies Workshop 1 s.h.
Additional Requirements

American studies and sport studies students:

Dissertation work (045:600 Ph.D. Thesis) and electives 21 s.h.
ADMISSION TO PH.D. CANDIDACY

Admission to Ph.D. candidacy signifies that the department judges the doctoral student qualified to take the comprehensive examination. Doctoral students advance to Ph.D. candidacy based on a review conducted during their second year in the Ph.D. program (typically during fall semester); the review assesses the student’s readiness to complete his or her studies through the comprehensive examination and the dissertation, which is an original work of scholarship. In addition to judging the student's readiness for Ph.D. candidacy, the review provides a progress report on the student's work and a tentative prognosis for future prospects in the field.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

The comprehensive examination comprises three written exams and one oral exam. One of the written exams differs for students who were admitted to the Ph.D. program before fall 2007 and those who were admitted fall 2007 and after.

Students admitted before fall 2007 write the position paper in advance of the rest of the comprehensive examination and under the supervision of an American studies faculty member. In the position paper, the candidate lays out his or her general approach to American cultural studies and provides an exemplification of that approach.

Students admitted after fall 2007 complete Field #1: American Studies under the supervision of an American studies faculty member, who also chairs the comprehensive examination. The candidate takes a timed, take-home written exam of no less than four hours and no longer than two days; the exam details the candidate’s approach to American studies (methods and models), including his or her position and critical engagement with models of American studies scholarship.

The remaining two written exams explore the candidate's major fields; these are at least four hours long and may be given on a take-home basis at the examiner's discretion.

The oral exam covers material from the written exams and/or position paper.

DISSERTATION

The final requirement for the Ph.D. in American studies is the dissertation, a substantive book-length manuscript that involves interdisciplinary research and analysis and that represents an original contribution to knowledge. All Ph.D. dissertations must be approved by a committee of five faculty members, including at least two from the Department of American Studies.

Internships

Qualified graduate students in American studies can arrange internships with a number of local agencies, including the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Division of Historic Preservation, the University of Iowa Museum of Art, the Iowa Humanities Board, Brucemore, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, and the Putnam Museum. With special permission, candidates conducting research during such on-the-job training may receive academic credit through 045:320 Independent Study. Other internships with social agencies, government, or business also may be arranged.

Resources

The Department of American Studies is home to the Center for Ethnic Studies and the Arts, which is devoted to studying relationships among minority communities and the arts. The center supports individuals who specialize in individual ethnic studies as well as those interested in how cultural diversity defines and enriches the arts. To learn more, visit the Center for Ethnic Studies and the Arts web site.

Courses

American Studies, Primarily for Undergraduates

045:001 Understanding American Cultures 3 s.h.
The United States in historical, contemporary, and transnational perspective; social and cultural diversity and conflict in American life; debates on concepts of America, the American Dream, national culture, citizenship. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity.
 
045:005 American Issues 3 s.h.
Representative issues: radio and American culture; cultural history of the Civil War era; American history, literature, culture.
 
045:020 Sources for American Studies 3 s.h.
Variety of historic and contemporary sources, such as literature, law, photography, painting, film, TV, music, fashions, environments, events of everyday life.
 
045:025 Diversity and American Identities 3 s.h.
History and variety of American identities, examined through citizenship, culture, social stratification; conflict and commonalities among groups according to race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality; how art, literature, music, film, photography, and other cultural artifacts represent diversity of identities.
 
045:030 Introduction to African American Culture 3 s.h.
Interdisciplinary look at Black culture in the United States through significant contributions of the humanities (music, art, literature, drama, philosophy) to development of Black culture. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. Same as 129:061.
 
045:049 Introduction to American Indian and Native Studies 3 s.h.
Themes and methodologies in the study of American Indians and other indigenous peoples; approaches from anthropology, history, law, literature, other disciplines. Offered fall semesters. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. Same as 149:049.
 
