Kurz věnovaný aktuálnímu dění v USA se zabývá politickými, ekonomickými, kulturními a společenskými problémy. Zaměřuje se primárně na současnou administrativu prezidenta Donalda Trumpa. Kurz probíhá v angličtině (více viz anotace v AJ)
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.09.2018)
This course focuses on current issues and developments in the United States. It discusses wide range of political, economic, cultural, and social problems with particular focus on the current administration of 45th president Donald Trump.
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the most important discourses in the current U.S. Throughout the semester, we will analyze and debate various essential challenges the U.S. society is facing today. Multiple media sources will be used for the analyses, which should also provide students with advanced orientation in U.S. media landscape.
The course is taught in English and ends with a graded exam.
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.09.2018)
Cíl předmětu -
Cílem předmětu je seznámit studenty se s aktuálními problémy americké společnosti a politiky a analyzovat je v souvislosti s širšími teoretickými debatami a koncepty. Více viz popis cíle předmětu v AJ.
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.09.2018)
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be
familiar with the current political issues and debates in the U.S.
able to identify the major conflicts and tensions
able identify key personalities, facts and concepts in current political scene in the U.S.
familiar with the political landscape during the 2018 midterm elections
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.09.2018)
Literatura -
Pro každý týden je připraven a rozeslán soubor aktuálních článků a analýz, periodika zahrnují např. The Economist, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, a mnohé další.
Poslední úprava: SEHNALKO (23.09.2014)
Each week, the students are given reading assignment, usually from various media, including The Economist, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times and many others. The reading assignment will be distributed via email or via website.
Poslední úprava: SEHNALKO (23.09.2014)
Metody výuky -
seminář s důrazem na aktivní vstup studentů do výuky. Vice viz anglický popis metod.
Poslední úprava: SEHNALKO (23.09.2014)
Since this class is partly a lecture and partly a seminar, lecture will provide main guidance by means of two-way communication; all theories will be underpinned by practical examples and opened to in-class discussions by students. The participants are expected to read assigned material, raise questions about the claims in the article, and discuss their findings in the class.
Poslední úprava: SEHNALKO (23.09.2014)
Požadavky ke zkoušce -
viz anglicka verze syllabu
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (14.09.2015)
1. Attendance and active participation, including thorough preparation for each class: 10 + 10 %.Students are required to read the assigned texts thorough enough to contribute during class discussion. The texts will be available online on the course website or sent via email during the weekend before the class. Should you have any problems getting access to the texts by Sunday morning, let me know by email.
Students are also expected to closely follow current events pertaining to US domestic and foreign policy. It is expected that the students will read at least one daily U.S. newspaper - e.g. the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Los Angeles Times. Each class will start with a brief discussion of the latest developments in U.S. foreign and domestic politics.
2. Group project: 40%
Students are encouraged to create groups of two members for agroup project. Each group shall prepare an in-depth backgrounder on one of the presidential candidates, describing their position on key issues and controversies. The backgrounder presentation should be multi-media based - i.e. using text, links to videos, photos, newspapers articles, cartoons, etc.
For the presentation, the students are encouraged to use official resources, such as White House website (www.whitehouse.gov), opinion polls (e.g. from Gallup, Rasmussen Reports, Democracy Corps, Pew Research), official statistics (www.census.gov), or other media (e.g. online newspapers, YouTube, Facebook, etc).
All the backgrounders will be uploaded to a website.
The students are encouraged to discuss their presentation on regular basis.
3. Final exam: 50% The final exam will include identification of basic concepts, short answer questions related to assigned readings and to student presentations as well as a short argumentative essay.
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (14.09.2015)
Sylabus -
viz anglicka verze sylabu
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.09.2018)
Course Outline (Tentative – subject to change):
1. Orientation/Introduction
2. Media Landscape
3. Foreign Policy
4. U.S. Economy Under Donald Trump
5. Class in the United States
6. Racial Relations: BlackLivesMatter, Police Violence, Incarceration, War Against Drugs
7. Gun Rights: Major legislation, 2nd rights amendment debates, lobbying.
8. HealthCare/ ObamaCare
Meaning of the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act
9. Policy of Homeland Security
Defending the U.S. from the inside, U.S. and terrorism, domestic terrorism, terrorism v. hate crimes.
10. Role of religion in the U.S.
+ other topics of interest
Poslední úprava: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (30.09.2019)
Vstupní požadavky -
angličtina, základní znalosti o americkém politickém systému.
Poslední úprava: SEHNALKO (03.09.2012)
English, basic understanding of U.S. political system
