AMER315

This course will focus on the formation and elaboration of class identities in America from the end of the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century. We will explore a number of topics, including the different conceptions of class relations, the rise and fall of working-class radicalism, ideals of class mobility, the expansive nature of the middle class, and the ways in which race, class, and gender have been inextricably linked. The materials for the course will include a number of primary documents -- including novels, short stories, photographs, and paintings -- as well as a selection of recent secondary works. The course will conclude with a study of contemporary issues of class in America.