American Society and Economy

This course has two core goals.

First, it gives you a strong foundation in the history of American society, exploring how culture, politics, and economic ideas have shaped the United States over time.

Second, it helps you make sense of the US today — looking at current trends, challenges, and debates in American economy and society using the same wide lens.

Along the way, you’ll explore key themes in management and social science, including:

Leadership and how presidents and activists have shaped change

Major social and economic ideas like American Exceptionalism, capitalism, civil rights, and identity-based activism.

The ongoing tension between national myths of opportunity and the realities of inequality, power and reform.

In short this course helps you connect America’s past, present and big ideas – giving you the tools to think critically about society, leadership, institutions, and economic ideology in one of the world’s most influential countries.

 

The purpose of this course is twofold: Firstly, it aims to introduce students to the historical fundamentals of American society, based on broad historical, cultural, political and economic perspectives. Secondly, the course aims to provide an overview of contemporary trends in US economy and society, taking a similarly broad approach exploring key management themes such as leadership as well as social and economic ideologies.
 

Students should be able to:

Indicative Syllabus: (11 weeks)

Course Foundation, paradigms and lenses for studying the US

US Presidency, power, leadership, success and failure

American economics: the Robber Barrons

Eleanor Roosevelt: servant leadership, welfare reform, diplomacy

The New Deal – institutional transformation in the US economy

WWII, Industry and the American Centaury

Cold War ideology, Blowback and US narrative

The US Healthcare System (structure, ideology, reform)

Black Civil Rights (Women’s leadership and intersectional activism)

Women’s, LQBT+ and identity-based rights movements

Inequality, labour markets and contemporary US social economy
 

The course material is presented via weekly 120 minute lecture sessions delivered face to face but also using video capturing of lectures in the form of podcasts which can be watched remotely at a later date and at a distance. There will also be seminars groups given every two weeks again face to face with dual teaching employed. The seminars will be two hours long and explore offer opportunities to explore in more depth some of the main themes and issues first presented in the lectures. The seminars will also be used to brief students for the course assessments as well as written guidance on Canvas. Students are required to engage with digital platforms such as Canvas for accessing readings, lecture materials, multimedia resources (including archival video clips and interactive timelines).

KU1: Reflect critically on personal perspectives and biases in relation to American social and economic structures, recognising their impact on interpretations of historical and contemporary issues.

KU2: Assess independent analytical perspectives on American social and economic issues, using and critical reasoning to form well-supported arguments.

KU3: Assess the ethical implications of social and economic policies in the context of American society, considering their impact on diverse communities and historical justice.
 

IS1: Critically analyse key social and economic structures within American society, evaluating their historical development and contemporary impact through evidence-based reasoning.

IS2: Propose evidence-based solutions to social and economic challenges in American society, grounding recommendations in historical and contemporary contexts.
 

PS1: Conduct independent research on social and economic policies in American society.

PS2: Communicate social and economic analyses effectively using appropriate conduct.
 

TS1: Evaluate the relevance and credibility of social and economic data sources to support analysis of historical and contemporary issues in American society.

TS2: Evaluate the development and impact of key social and economic structures within American society, applying relevant theories.

TS3: Conduct independent research on social and economic issues in American society, using appropriate methodologies and credible sources to support analysis.
 

Critical Song Review - 40%
Film Review - 60%
 

Seminar peer-clinic prep + Canvas rubric

Written feedback within 15 working days of submission deadline
 

Core Text: Core Text: Foner, E. (2020) Give me Liberty! New York, 6th edition: WW Norton.

Foner is excellent but expensive, however there are several copies in the library.

Zinn, H., (2005) A People’s History of the United States: 1492-Present, New York: Harper Perennial

Brogan, H., (2001) The Penguin History of the United States, London: Penguin

[prior editions are The Longman History of the United States, 1985, 1999]

Rosenbaum, R.A., and Brinkley, D., eds., (2003) The Penguin Encyclopaedia of American History, London: Penguin

Breidlid, A, et al, eds, (2008) American Culture: An Anthology of Civilization Texts, 2ND edition, London: Routledge

Mauk, D., and Oakland, J., (2014) American Civilization: An Introduction, 6th Edition, Abingdon: Routledge

Hodgson, G, (2005) America in Our Time, from World War II to Nixon, New York: Vintage

Hodgson, G, (2004) More Equal than Others: America from Nixon to the New Century, Princeton University Press

Sitkoff, H., ed, (2001) Perspectives on Modern America, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Langran R and Schnitzer M, (2007) Government, Business and the American Economy, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Singh, R., (2003) Governing America: The Politics of a Divided Democracy, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Perrucci, R., and Perrucci, C.C., (2009) America at Risk: The Collapse of Hope, Trust, and Caring, London: Rowman and Littlefield