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| Semester | fall semester 2022 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Manfred Max Bergman (max.bergman@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | In 1992, the US American political scientist Francis Fukuyama wrote: “What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” (The end of history?, The National Interest, 16, 3-18). Just three decades later, things have changed considerably. The global power shifts in the beginning of the 21st century are leading to a renegotiation of national positions in a new geopolitical order. While much of the past century could be described as the American century, the future will see great changes, not only because of the reemergence of the nation state, but, with it, also changes in political, economic, social, and cultural terms. In this seminar, we will explore sociologically the changes in the US from the 1950s to the present in order to better understand how the US has experienced destabilizing social problems and how it is negotiating its position in relation to a changing world and global order. All seminar topics will focus on the US, and they may include US American norms and values, the 2016 and 2020 election, wealth and poverty, Wall Street, education, science and technology, health care including the nation's and states' response to the current pandemic, race and ethnicity, BLM, critical race theory, home schooling, migration, religion, crime, pollution, US-China relations, 6 January, change in the media landscape, and anti-Americanism. The final list of topics for the seminar will be decided in the first week of the seminar, in collaboration with the seminar participants. |
| Learning objectives | Students - understand some of the strengths of, and some of the main social problems in, the USA, - are aware of the continued influence of the US on Europe and on global affairs, and - are aware of the current geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts. |
| Bibliography | Preparatory Background Materials: National Security Strategy of United States of America, December 2017 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf) https://www.rferl.org/a/blinken-china-russia-greater-threat/31870312.html https://www.ft.com/content/109a8d88-2c56-4cc0-bd90-1d3a9dff2966 Readings will be prepared by the seminar participants and made available to all throughout the seminar. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 28.09.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 05.10.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 12.10.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 19.10.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 26.10.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 02.11.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 09.11.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 16.11.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 23.11.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 30.11.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 07.12.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 14.12.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Wednesday 21.12.2022 | 10.15-12.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Europäisierung und Globalisierung (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Modul: Politik, Entwicklung und soziale Ungleichheit (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Modul: Transfer: Europa interdisziplinär (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Wirtschaft, Wissen und Kultur (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Module: Migration, Mobility and Transnationalism (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Preparation of a seminar in collaboration with the seminar convener and a seminar presentation. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Soziologie |