To reduce the intensity of the reading requirements throughout the semester students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves in advance with the contents of the book. Since many of the critical approaches presented in the book are illustrated with reference to specific works of literature is is essential that all participants will have studied the following texts by the beginning of term: Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress," Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown," Alice Walker, "Everyday Use: for your grandmama" (all three texts are reprinted in the Handbook) and William Shakespeare, Hamlet. A reading quiz to check your familiarity with these text will be given. Students who fail this test are not eligible to participate in this course.

Prospective participants are expected to buy their own copy of the textbook that is the basis of this class: Wilfred L. Guerin, Earle G. Labor, Lee Morgan, Jeanne C. Reesman, John R. Willingham, A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature, 5th edition, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, 448 pages (ISBN: 0195160177). Place your order for the book ahead of time so that you have it available when classes start in April.

In the realm of American literature, many writers devoted themselves to the genre of travel writing because it was popular with readers and because it offered a range of literary and thematic possibilities. For these and other reasons, "travel" has emerged as an important theme for academic inquiry. It is the purpose of this class to acquaint students with some fundamental facts and insights regarding the history, development, and variety of travel writing created by American authors. It will also address some of the theoretical underpinnings of the topic.
Prospective participants must be prepared to invest a significant amount of time and effort for this class. To obtain a "Schein," students will be required to work on weekly written and oral assignments involving the full range of their academic skills.

To be admitted to this class, students must prove their familiarity with the following basic texts: Peter Hulme, and Tim Youngs. "Introduction," The Cambridge Companion to Travel Writing (Cambridge, U.K. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002) 1-13 and "Pilgrims' Return," Literary History of the United States, ed. Robert E. Spiller, et al. (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1948) 827-842. The texts will be available for registered students inside the Moodle online forum. A reading quiz will check your familiarity with the information given in these essays. Students who fail this test will be considered unqualified to participate in this course.

In contrast to the prevailing notion that American journalism, especially after the events of 9/11, has adopted a pro-government stance this class will allow students to look beyond the mainstream press and develop an insight into a long-standing tradition of American journalism which has been characterized by critical inquiry into all areas of American politics and culture. By working on historical and analytical studies as well as on a selection of examples from the history of the American press, students will develop an understanding of how newspapers and periodicals have indeed functioned as a "fourth estate," as democracy's watchdog, monitoring the activities of public figures, uncovering abuses of state authority, defending the democratic rights of citizens, and providing relevant information about a broad variety of relevant issues.

Students wishing to sign up for this class must realize that they need to invest a significant amount of time and effort to successfully complete this class. To obtain a "Schein" for this class, students will be required to work on weekly written and oral assignments drawing on the full range of their academic skills.

Prospective participants are expected to acquaint themselves in advance with the general aspects of this topic by reading chapters 1-3 from James Aucoin, The Evolution of American Investigative Journalism (Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri Press, 2005): 1-116, which will be available for registered students inside the Moodle online forum. A reading quiz will check your familiarity with the information given in this text. Students who fail this test will be considered unqualified to participate in this course.

For a long time, Americans have defined their country and themselves with reference to Europe, the continent from which most early settlers and immigrants came to the "New World." Depending on the historical circumstances, their attitude oscillated between an admiration for the cultural achievements of Europe and a condescension for what, from the perspective of a young democracy, was seen as political backwardness. Similarly, Europeans tended to look at the United States with both high hopes and, more recently, with their own sense of (moral) superiority. This class invites students to explore the tensions which have characterized the relationship between Europe and the United States by studying a variety of texts including political documents, historical writings, and excerpts from literature.

Students interested in enrolling in this class must be willing to devote a substantial amount of time and energy to the weekly written and oral assignments that are required to obtain a "Schein" at the end of the semester. Prospective participants are expected to acquaint themselves in advance with selected aspects of the topic by reading the following texts by the beginning of term: Percy G. Adams, Travel Literature Through the Ages: An Anthology, (New York: Garland, 1988) 455-525, and Daniel J. Boorstin, "America and the Image of Europe," America and the Image of Europe: Reflections on American Thought (Gloucester, Mass.: Peter Smith, 1976) 19-39. The reading material will be available for registered students inside the Moodle online forum. A reading quiz will check your familiarity with the information given in these texts. Students who fail this test are insufficiently prepared and cannot be admitted to this class.