History 274 - US History Since 1945

This course surveys the history of the United States since the 1940s. It will cover the key developments that defined postwar America, focusing especially on the history of inequality, politics and public policy, social movements, and intellectual life. We will critically engage with the process of historical narration, analyzing the politics of the stories we tell about postwar America. And we will construct and substantiate our own historical narratives in course assignments, including both academic papers and public-facing podcasts. By the end of the semester, students will not only have deepened their understanding of U.S. history since 1945, but also grappled with what it means to tell that history in the first place. (E)