As the ultimate founding myth, the American Revolution and the war of independence have a powerful role in U.S. popular memory. Cherished legends and controversial narratives can be highly politicized or thoroughly entertaining – and often both simultaneously. Remembering the revolution is deeply entrenched in the so-called culture wars, and at the same time it has been highly commercialized. The seminar will explore the popular memory of 1776 in more conventional settings such as museums, films and educational programs, but also analyse less common or more recent formats for example digital games, musicals, or meme culture. A basic understanding of the history of the American Revolution prior to this seminar is helpful – alternatively, consider choosing this class together with the related Hauptseminar.

Kurs im HIS-LSF