Module Identifier AS30220  
Module Title CONTEMPORARY AMERICA  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Dr Martin Padget  
Semester Semester 2  
Other staff Mrs Carol Marshall, Dr Helena Grice  
Pre-Requisite AS10120 , AS10220  
Co-Requisite AS30020 , AS30120  
Course delivery Seminars / Tutorials   20 Hours 10 x 2 hr  
Assessment Essay   1 essay (2,500 words)   50%  
  Exam   3 Hours   50%  

Brief description


This module is organised around two focal points. One is the reaction to the events of the 1960s, in particular the Vietnam War, that charactersied American politics and culture in the 1970s and 1980s; the other is the assessment of the state of America and her standing in the world at the end of the century and at the end of the Cold War. Our examination of contemporary America will focus on three themes: Vietnam and its aftermath; Reagan and his America; and the state of America in a post-Cold War, post-industrial, post-modern world.

Learning outcomes


At the end of the module, students will be able to:


- Describe the impact of recent historical events on the politics and culture of late 20th century America
- Demonstrate an understanding of the social and political contexts in which the set material was produced
- Write about the period and culture in a well-structured and well-argued way
- Illustrate their knowledge and views using a variety of examples from the range of disciplines covered during the course
- Demonstrate developing skill in critical analysis
- Demonstrate developing skills in oral presentation