Welcome to the Department of American Studies

American Studies is an area studies program focused on the cultural and intellectual life of the United States of America. Its students analyze the American past and present from the perspectives of several disciplines, learn to synthesize their knowledge, and learn the habit of mind needed for cultural analysis.

Work in American Studies can lead to and enrich a wide variety of careers. Many of our graduate students become teachers and scholars at the college and university level, but significant numbers of both graduates and undergraduates have gone into journalism, radio, TV and film work, museum curating, law, public relations, editing, advertising, government service, secondary school teaching and administration, and creative writing.

Current News

American Studies releases the third edition of its annual newsletter "Main Currents"
The Spring 2009 edition of "Main Currents" features American Studies faculty, alumni and current students.

Congratulations to American Studies Ph.D. student Carly Kocurek
Congratulations to Doctoral student Carly Kocurek, whose presentation was named Best Student Paper in the Computuer Division at this past weekend’s SW Texas Popular Culture and American Culture Association Meeting!

William H. Goetzmann's Book Signing
BEYOND THE REVOLUTION: A History of American Thought from Paine to Pragmatism
Book People on Thursday, April 16th

Associate Professor Janet Davis releases new book on Tiny Kline
Janet Davis' "Circus Queen and Tinker Bell: The Memoir of Tiny Kline" is an engaging memoir which follows the life and career of circus performer Tiny Kline (1891- 1964) from the burlesque house to the circus tent, and on to Disneyland and the silver screen. While working for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Kline became well known for her signature "slide for life" stunt, an "iron jaw" act in which she slid to the ground while dangling from trapeze rigging by her teeth. Kline renewed her spectacular acrobatics at the age of seventy when she played Tinker Bell in the "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks show at Disneyland. In that same year, she also began writing her life story.

Associate Professor Steve Hoelscher releases new book
In "Picturing Indians: Photographic Encounters and Tourist Fantasies in H.H. Bennett's Wisconsin Dells," Hoelscher superbly braids three threads - a photographer, a native people, an economy - to portray an important part of our national story.

American Studies releases the second edition of its annual newsletter "Main Currents"
The Spring 2008 edition of "Main Currents" features American Studies faculty, alumni and current students.