American Studies 239 - Colloquium: The Culture Wars
Colq: The Culture Wars
Fall
2021
01
4.00
Lane Hall-Witt
M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Smith College
AMS-239-01-202201
McConnell 102
lhallwit@smith.edu
This course places the “Culture Wars” – U.S. political battles waged over issues such as race, gender,
sexuality, the family, abortion, education, guns, climate change, and even the “non-partisan” COVID-19
pandemic – into the context of recent U.S. history. The goal of the course is to invite students to think
critically about the workings of the Culture Wars within America’s democratic political system and
about the impact of the Culture Wars on the broader sweep of life in the U.S. We will pay particular
attention to the ways power relationships are manifested, and contested, through the Culture Wars.
sexuality, the family, abortion, education, guns, climate change, and even the “non-partisan” COVID-19
pandemic – into the context of recent U.S. history. The goal of the course is to invite students to think
critically about the workings of the Culture Wars within America’s democratic political system and
about the impact of the Culture Wars on the broader sweep of life in the U.S. We will pay particular
attention to the ways power relationships are manifested, and contested, through the Culture Wars.