American West ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

The goal of this study is to introduce students to an understanding of the American West that transcends traditional perceptions of the American Frontier and its related mythology. Students in this study will examine various political, social and cultural themes in this course and explore the history of the American West from the pre-colonial era through the 21st Century. Topics will include definitions of 'the American West' from several perspectives, the historiography of the American West, and the social, political and cultural history of the American 'frontier.' Issues of race and gender are integrated throughout.