045:050 Food in America 3 s.h.
Cultural significance of production, distribution, and consumption of food in the United States. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity.
 
045:060 Sex and Popular Culture in the Postwar U.S. 3 s.h.
Critical and historical introduction to representation of human sexuality in American popular culture from World War II to the present. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. Same as 131:061.
 
045:065 Disney in America 3 s.h.
How Walt Disney Corporation has influenced American cultural values, ideals, and experiences through its evolution from an animation company in the 1920s, to a theme park company and television producer in the 1950s, to a media conglomerate today; the corporation’s national importance, Hollywood's contributions to the Depression and World War II, postwar urban and community planning, America’s changing leisure behavior, advertising and childhood, modern business history, and exportation of American culture. Same as 048:062.
 
045:074 Inequality in American Sport 3 s.h.
Sport experiences, barriers to participation based on sexism, racism, classism, ageism, heterosexualism. Same as 028:074, 131:074.
 
045:075 American Popular Music 3 s.h.
 
045:080 American Political Humor 3 s.h.
How political humor reflects and influences American attitudes regarding government institutions, elected officials, the democratic process; how humor works; examples from Revolutionary War present and from varied media, including cartoons, fiction, film, television, the Internet.
 
045:084 Sport and Film 3 s.h.
Exploration of sport films as a distinct genre using narrative and formal analysis; focus on U.S. films. Same as 028:084.
 
045:085 Native American Material Culture 3 s.h.
Overview of American collectors and collections of Indian objects, prehistoric to contemporary. Same as 149:085.
 
045:090 Seminar in American Cultural Studies 3 s.h.
Interdisciplinary perspectives on a single theme or period.
 
045:095 Honors Project arr.
Independent interdisciplinary research, writing.
 
045:100 Independent Study arr.
 

American Studies for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

045:102 Black Popular Music 3 s.h.
History and expressive culture of people of African descent living in America through popular music forms; historical time span between the 17th and 21st centuries; poetry, music, cultural analysis, film, and art as sources for the study of Black music; genres covered include spirituals and gospel, blues, jazz, rock, rhythm and blues, Afropunk, alternative and neo soul, and hip-hop. Recommendations: 045:030 and 129:060. Same as 129:102.
 
045:105 Native Peoples of North America 3 s.h.
History, culture of American Indian peoples; emphasis on North America. GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. Same as 113:110, 149:110.
 
045:118 American Women Playwrights: 1776-Present 3 s.h.
How women in the United States have expressed themselves in theatre since 1776; diversity of voices in works by African American, Asian American, Latina, Native American, European American, lesbian playwrights; female-authored drama and production in relation to concurrent male-authored traditions and socioeconomic, political, cultural phenomena. Same as 049:118.
 
045:123 American Literature and History 3 s.h.
Examination of fictional histories (novels about history), their relationship to historical interpretation. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: American Literature and Culture. PERIOD: 18th- and/or 19th-Century Literature, or 20th- and/or 21st-Century Literature. Same as 008:123.
 
045:129 African American Cinema and Culture 3 s.h.
African American contribution to U.S. cinema in context of African American and American culture. Same as 048:129.
 
045:135 The Social Construction of Whiteness 3 s.h.
Whiteness as a socially constructed racial category with material effects in everyday life; race as a category with salience in determining public policy, forming identities, and shaping people's actions; interdisciplinary approach using social history, philosophy, science, law, literature, autobiography, film, and the expressive arts.
 
045:139 Race, Gender, Class, and the American Frontier 3 s.h.
How race, gender, and class shape cross-cultural encounter and imperial expansion on regional frontiers; how frontiers are represented in literature, art, and film.
 
045:140 American Subcultures 3 s.h.
Theories and practices of youth subcultures, mainly 1970s-1990s American (e.g., punks, skinheads, rappers); how youth subcultures, as popular generational forms of identification, intersect with other compelling markers of collective identity, especially race, class, gender, and sexuality; relevant texts from varied media and genres, including fiction, sociology, film, music, popular fashion, others.
 
