The extensive and wide-ranging publications of our diverse faculty illustrate the richness of the field. From Native wampum belts to rock ‘n’ roll, from urban fashion to 9/11 memorials, American Studies examines a range of materials to emphasize integrated approaches to the study of American history and culture.
Members of the Department of American Studies are accomplished scholars and devoted teachers who introduce students to interdisciplinary work in the study of American culture and seek to advance critical skills in thinking, analysis, and writing. In American Studies classes students learn how to locate and evaluate primary sources and scholarly texts, how to write effectively and clearly, and how to apply conceptual frameworks to their lived experience and practice.
The department promotes socially engaged and historically grounded research. Students are encouraged to conduct research projects and field studies that explore the rich cultural history, ethnic and class diversity, and community networks of New Jersey. Exploration of the local and regional environment is grounded in transnational approaches to the field of American Studies wherein students are encouraged to think beyond geopolitical and historical boundaries and to consider the local within regional, national, and global networks and processes.
