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Germans probably talk more about the “American Dream” than (US-) Americans do. Nevertheless, the concept resonates whenever discourses of immigration, work ethics, social structure and national identity are involved. It is well worthwhile to review the American Dream critically―and then, perhaps, ask whether people still believe in it. In this seminar, we will proceed historically, but also systematically/theoretically by looking at fictional representations from 1925 to 2015, some speeches and essays and various theoretical reflections. We will look at different areas of “promise” and the resonance of these promises for different groups in America (Asian-Americans, African-Americans, mainstream whites etc.). We will also discuss, what exactly this dream is: a myth, a meme, a symbolic medium, a concept? And we will discuss what the critical reflection on the dream means for young Americans.
Reading:
- F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby (1925) (Oxford World Classics Edition)
- William Faulkner: Absalom! Absalom! (1936) (Vintage Classics Edition)
- Hunter S. Thompson: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971) (HarperCollins)
- Amy Tan: The Joy Luck Club (1993) (Vintage)
- Ta-Nehisi Coates: Between The World and Me (2015) (Spiegel & Grau)
- Movie: Jean Baker, The Florida Project (2017) Video: Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), This is America (2018).
Requirements:
- “Spezielle Arbeitsleistung” is a short presentation in a small group on one topic in the seminar.
- The MAP in Module 6 is an oral exam (20 min) in one of your seminars; in Module 10 it is a term paper (10 pages).
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