AJ27051 Contemporary Native American Societies

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2002
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Mgr. Jiří Rambousek, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Michaela Hrazdílková
Timetable
Mon 13:20–14:05 31, Mon 14:10–14:55 31
Prerequisites
It is recommended that students have taken the seminar "Native Americans" (AJ17050) before enrolling in this course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 18 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/18, only registered: 0/18, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/18
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of this seminar is to give the student a broad understanding of the situation of Native Americans in the United States and Canada today, while stripping away many of the stereotypes which are held about this group of peoples, both in North America and in Europe. The student should come away with an understanding of the vibrant and continuing nature of the societies and cultures of this once so-called "disappearing race". The seminar will be divided into two parts. The first will look the development of modern historical relations between Native Americans and the various European/American entities with whom they had to deal, i.e. the British, 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 issues (reservation economic development, the impact of gambling, unemployment), legal issues (tribal self-government, land claims) and social issues (alcoholism, drug abuse, etc.). A broad range of materials will be used. Written materials will include contemporary works of fiction, as well as scholarly studies by both Native American and Euro-American scholars in the fields of anthropology, sociology, history, and others. There will also be video material, primarily documentary in nature. This will enable us to focus our discussion on certain issues and themes as well as give the student a better feel for how Native Americans experience life.
Syllabus
  • The goal of this seminar is to give the student a broad understanding of the situation of Native Americans in the United States and Canada today, while stripping away many of the stereotypes which are held about this group of peoples, both in North America and in Europe. The student should come away with an understanding of the vibrant and continuing nature of the societies and cultures of this once so-called "disappearing race". The seminar will be divided into two parts. The first will look the development of modern historical relations between Native Americans and the various European/American entities with whom they had to deal, i.e. the British, 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 issues (reservation economic development, the impact of gambling, unemployment), legal issues (tribal self-government, land claims) and social issues (alcoholism, drug abuse, etc.). A broad range of materials will be used. Written materials will include contemporary works of fiction, as well as scholarly studies by both Native American and Euro-American scholars in the fields of anthropology, sociology, history, and others. There will also be video material, primarily documentary in nature. This will enable us to focus our discussion on certain issues and themes as well as give the student a better feel for how Native Americans experience life.
Literature
  • A complete list of literature will be provided at the beginning of the seminar. The materials to be used include:
  • 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
  • VIZENOR, Gerald Robert. Bearheart : the heirship chronicles : Darkness in Saint Louis Bearheart. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1990, xiv, 254 s. ISBN 0-8166-1851-8. info
  • SILKO, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1986, 262 s. ISBN 0-14-008683-8. info
  • ERDRICH, Louise. Love medicine. Bantam Windstone Trade ed. New York: Bantam Books, 1985, viii, 272. ISBN 0-553-34249-5. info
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Seminar; Assessment: class participation and essay / Seminář; hodnocení: diskuse v kurzu
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Credit evaluation note: 2 původní kredity.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Autumn 2004, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Autumn 2011, Spring 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2002, recent)
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