Comparative American Studies
Why take courses in Comparative American Studies?
Our students get a robust intellectual experience that is interdisciplinary and that explores histories, communities, and cultural practices in the United States.
Our department places particular emphasis on the comparative study of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality through archival, ethnographic, visual, and theoretical approaches.
What kinds of questions does Comparative American Studies explore?
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What does it mean to be American and what is the meaning of citizenship in a globalized world?
- What is the enduring significance of settler colonialism in the U.S. and globally?
- What role do media and art play in shaping our understanding of American identity, race, gender, sexuality, and inequality?
- What is the relationship between U.S. imperialism, militarism, and surveillance?
- How have historical, social, political, and economic systems shaped and reshaped what it means to be queer or claim queer identity in the United States and abroad?
What advice would you give students interested in taking courses in Comparative American Studies?
Our department offers an interdisciplinary approach to exploring some of the most pressing issues of our time: Immigration; settler colonialism and Native communities; the relationship between imperialism and militarism; racism and state-sanctioned violence; queer, trans, and LGBTQ social movements and organizing; and the role of media and popular culture in American and global society. If you are interested in learning the histories and mechanisms of inequality in the U.S. as well as responses to these processes, American studies courses offer you a place to do so.
If you are interested in pursuing independent research, community-based learning, and public-facing work, Comparative American Studies is an place that nurtures and supports that work.
Taking Courses
Courses for non-majors or general interest
- Any course at the 100 and 200 level
Getting started in the major
Students interested in the major should meet with a Comparative American Studies faculty member to discuss their individual program of study.
Majoring in Comparative American Studies
Provided are two examples of how a student could distribute courses required for the major over three or four years. See the catalog for additional details about major requirements.
Sample Four-Year Plans
| Fall | Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Y1 | CAST 100 | CAST 2XX |
| Y2 | CAST 200 | CAST 2XX SOCI 2XX |
| Y3 | HIST XXX | CAST 3XX AAST 2XX |
| Y4 | CAST 4XX | CAST 500 |
| Fall | Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Y1 | CAST 2XX | CAST 100 |
| Y2 | CAST 2XX | POLT 2XX ENVS 2XX |
| Y3 | CAST 200 | Study Away |
| Y4 | POLT 3XX CAST 3XX |
CAST 500 CAST 2XX |
Related Areas of Study
Africana Studies; Anthropology; Cinema and Communication Studies; Environmental Studies; Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies; History; Politics; Psychology; Religion; Sociology; English
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Comparative American Studies Major Requirements
Comparative American Studies Department