Spring 2023
AMERSTD 102 001 - LEC 001
Examining U.S. Cultures in Place
Photos of America: Technology, Representation, and Landscape
Alexander Benjamin Craghead
Class #:20930
Units:4
Instruction Mode:
In-Person Instruction
Offered through
Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Studies
Current Enrollment
Total Open Seats:
2
Enrolled: 23
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 25
Waitlist Max: 10
Open Reserved Seats:
16 reserved for American Studies Majors
Hours & Workload
9 to 7 hours of outside work hours, 0 to 1 hours of the exchange of opinions or questions on course material, and 3 to 4 hours of instructor presentation of course materials.
Final Exam
WED, MAY 10TH
03:00 pm - 06:00 pm
Mulford 240
Other classes by Alexander Benjamin Craghead
Course Catalog Description
This course examines how U.S. cultures are constructed, reinforced, and changed--particularly in reference to place and material culture. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis drawn from several disciplines will help students develop skills in cultural interpretation. Case studies may focus on a neighborhood, a city, or a region. Topics will vary from semester to semester. This course may include discussion sections depending on available funding. Some versions of this course need four in-class contact hours because of the extensive use of media.
Class Description
The camera and the photograph have a unique relationship with the American landscape. No technology has more profoundly shaped the way that we see, feel, and think about North America as a place. In this course, we will look at photography as a social and cultural practice, one engaged in by inventors, scientists, artists, and most of all by the public at large. We will explore issues of science, politics, consumer culture, and entertainment, and examine how photographs may be preparing the way for our perception of the virtual. Most of all, we'll consider who makes photos and to what purposes, and attempt to understand how those images shape what we think we know about America.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat Rules
Requirements class fulfills
Meets Social & Behavioral Sciences, L&S Breadth
Reserved Seats
Current Enrollment
Open Reserved Seats:
Textbooks & Materials
See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.
Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials
Associated Sections
None