Culture of the USA

studia pierwszego stopnia

English Philology

semestr 4

Studia stacjonarne

profil akademicki

fakultatywne

Mieszany: realizowany zdalnie i w sali

English and Culture Studies elective module

ECTS points in relation to student’s duties

total number of ECTS: 2

1 ECTS – 30 hours: class participation (50% university site/50% online)

0,5 ECTS - 15 hours: consultations

0,5 ECTS – 15 hours: preparation and home study

The course highlights manifold aspects of life in the United States in all its diversity, uniqueness and contradictory nature. Major thematic focus of the course will fall on such issues as the definition of Americanness, what it

means to be an American; checks and balances: different branches of power, including executive, legislative power and the judiciary; multiculturalism; elections; the position of the United States on the international stage and its relations with other countries; major legislative acts; the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and the pervasive recurrence of gun violence in the last twenty years; the genesis of the Democratic and Republican party; American economy: various economic theories and the most recent economic crisis.

1) Introduction, definitions of culture, test checking basic knowledge of the United States of America

2) Analysis of the Declaration of Independence

3) The court system in the United States of America, the judicial branch of power

4) The legislative branch of power

5) Gun violence and the Second Amendement

6) The executive branch of power

7) Multiculturalism

8) Economy

9) The socio-political position of the United States of America

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Methods of instruction/ forms of classroom activity:

multimedia presentation, discussion, analysis of cultural materials, ICT tools/MSTeams

Bibliography:

Electronic sources.

Bromhead, Peter. Life in Modern America. New Edition. - Harlow: Longman, 1988.

Collis, Harry, and Joe Kohl. 101 American Customs: Understanding Language and Culture Through Common Practices. New York: McGrow-Hill, 1999.Kurek, Krzysztof (red). USA: 100 kultowych rzeczy, zjawisk, miejsc. Warszawa: New Media Koncept, 2008.

Crowther, Jonathan and Kathryn Kavanagh (ed). Oxford Guide to British and American Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2000.

Fiedler, Eckhard. America in Close-up. Harlow : Longman, 1995.

Gołębiowski, Marek. Dzieje kultury amerykańskiej. Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2007.

Johnson, Lance. What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More. New York: A to Z Publishing, 2012.

---. What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More. New York: A to Z Publishing, 2012.

Karwowski, Błażej. “Pięć zasad Ameryki”. Podróże: 2006, nr 3, s. 56-68.

Kubiak, Jacek. „Żabojady i kowboje: Francja i USA”. Polityka: 2004, nr 2, s. 48-49.

Kurian, George. NTC’s Dictionary of of the United States: a Practical Guide to American Language and Culture. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group, 1998.

Lewicki, Zbigniew. Historia cywilizacji amerykańskiej : era sprzeczności: 1787-1865.

Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, 2010.

---. Historia cywilizacji amerykańskiej: era tworzenia: 1787-1865. Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, 2010.

---. Historia cywilizacji amerykańskiej. Tom 3. Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, 2012.

Savelle, Max. The Foundations of American Civilization: A History of Colonial America. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1942.

Stevenson, Douglas K. American Life and Institutions. Stuttgart : Ernst Klett Verlag, 1997.

Zyblikiewicz, Lubomir. USA. Historia Państw Świata. Warszawa: Trio, 2004.

Learning outcomes acc to PRK 2019

Knowledge

Student:

1. is familiar with the basic terminology of cultural, historical and geographic notions related to the USA (m-W-1/P6S_WG)

2. has the basic knowledge of social, economic, political and cultural institutions, and is acquainted with the current trends in cultural life of the USA (m-W-2/ P6S_WK; k_W09/P6S_WK)

3. The student knows geographical, historical and political facts referring to the USA (k_W06/P6S_WG)

Skills

Student can

4. search for, analyze, select and use information related to American culture by consulting various academic and popular sources and tools, including digitalized online repositories (m-U-1/P6S_UO)

5. discuss current American social and economic and social trends, history, and culture (k_U03/P6S_UW)

6. interrogate critical texts and films, (k_U02/P6S_UW)

Social competences

Student:

7. understands cultural life in the USA (k_K04/P6S_KO)

8. shapes their own views regarding the significance of culture in the political and economic development of the Americal society, particularly by being ready to identify ideologies and power relations that underpin cultural (re)production (m-K-2/P6S_KK)

Forms of evaluation of learning outcomes:

1. End of semester written test - 70% of the final grade (outcome 1,2,3,4,7)

2. Active participation in class discussions - 30% of the final grade (outcome 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8)

Pass at 60% of the final grade