Critical Social Inquiry 0254 - Place memory US Nationalism

How does a place become part of our cultural memory and national heritage, even if we've never been there? In this interdisciplinary course we will draw on Anthropology, History, American Studies, Native American Studies, and other fields to explore how certain places and histories come to be important to an American national imaginary. We will engage social theories of place, memory, nationalism, settler colonialism, and decolonization to help us critically examine specific sites of national memory such as Plymouth Rock, Mt. Rushmore, and the Alamo. We will consider the processes through which narratives of nationalism are created from contested histories and places, paying particular attention to Native American perspectives.

Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.