045:145 Immigration and American Culture 3 s.h.
Immigrants and immigrant communities.
 
045:147 American Disasters 3 s.h.
Fault lines of American society and culture as exposed during catastrophe; history of American disaster investigated through methods from cultural history, visual theory, sociology, and media studies; varied disasters 1800 to present, including those involving cities (Chicago fire, San Francisco earthquake, Chicago heat wave), transportation (Titanic, Challenger, Columbia), and environment (Union Carbide and Bhopal, Exxon Valdez); causes of catastrophes; how Americans react and are drawn to catastrophe (e.g., disaster films, jokes); related topics, including technology, urbanism, race, class, apocalyptic religion, journalism, popular culture.
 
045:150 Topics in American Cultural Studies 3 s.h.
Special topics in American history, literature, culture.
 
045:151 American Business Cultures 3 s.h.
Historical and contemporary records of business and corporate experiences as part of American life and thought, including representations of business in American novels, movies, history, autobiography; emphasis on questions of relationships between gender, ethnicity, class, and sexuality and corporate identities.
 
045:152 Fairs and Amusement Parks 3 s.h.
Nineteenth- and twentieth-century international expositions, amusement parks, and theme parks as cultural events of U.S. self-definition.
 
045:153 The Civil Rights Movement 3 s.h.
History of the American civil rights movement. Same as 129:153.
 
045:159 Representations of Revolution 3 s.h.
Cultural politics of the revolutionary tradition in American culture from 1776 to 1976.
 
045:160 American Cityscapes 3 s.h.
Changing conventions in representation of American cities between the 1830s and 1930s; fiction and nonfiction, visual and audiovisual culture.
 
045:163 American Ruins 3 s.h.
Emergence and development of American fascination with ruins, from indigenous to urban-industrial remains; actual ruins and depiction of imagined ruins in art, literature, cinema.
 
045:165 The Culture of Nature 3 s.h.
How ideas of "the natural" and "the cultural" underpin beliefs, laws, and social practices; relationship between these two concepts; construction of notions of a natural world; idea of landscape and nature as a resource to be used, appreciated, articulated, or enjoyed; focus on analysis of relationships to animals.
 
045:167 Reading and Writing the History of the Environment 3 s.h.
Culture and society bind human communities to the natural world that supports them; local landforms and waterways in Iowa have shapen, and been shaped by, human uses and meanings; the past inheres in present-day struggles over land and water use, see local landscapes historically; deploy skills of environmental history to understand the historical and cultural roots of present-day conflicts over land use and appreciate how beliefs, rituals, recreational practices, and technologies attach human beings to places in which they live.
 
045:170 American Regional Identities 3 s.h.
Regional identity across regions of the United States; literary, visual, and popular representations of regional identity.
 
045:173 U.S. Women's History as the History of Human Rights 3-4 s.h.
History of human rights in the United States traced through the perspective of women; aspects of women's experience (social, political, intellectual) related to fundamental human rights--right to a nationality, right to life, liberty and personal security, right to freedom of movement, right to take part in the government of their country, right to own property; these and other rights specified by the United Nations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948; different history of men and women enjoying these rights; how human rights have been constructed and experienced in the United States from the era of colonial settlement to present. Same as 131:173, 16A:173, 216:173.
 
045:174 The American Vacation 3 s.h.
Social history of vacations; cultural significance of contemporary patterns; focus on how experiences and meanings are shaped by race, class, gender. Same as 028:179.
 
045:178 American Sport to 1900 3 s.h.
Growth and institutionalization of sport from colonial times to 1900. Same as 028:178.
 
045:185 America in the World 3 s.h.
How U.S. activity influences lives worldwide.
 
045:188 American Sport Since 1900 3 s.h.
Historic development of sport in the United States since 1900; economic forces, professional football and baseball. Same as 028:188.
 
045:193 American Photography 3 s.h.
Popular and art photographs as expressions of American life, thought.
 
