The twentieth century was, as Henry Luce (Time/ Life) famously dubbed it, %E2%80%98the American Century%E2%80%99, a time when the United States came to manifest itself as a dominant cultural, political and economic power and influence in the global arena. Especially after 1945 %E2%80%98America%E2%80%99 became an unmistakable presence and influence in many European cultures. But the attitudes of Europeans to America varied - and vary- sharply, running the full gamut from fervent adulation to ambivalence to sharp rejection.In this course you will learn to examine and interpret the ways in which different European cultures have responded to the process of %E2%80%98Americanisation%E2%80%99, and how %E2%80%98America%E2%80%99 has been perceived, received and mediated in different local, regional or national European cultures.The central focus of the programme will be on the reception and mediation of American popular culture (film, music, TV) and consumerism (advertising, media) in European cultures, both West and East, both during and after the Cold War, before and after 9/11. We will seek to place those developments in a cultural-historical perspective, but will pay special attention to the past 25 years: to what extent have developments after 1989 %E2%80" and again after 9/11 %E2%80" been continuous or discontinuous with earlier processes of Americanisation?Because the Netherlands served as either a point of entry or transit for American cultural products, the Dutch reception and mediation of %E2%80%98America%E2%80%99 will be our point of departure for contrast and comparison. Dutch scholars of American Studies (Kroes, Kooijman) have produced compelling theoretical reflections which will set a conceptual framework to our analysis of processes of Americanisation and anti-Americanism. Their insights will be supplemented by scholarship from other European countries, as a basis for examining local/national forms of mediation and appropriation of %E2%80%98America%E2%80%99 (Baudrillard, Eco, Barbu, Debeljak).The course will bring students from different (non-) European cultures into a transnational dialogue on a common object of inquiry %E2%80%98to what extent has my culture been Americanised and is this a good or a bad thing? In a unifying Europe, how important are national cultural identities?%E2%80%99 The choice of readings for discussion will be adapted to the nationalities of the different students participating. Excursions to sites of %E2%80%98Americanisation%E2%80%99 in Nijmegen and its vicinity will be part of the course.

Course leader
Prof. Dr. J.T.J. (Hans) Bak, Professor English Language and CultureChair American Literature and American StudiesProf. Dr. F. (Frank) MehringProfessor of American StudiesRadboud University

Target group
International students from European or non-European countries/ cultures who have an interest in processes of cultural transfer and who are eager to gain a comparative, transnational understanding of the impact of American culture in their own and (other) European countries.Entry levelBachelor Advanced Bachelor Master PhD

Course aim
After this course you are able to:Understand the ways in which different national cultures have used 'America to define and/or defend their own cultural identity, norms and values Place those cultural reflexes in a cultural-historical perspective Apply a theoretical-conceptual toolkit for understanding and interpreting notions and manifestations of 'Americanization', 'anti-Americanism', 'cultural imperialism/ appropriation', 'globalization' Understand how your own cultural responses to 'America' compare with those of people from other cultures, both inside and outside of (Western) Europe



Credits info
2 ECTS European Credits

Fee info
EUR 450: The course fee includes the registration fee, course materials, access to library and IT facilities, coffee/tea, lunch, and a number of social activities.Possible discounts10% discount for early bird applicants. The early bird deadline is 1 April 2015. 15% discount for students and PhD candidates from partner universities

Radboud University
Address: P.O Box 9102 Nijmegen
Postal code: 6500 HC
City: Nijmegen
Country: Netherlands
Website: http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/
E-mail: radboudsummerschool@ru.nl
Phone: +31 (0)24 8187706