"The Good War"? WWII and How It Shaped the Nation

While whole twentieth century presented a “great gulf” between what Americans expected at the beginning of the century and the reality that we found by century's end, WWII profoundly affected how the U.S. saw itself and its place in the world. Continuing to reverberate in our national memory, the story of that war has shifted and changed over the decades. How did Americans understand the war as it happened? How did they understand it looking back? How did the men and women who lived through the war change their expectations about the future? In thinking about this question, it's worth noting that the Civil Rights Movement, feminist movements, labor actions, and more social change movements emerged in the post war years.

doWe will think historically about a variety of topics and learn to   history by practicing historical research, analysis, and interpretation, culminating in students' own projects. Students will choose a research subject (a person or event connected to our foci) create an annotated bibliography of their research, and present their findings to the program.

This is an all-level program, ideal for returning and transfer students, especially those pursuing the Upside Down program. It is a broad liberal arts program designed for students who want to improve their historical knowledge, research skills, and (multi)cultural literacy.

Anticipated credit equivalencies include American history, American literature, cultural studies, and research and writing.