045:195 American Cultures and American Photography 3 s.h.
Introduction to visual, cultural, and historical frameworks to view and interpret photographs as material artifacts.
 

American Studies, Primarily for Graduate Students

045:200 Theory and Practice of American Studies I 3 s.h.
Theories, methods, cases in culture studies; emphasis on social science approaches. Requirements: American studies graduate standing.
 
045:201 Theory and Practice in American Studies II 3 s.h.
Requirements: American studies graduate standing.
 
045:202 Critical Theories for Sport 3 s.h.
Application of critical theories to cultural meanings and issues of sport, health, physical activity. Same as 028:202.
 
045:230 Seminar: Performing Arts in American Culture 3 s.h.
American theater, dance, music, and performance.
 
045:250 Seminar: Topics in American Studies 3 s.h.
American cultural history; urbanization, mass media, pluralism, assimilation. Repeatable.
 
045:258 Seminar: Technology and American Culture 3 s.h.
 
045:276 Sport in U.S. Culture 3 s.h.
Sport as a significant cultural form in the United States; focus on institutional relationships between sport and politics, economy, education, and media; role of sport in cultural reproduction. Same as 028:276.
 
045:278 Seminar: Women in Sport 3 s.h.
Women's sport involvement from ancient times to present; focus on social class, attitudes, religion, race, ethnicity, medical opinion, economic considerations, political events, educational philosophies that have influenced women's sport participation. Same as 028:278, 131:254.
 
045:293 Seminar in American Visual Culture 3 s.h.
Visual expression, its relation to cultural history. Repeatable.
 
045:296 Sport Studies Workshop 1 s.h.
Development of individual research projects for group discussion. Same as 028:295.
 
045:298 Seminar: Topics in Sport Studies 1-3 s.h.
Sport studies or psychology of sport and physical activity topics. Same as 028:298.
 
045:299 American Studies Proseminar 1-2 s.h.
Intensive reading on American cultural analysis topics; may include screenings, field trips, guest speakers, special events. Repeatable.
 
045:300 American Film and American Culture 3 s.h.
Relationships between film and culture as developed in a particular approach, period, subject. Same as 048:300.
 
045:320 Independent Study arr.
Repeatable.
 
045:400 Masters Preparation 0-3 s.h.
Writing for M.A. exam. Requirements: American studies nonthesis M.A. candidacy.
 
045:450 M.A. Thesis 0-6 s.h.
 
045:550 Dissertation Writing Workshop 1 s.h.
Dissertation preparatory work with peer and faculty critiques, including preparation of a prospectus, research activities, and chapter writing. Requirements: American studies graduate standing with postcomprehensive examination status.
 
045:600 Ph.D. Thesis arr.
Repeatable.
 

Sport Studies for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

028:029 First-Year Seminar 1-2 s.h.
Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities). Requirements: first- or second-semester standing.
 
028:074 Inequality in American Sport 3 s.h.
Sport experiences, barriers to participation based on sexism, racism, classism, ageism, heterosexualism. Same as 045:074, 131:074.
 
028:078 Women, Sport, and Culture 3 s.h.
Feminist analysis of girls' and women's sport experiences; reproduction of gender through sport, recent changes in women's intercollegiate athletics, media representations of women in sport, feminist critiques, alternatives to sport. Same as 131:078.
 
028:079 Race and Ethnicity in Sport 3 s.h.
Structural and ideological barriers to racial and ethnic equality in sport, with focus on African American sport experiences; historical and contemporary issues, media representations. Same as 129:079.
 
028:084 Sport and Film 3 s.h.
Exploration of sport films as a distinct genre using narrative and formal analysis; focus on U.S. films. Same as 045:084.
 
028:171 Baseball in America 3 s.h.
Forces that influenced political, economic, and social development of professional baseball in the United States; rise of major league baseball, its relationship to the minor leagues, and development of organized baseball industry.
 
028:175 Sport and the Media 3 s.h.
Representations of sport in television, the press, fiction, films, biographies, adolescent fiction.
 
