HIST-LIT 90HA: The American West

Instructor: Chloe Hawkey
Meeting time: Monday, 9:45 - 11:45 am

From cowboys to “tech bros,” images of the American West are everywhere—and they have been for a long time. The data of geological surveys and census reports have never been able to outweigh Americans’ (often conflicting) dreams of the West: the land of endless potential or a wasteland, naturally sublime or demanding development. This course explores these ideas, their development, and the interplay between them and political and economic growth. Where do these ideas come from, and how do they change over time? What happens when they clash with social or political reality? What are the benefits and drawbacks of focusing our attention on the realm of culture? As we work to answer these questions, we’ll also address the methods of settler colonial theory, environmental history, and literary history. Our discussions will move between ideas about the land, geology, and environmental damage and ideas about people, cities, and technology, as we seek to understand how deeply interrelated these various aspects of the American West are.