NORAM2577 – An Enlightening Lens: American History through the Prism of the Immigrant Experience
Course description
Course content
Immigrants and their children have been deeply involved in most of the central debates in American history. Their experience provides an enlightening lens for gaining perspective on the national experience for a number of reasons. Among these are the bi- or poly-cultural perspectives they have brought to public debate. With reference to a variety of historical and contemporary documents, the class will explore their stands on a selection of the following issues: the relations with Native Americans, the design of westward movement, public education, slavery and the civil war, political and social reform movements, and responses to periods of racist and anti-foreign repression—as well as to national moods/trends celebrating diversity and tolerance.
Learning outcome
Deepening students’ analytic grasp of the major debates taken up in the course, their historical context and relation to the scholarly literature on immigration and ethnicity in the U.S. is the primary goal of the course.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
The course assumes a good proficiency in written and oral English. 1000-level NORAM-courses are recommended as preparation.
Teaching
The course is taught throughout the semester with two hours per week, 28 hours in all. There is a mid-term break (one week in the autumn term, two weeks in the spring term) during which the students are expected to prepare obligatory assignments (see below) and otherwise study on their own. The students are supposed to attend the class regularly.
Examination
Students must turn in an essay of 5 standard pages (11,500 bytes) by the
stated deadline in the semester.The essay must be approved by the tutor.
Additionally an oral presentation on a chosen topic must be completed and approved by the teacher. Both these activities must be completed in order to sit the final 4-hour written exam.
Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the two consecutive semesters when the course is given.
Previous exams: http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/hf/ilos/NORAM2577/Eksamensoppgaver/Eksamensoppgaver.xml
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
English
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Results will be found on the StudentWeb three weeks after the exam is completed.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.