028:176 Sport and Nationalism 3 s.h.
Role of sport in the phenomenon of nationalism; selected theories; case studies on Ireland, Australia, British West Indies, Cold War U.S., fascist Europe.
 
028:177 Sport in the Western World 3 s.h.
Development of Western sport; relation to social, political, economic, intellectual factors.
 
028:178 American Sport to 1900 3 s.h.
Growth and institutionalization of sport from colonial times to 1900. Same as 045:178.
 
028:179 The American Vacation 3 s.h.
Social history of vacations; cultural significance of contemporary patterns; focus on how experiences and meanings are shaped by race, class, gender. Same as 045:174.
 
028:180 Theory and Ethics of Coaching 3 s.h.
Philosophical bases, ethical issues; theoretical, practical applications.
 
028:188 American Sport Since 1900 3 s.h.
Historic development of sport in the United States since 1900; economic forces, professional football and baseball. Same as 045:188.
 
028:191 Sport Studies Internship 3 s.h.
Application and synthesization of classroom concepts in the professional practice setting; setting arranged by student in an agency under close supervision of professionals in student's area of study (i.e., agency supervisor evaluates internship from practice perspective, UI supervisor evaluates internship from academic perspective); active learning course, includes academic assignments and projects. Recommendations: 85 s.h. and g.p.a. of 2.50 or above.
 
028:193 Independent Study arr.
Problem in a specific area.
 
028:194 Honors Project 1-3 s.h.
 
028:198 Topics in Sport Studies 1-3 s.h.
Sport studies or health promotion topics.
 
028:202 Critical Theories for Sport 3 s.h.
Application of critical theories to cultural meanings and issues of sport, health, physical activity. Same as 045:202.
 
028:257 Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness I 3 s.h.
Operational and financing aspects of nonprofit management; mission and governance of organization; strategic planning for effective management, including finance, budget, income generation, fund-raising. Same as 021:263, 024:247, 032:227, 042:247, 06J:247, 091:320, 102:278, 174:247.
 
028:258 Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness II 3 s.h.
Qualities for leadership of nonprofit organizations, including relationships with staff and volunteers; relationship of nonprofit and outside world; marketing, public relations, advocacy strategies for nonprofits. Requirements: (for 091:322) 091:320; (for 174:248) 06J:247 or 024:247 or 174:247. Same as 021:265, 024:248, 032:228, 042:248, 06J:248, 091:322, 102:279, 174:248.
 
028:276 Sport in U.S. Culture 3 s.h.
Sport as a significant cultural form in the United States; focus on institutional relationships between sport and politics, economy, education, and media; role of sport in cultural reproduction. Same as 045:276.
 
028:278 Seminar: Women in Sport 3 s.h.
Women's sport involvement from ancient times to present; focus on social class, attitudes, religion, race, ethnicity, medical opinion, economic considerations, political events, educational philosophies that have influenced women's sport participation. Same as 045:278, 131:254.
 
028:290 Graduate Internship 1-4 s.h.
 
028:295 Sport Studies Workshop 1 s.h.
Development of individual research projects for group discussion. Same as 045:296.
 
028:298 Seminar: Topics in Sport Studies 1-3 s.h.
Sport studies or psychology of sport and physical activity topics. Same as 045:298.
 
028:299 Independent Study arr.
Repeatable.
 
028:374 Seminar in Sport History 3 s.h.
Topics in sport history; theoretical and methodological issues. Repeatable. Requirements: health and sport studies graduate standing.
 
028:378 Seminar in Cultural Studies of Sport 3 s.h.
Current theoretical debates in sociology of sport; applications of cultural studies to critical analysis of sport. Repeatable.
 
028:398 Thesis: M.A. 1-6 s.h.
Repeatable.
 
028:399 Thesis: Ph.D. arr.
Repeatable.
 

 
Copyright 2011 The University of Iowa. All rights reserved.
Updated October 2011
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