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Among all the different identities a human being may possess national identity holds a primary position in recent academic and non-academic discussion. In the seminar we will try to follow the current debates on the construction of national identities in general and in Great Britain and the United States in particular. We will then apply our insights to texts of all kind, even including film and music, trying to answer question such as the following: What role does the "Other" play in the construction of a particular national identity? Who figures as the "Other" in England and America? How is history manipulated in order to "legitimise" the English and the American nation? What are the foremost collective symbols of the nations in question? Who are the most important icons and how are they idealised? Etc. etc. A reader with relevant material will be available at the beginning of the semester. |
