| Description |
‘America’, in addition to its physical manifestation, is very much an imagined space. As such, its imaginary has been determined over the course of the centuries by different, and frequently competing, conceptions which include articulations of specific traditions, practices, and cultural values (cultural sustainability). The first of two interconnected lectures which seek to explore imaginaries of urban America and of the American West, respectively, this lecture focuses on the imaginary of the American West.
Originating in the Western American territory’s discovery, colonization, and settlement, the myth of the ‘American West’ has been shaped, among others, by images of cowboys, gunslingers, and card sharpers; of the gold rush and the majestic natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the Grand Canyon, stark deserts and endless plains; of the stage coach, covered wagon trains, and of ‘Red Indians’ – as noble, or infernal, savages.
This lecture offers in conjunction with a historical perspective on the westward expansion of the white settlers of the eastern board in particular since the 1820s, a discussion of key concepts, such as the frontier, manifest destiny, and American exceptionalism. More specifically, it explores representations of the West in literature, film, music, and popular culture (ranging from Wild West shows to museums and advertisements) which crucially contributed to, and were shaped by, the emerging myth from its inception to the present day.
Required Reading: A selection of texts discussed in this lecture will be made available on ILIAS. |
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