Specialization: university course
Warrantor: doc. PhDr. Martin Bútora
Instructor: North-American academicians from American and Canadian prestigious universities (via videoconference mainly)
Lecturing hours (weekly): 2
Credits: 3 ECTS
Date: every Wednesday 5 - 6:30 pm
Room:
Working language: English
Evaluation: Grades will be made up by the following components:
- presence and active participation at seminars
- final essay (5-7 pages)
The aim of the course: The Certified Interdisciplinary Introduction to North-American Studies intends to provide the students with extraordinary lectures from distinguished academicians and personalities. The aim is to evoke interest and introduce North-America by presenting particular lectures on politics, economics, security, culture, law, geography and sociologic characteristics of the region. The course will constitute an introduction into a study program specialization on North American region while discussing the question of the role of the region in the international affairs in more detail. The course is organized with American embassy to the Slovak republic.
Preliminary timetable of the course:
1. Introductory session 1st WEEK (February 10)
Prospects and Challenges for North-American - Central European Relations in the 21st Century. Presentation of the Transatlantic Trends
2. Sociological Dimension 2nd WEEK
Society of the Northern America (February 17)
Multiculturalism of the Region - Privilege or Doom?
Evolution of the American society
3. Legal Dimension 3rd WEEK
Legal System of the USA (February 24)
Legal and institutional framework
4. Political Dimension 4th WEEK
"American Democracy" as a phenomenon (March 3)
Political system of the USA
Elections and political parties in the USA
System of representation
American and European Values
"American Politics in a Nutshell"
5. Economic Dimension 5th WEEK
Economics of North America (March 10)
North American Business Environment
US Stakes and Shares in Strategic World Regions
6. Economic Dimension 6th WEEK
Key Ideas and Paradigms in American Economy (March 17)
Neoliberalism and its critics
Impact of globalization
Income inequality and poverty in North America
Regional common market or free-trade agreements and domestic economic policy
International competition
7. Security Dimension 7th WEEK (two sessions)
Homeland Security in the Age of War on Terror (March 24)
America as a target - Protection Capacities
Transformation of the US military
Immigration Policies of North America
North American Security Issues and Capacities
From Cold War to War on Terror
8. Global Dimension 8th WEEK
Key-Note Speech: topic tbc (March 31)
9. Public Affairs Dimension 9th WEEK
The Struggle over the Public Sphere: Media and Cultural Narratives (April 7)
The conservative critique of "liberal bias"
The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine
The conservative critique of American popular culture
New political radio and television formats
Political blogs and their impact
10. Cultural Dimension 10th WEEK
Culture and Arts in America (April 14)
Historical concepts of arts and aesthetics in the US and Canada
American literature
Role of the arts and culture in the American history
11. Social Dimension 11th WEEK
Social Security and Social Justice in the USA (April 21)
Sustainability of the American way of life (...or...of the "American Dream")
Welfare vs. Health Care & Pension System
New labor-community immigrant coalitions and movements for social justice
Unions
12. Geographic Dimension 12th WEEK
Geography and Natural Resources of Canada and USA (April 28)
13. Concluding Presentation 13th WEEK
Where Canada meets the US and visa versa: similarities and differences (May 5)
