American History from JFK to Trump (HIST20071)

Covering the most significant issues and debates in American history since 1945, but with emphasis on the period since 1960, this subject aims to develop a deeper understanding of American political and social controversies that remain relevant today. It charts key developments: from McCarthyism to the Patriot Act; from the civil rights movement to a "post-racial" society; from liberalism’s apogee to the rise of conservatism. It examines the legacies and controversies surrounding the presidencies of JFK, Nixon, LBJ, Clinton, Reagan, George W. Bush, and Obama. With an emphasis on domestic rather than foreign affairs, the subject covers the Sixties and the New Left, the civil rights movement, social activism in the 1970s, the role of religion in American public life and the New Right, and other key topics. The core aim is to provide students with a grounding in the history that shapes and animates contemporary debates.

A core part of the class consists of a role-play game, in which students play the part of historical actors at a moment of controversy in the 1960s (relating either to the civil rights movement or to the Vietnam War). Attendance at the week 3 tutorial and the seminars in weeks 4, 5, and 6 is mandatory. Students should be prepared to research and write speeches or articles from the point of view of their assigned character and to engage in oral debate and argumentation.