Bachelor of Arts in American Studies - Politics, Institutions and Values

DePaul University

Students in the Politics, Institutions, and Values concentration examine the structural and cultural processes that shape the distribution of power and resources, and supply the cultural meanings for U.S. society. Courses in this concentration explore a variety of American institutions and social processes, among them the political system, the economy, the educational system, the health care arena, the justice system and numerous other cultural and social spheres. Students will study the dynamic relations among these realms in courses ranging from traditional disciplines, like Political Science and Sociology, to those within interdisciplinary programs such as Women's and Gender Studies and, of course, American Studies.This concentration particularly encourages students to choose courses that emphasize an historical perspective in order to better understand the interplay of individuals, social groups and subcultures as they shape and are shaped by various institutions over time. A historical perspective also allows for comparisons among traditional, modern and contemporary methodologies for conceptualizing American society. Ultimately, students in the Politics, Institutions and Values concentration should develop the critical skills with which to analyze the complexity of the conflicts among these institutions and processes and their diverse participants, among ruling elites, their members and outsiders, and between the official discourses and the complex real outcomes.