The United States in the 1980s and 1990s: Cultural and Political Aspects

Course number: JTB305

Instructor: doc. PhDr. Francis D. Raška, PhD.

E-mail: francis.raska@fsv.cuni.cz

Office hours:

Tuesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM in Building C, Office C419

Wednesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM in Building C, Office C419

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

The 1980s and 1990s were interesting decades in the cultural and political history of the United States as well as the rest of the world and, therefore, deserve to be studied. This course aims to help students arrive at informed opinions concerning both decades. They should do their best to analyze the period not only from the perspective of the United States, but also the impact of American policies and ideas on the rest of the world. Attendance and active class participation in class discussions are mandatory. The required readings will be provided electronically. Students will be expected to read the assigned materials to be able to contribute to class discussions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Each student will receive a final mark at the end of the semester based upon the following criteria:

Class participation 30%

Term paper 50%

Oral exam 20%

Grading is based on the Dean's Measure no. 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019

91% and more => A
81-90% => B
71-80% => C
61-70% => D
51-60% => E
0-50% => F

Again, attendance and participation in class discussions are required and each student will be expected to write a paper containing 8 to 10 double-spaced pages. I will need to approve paper topics beforehand and I will expect students to let me know ahead of time by e-mail that they are unable to attend a particular class session. Unfortunately, I have not been happy with the number of unexcused absences by some students in the past as well as the repeated failure by some to read the assigned materials. Family and medical emergencies constitute legitimate grounds for absence. I will be stricter in this course as well as my other courses from now on. During the first weeks of the course, we will agree as a group on the date by which paper topics are to be submitted. If I am not satisfied that students are working on their papers, I may ask those in question to stop attending the course. The papers themselves will be due at the end of the semester. Please note that students are expected to disclose all sources cited in the form of footnotes. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism will be punished by the disciplinary committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The actual submission date for the papers will be set following a discussion by the group on the matter. Unfortunately, circumstances no longer permit me to be as lenient as I was in the past regarding papers submitted after the deadline. Papers submitted after the due date will be accepted only in the case of a documented family or medical emergency. In addition, I reserve the right not to accept papers from students who fail to attend class sessions and/or do not participate in class discussions. This translates into “No work, no credit.” I will insist that students let me know how they are getting on with their work throughout the course of the semester. I strongly recommend that students keep up with the readings and come to individual class sessions prepared to participate in class discussions. Time will be spent during the first session(s) discussing how to write papers. Please note that all students can expect to be examined orally on the topic of their essay at the end of the term. Questions asked during individual examination periods may involve the given topic as well as the research methods employed. Finally, I would like to stress that, for the course to be a success, we need to work together as a group of dedicated, mature scholars whose members communicate constructively with one another. Let us embark on what promises to be an exciting intellectual journey. Good luck!

TEXTS

Cullen, Jim, 1980: America’s Pivotal Year, New Brunswick, N.J., 2023.

Esperanza Serrianne, Nina, America in the Nineties, Syracuse, NY, 2015.

Hunt, Jonathan R. and Miles, Simon (eds.), The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s, Ithaca, NY, 2021.

COURSE TOPICS AND ASSIGNED READINGS

Ronald Reagan’s Electoral Triumph and the Overall Change in Direction

Readings:

1. Cullen, Jim, 1980: America’s Pivotal Year, pp. 1-41.

2. Cullen, Jim, 1980: America’s Pivotal Year, pp. 43-73.

3. Cullen, Jim, 1980: America’s Pivotal Year, pp. 75-130.

A Transformed Nation and World

Readings:

4. Hunt, Jonathan R. and Miles, Simon (eds.), The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s, pp. 1-42.

5. Hunt, Jonathan R. and Miles, Simon (eds.), The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s, pp. 43-83.

6. Hunt, Jonathan R. and Miles, Simon (eds.), The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s, pp. 84-122.

7. Hunt, Jonathan R. and Miles, Simon (eds.), The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s, pp. 123-161.

The 1990s: A Time of Change and Redefinition

Readings:

8. Esperanza Serrianne, Nina, America in the Nineties, pp. 1-45.

9. Esperanza Serrianne, Nina, America in the Nineties, pp. 46-100.

10. Esperanza Serrianne, Nina, America in the Nineties, pp. 101-171.

11. Esperanza Serrianne, Nina, America in the Nineties, pp. 172-249.