MO4810 Approaches to the American Century

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Full Year

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

60

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

The module surveys approaches to the “American century,” Henry Luce’s famous 1941 term for U.S. global leadership. It will focus on the role of the federal government in projecting U.S. power abroad during the twentieth century through diplomatic, military, technological, economic, and cultural means, and explore American interactions with the world from the perspective of non-state actors ranging from tourists and students to business people and philanthropists to artists and activists. It scrutinizes American power through the lenses of diplomatic history; the history of technology; cultural history; social histories of the U.S. military; the histories of gender and sexuality; environmental history; and other approaches. Throughout, we will pair analysis of historiography with a consideration of the primary-source materials drawn on by different approaches, which include unpublished correspondence, government reports, audiovisual productions, advertisements, and magazine articles.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

AVAILABLE ONLY TO HISTORY OR MODERN HISTORY STUDENTS (SINGLE OR JOINT HONOURS) IN THEIR SECOND YEAR OF THE HONOURS PROGRAMME.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 3-hour seminar (x 21 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

84

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

518

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • By the end of this module, students will be able to understand the scope and substance of twentieth-century American foreign relations, including state and non-state forms of influence.
  • By the end of this module, students will be able to demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills, as measured by class performance and assignments.
  • By the end of this module, students will be able to demonstrate a grasp of the methods and materials used by contemporary historians to approach the subject of American foreign relations.
  • By the end of this module, students will be able to demonstrate an ability to analyze a wide range of primary sources, including unpublished and published documents, photographs, and broadcast and audiovisual sources.