American Utopias in the 19th Century
AMST 330
Spring 2015 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
HIST 330 |
This seminar will examine expressions, both religious and secular, of the utopian impulse in 19th-century American culture. Communitarian experiments launched by Shakers, Mormons, transcendentalists, perfectionists, and feminists will be studied as manifestations of social and religious turmoil and will be compared with their literary analogues. Utopianism as a philosophical, literary, and literal approach to solving social problems and constructing a more perfect nation-state has been a persistent and recurrent feature in American history. This seminar explores 19th-century precursors to more recent utopian theory and experimentation. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AMST) |
Major Readings:
Edward Bellamy, LOOKING BACKWARD
John L. Brooke, THE REFINER'S FIRE
James Gilbert, PERFECT CITIES
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, HERLAND
Nathaniel Hawthorne, THE BLITHEDALE ROMANCE
Spencer Klaw, WITHOUT SIN
Carol Kolmerten, WOMEN IN UTOPIA
Stephen Stein, THE SHAKER EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly response papers, a class presentation and a substantial research paper will be required of each student. Participation in discussion will be reflected in the final grade. |
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