AJL57012 Topics in Culture: Native American Studies

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 7 credit(s) (plus 3 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Students successfully completing this seminar should be able to discuss the situation of Native Americans in the United States and Canada today. They should be able to distinguish between the stereotypes which are held about this group of peoples, both in North America and in Europe and the reality of the indigenous experience. Students should be able to discuss, analyze and evaluate the historical causes that have resulted in the current situation of individual bands, nations or other groups of indigenous peoples in North America.
Syllabus
  • This seminar will be divided into two parts. The first will look at modern (post-1865) historical relations between Native Americans and the various European/American entities with whom they had to deal, i.e. the U.S. and Canadian governments as well as organizations such as the Hudson's Bay Company and missionary societies. In the second part, we will look at contemporary Native American society and the particular issues which are of relevance to this unique community. These will include cultural issues (e.g., education, freedom of religion, language preservation), economic (reservation economic development, the impact of gambling, unemployment), legal issues (tribal self-government, land claims) and social issues (alcoholism, drug abuse, etc.).
  • Week 1 Seminar: The middle is an end and a beginning, Historical Background: The Noble Savage, the concept of Terra nullis.
  • Reading: Takaki, Chapter 1
  • Week 2 Film: We Shall Remain (2009): Episodes 1-3
  • Reading: The Story of Ishi: A Chronology, Rockafellar and Starin, Rockafellar, Fagan, Davis.
  • Week 3 Seminar: Themes in Nineteenth Century Writings: Responses to European Settlement,
  • Reading: Historical oratory, Kaiser
  • Week 4 Films: We Shall Remain (2009): Episodes 4-5
  • Reading: Takaki, chapters 4 and 9
  • Week 5 Seminar: Historical Background: Indian Power, Land Claims: The 1960s to the Present (AJ27051 only)
  • Reading: Takaki, Chapter 14
  • Week 6 Film: Between Two Worlds (1990); (Reading Week)
  • Reading: Olson and Wilson, chapters 7 and 8
  • Week 7 Seminar: Where are Native Americans today? An overview of the political and legal situation
  • Reading: Vicaire
  • Week 8 Film: Incident at Oglala (1992), directed by Michael Apted (1990)
  • Reading: Rich
  • Week 9 Seminar: Where are Native Americans today? An overview of political sovereignty and land claims
  • Reading: Mitchell
  • Week 10 Films: As Long as the Rivers Flow: “Time Immemorial,” “Flooding Job’s Garden,” “Tikanagan” (1990)
  • Reading: Coon Come, Curry et al., Sandfeur and Liebler
  • Week 11 Seminar: Where are Native Americans today? An overview of the social and economic situation
  • Reading: Korpal and Wong, Vinje
  • Week 12 Films: Indian Country Diaries: A Seat at the Drum (2006)
  • Reading: Miller, Weaver
  • Week 13 Seminar: Where are Native Americans today? (AJ27051 only)
  • Reading: Ackerman and Bunch, Akee
Literature
    required literature
  • Olson, James S. and Raymond Wilson. Native Americans in the Twentieth Century. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.1986
  • TAKAKI, Ronald. A different mirror :a history of multicultural America. 1st ed. Boston: Back Bay Books, 1993, ix, 508 s. ISBN 0-316-83111-5. info
Teaching methods
Seminars with student participation, readings, films
Assessment methods
Assessment is based on four elements:
- Class participation: 10%
- Journal: 10%
- Video Commentaries: 24%
- Research presentation/paper: 56%
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every other week.
General note: This course is NOT designated for Erasmus students! List of courses offerd by the Department of English and American studies for Erasmsus students is available at http://www.phil.muni.cz/wkaa/ under "Information for Erasmus students".
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