AMST 342 - Empire and Race in US History

Prerequisite, sophomore standing. This course examines how the expansion of the United States has been shaped and mediated by the ideas, practices, and institutions of race and racism. It approaches imperialism as the exercise of political and military power as well as a cultural and social project, and it examines the complex and contradictory ways in which people have both exercised and resisted that power. Students will critically examine the interplay of race and empire in key episodes such as the American Revolution, the global implications of the Civil War, making and governing a continental and overseas empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rise of US power in World War II and the Cold War, and the persistence of neocolonialism in the era of decolonization and “forever wars.” Special attention will be paid to the experiences and perspectives of the subjects of US imperial power, both within the nation’s borders and beyond. This class draws on critical theories, perspectives, and events from Asian American history as a lens into a broader analysis of the national and global landscapes of race; students are encouraged to apply course insights and materials to the study of other peoples and regions. Letter grade with Pass/No Pass option. No (Offered as needed.) 3 credits